Comments on: Paterson “disturbed” by list of potential judges

By: Roswell P. Flower

Roswell P. Flower — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:24:26 +0000

Of course, Ciparik is at least as qualified as Judge Jones, who only just arrived on the court. Plus she satisfies the gender and ethnic balance that the position demands.

But where was Gov. Paterson in the months leading up to this list’s creation? Couldn’t he have spoken out—even once—to make his preference known before the panel spoke? That’s not undue influence, it’s leadership!

Looks like the Three Amigos of the Senate may have a point after all—no one is going to stand up for Hispanics, women or any disnefranchised minority until we all demand it!

By: the consultant

the consultant — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:07:08 +0000

Well now that we know the composition of the screening
committee is about as impartial and non political as you
can get…the governors’ feeling about whether or not
there are sufficient numbers of any ethnic or gender
group are irrelevant..the court of appeal is the highest
court in the state..I have had the honor to argue one case
there over my career…the appointment of a chief judge
is something that must be done with no political considerations involved..the best qualified judicial mind
regardless of party, sex or color should be the test
surely the governor can pick from the list supplied
to him

By: Donkey Darling

Donkey Darling — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:03:19 +0000

Shades of Spitzer trying to jerry-rigg the successor to Hevesi. That screening committee – and this screening committee – should give the widest range of possible qualified candidates. Does anyone think Ciparick is NOT qualified? Baloney.

By: MoveOn

MoveOn — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:57:57 +0000

Well, there you have it. It’s the law and this panel screened candidates and handed over the list of QUALIFIED candidates to Paterson. Unfortunately the Governor doesn’t care about judicial qualifications and he would rather play politics. Because there were few minorities on the list is an unfortunate coincidence but there are still some very highly qualified candidates for Paterson to pick from. By saying that he was “disturbed” by the list is an insult to the process and every one of those individual’s on the list. He should apologize immediately.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. (8/28/1963)

By: The Law

The Law — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:43:47 +0000

The New York State Commission on Judicial Nominations is comprised of twelve individuals:

Four appointed by the Governor
Four appointed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals
One appointed by the Senate Majority Leader
One appointed by the Senate Minority Leader
One appointed by the Assembly Speaker
One appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader

According to the N.Y. Judiciary Law, of the four members appointed by the governor, no more than two shall be enrolled in the same political party, two shall be members of the bar of the state, and two shall not be members of the bar of the state. Of the four members appointed by the chief judge of the court of appeals, no more than two shall be enrolled in the same political party, two shall be members of the bar of the state, and two shall not be members of the bar of the state.

The process is hardly controlled by one individual or one line of thinking.

By: the consultant

the consultant — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:59:00 +0000

the question is who is on the screenng committee..not
who is on the judicial selection list..if that committee
is a combination of screeners over more than one gubenatorial term than patterson should not complain
if the committee is all pataki appointees than the
public should complain