politk wrote on March 28, 2008 09:46 AM: 'If approved by voters, the amendment would end Nevada's 143-year tradition of allowing voters to pick judges in contested elections.'

"No worries...we'll simply over turn the voters majority if the voters vote against it like we did in Guinn v Nevada Legislature."

"We have to keep our influences and cover ups at all costs."

Who do they think they are? wrote on March 27, 2008 09:35 PM: Gee, at least with the elections we think we have a say. Now the good ole boys will have total control. Hope the LA Times is ready for a sequel.

Of course with the current system we generally have two choices, stupid or corrupt. 90% of the time they are corrupt. But there are two that come to mind that are just stupid.

Alice Bath wrote on March 27, 2008 08:26 PM: So. After 143 years of Nevadans choosing their own judges you are now suggesting that the Good Ole Boys do us the favor of appointing our Judges?

The Wall Street Journal wrote an informative article re the Missouri Plan (the governor picks the judge) vs. the people choosing which judge they want.

Americans choose to speak for themselves.

moblyw wrote on March 27, 2008 07:42 PM: Our Judicial System is something else isn't it?

Lawyers helping lawyers. Lawyers assisting Lawyers. Its all about lawyers doing whats best for lawyers isn't it?

Earl Gardner wrote on March 27, 2008 05:52 PM: Having gone through the judicial selection process, I can assure you it has NOTHING to do with merit. The process should be televised so the people can see how the sausage is made. Those with both civil and criminal jury trial experience are consistently passed over in favor of the Nancy Allf's and Kathleen Paustian's of the legal community. I am confident that neither has ever done a trial, but both have law practices that are evidently so feeble that they have enormous amounts of time to devote to State Bar cocktail parties and committee meetings that are void of any substantive ideas.

The good ole boy/gal system is further fortified by the selection process. As bad as the Judges in this jurisdiction are, the key to removing them is to expose their silly rulings. For God's sake, why don't some of our most qualified attorneys, like those practicing at Lionel Sawyer, or Jones Vargas, or Kummer Kaempfer run for judge. Please, some of the senior partners should, in the spirit of public service, run for office.

God save us from the likes of Smiley Miley, and Tony Liker (type in "Judge Tony" on YouTube and bemoan the state of affairs of our judiciary). Come to think of it, for starters we should probably just oust all sitting judges. Except for Judge Cadish, in whom we finally, yes finally, have a judge with brains, who actually worked at a prestigious law firm, and does not go to glamour shots (Miley, Walsh, Susan Johnson) to have her photo taken, or, in the case of Judge Walsh, use a photo that looks nothing like her, probably because it was taken about a decade ago.

Mr. Justice wrote on March 27, 2008 05:40 PM: Judge Stephen George, son of retired federal judge Lloyd George, in the best double-speak traditions of Animal Farm, tries to convince us that black is white and white is black, when he states taking the vote away from citizens actually gives them more of a say in selecting judges. Of course, coming from the judicial aristocracy (along with Duke Bonaventure, Duchess Leavitt, Baron Von Bert Brown, Baroness Linda Bell, and more blue bloods to come) it is no suprise Judge George favors selection over voting. God forbid that someday he gets an opponent.

Free Nevada wrote on March 27, 2008 05:27 PM: "Under Raggio's proposal, each judge would be appointed by the governor from a list of three final candidates reviewed by the Commission on Judicial Selection."

"But Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark GIBBONS, who sat in on the meeting but is not a member of the commission, said..."

Guess we know what Governor GIBBONS thinks!

breaking news wrote on March 27, 2008 04:32 PM: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/27/puerto.rico.governor/index.html

'Puerto Rican governor charged in campaign finance probe'

"Our democratic system cannot function when public officials act as though they are above the law," said Luis Fraticelli, special agent in charge of the FBI's San Juan Field Office. "Public officials must comply with the law, and those who do not comply will be held accountable."

NEVADA OFFICIALS HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS

hymph wrote on March 27, 2008 04:08 PM: Soap and water/w bleach to kill germs) will do the trick

juicy quotes wrote on March 27, 2008 09:45 AM: http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/17009766.html

'Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, who last week asked the Ethics Commission whether it would violate the law for him to sign a letter asking lobbyists to donate thousands of dollars to help cover the costs of a national meeting of legislative secretaries.'
'Ethics Commission Chairman Mark Hutchison stroked his chin, and then ruled that it would be within the law for Sen. Raggio to sign such letters seeking donations of up to $2,000, since Sen. Raggio would receive no personal benefit, but that requesting larger donations -- up to $5,000, say -- would be wrong.'
'If it "creates an appearance of impropriety" to twist an arm for $5,000, who on earth decided there's no "appearance of impropriety" at $2,000?'

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