NEWS CLIPS

Judicial Pork

State Rep. Ed Emery (R) is carrying the water for the Republicans’ attack on the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan. He has filed House Joint Resolution 73 that would put judicial appointments squarely in the governor’s pork barrel. Under Emery’s plan, the governor’s appointees would be subject to an appointed commission. Here is how that commission would be appointed: three member of the Missouri Bar appointed by the governor, two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the House, and two members of the General Assembly appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate.

The Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan has been hailed nationwide as a model for how to reduce partisan political pressure in the appointment of the judiciary, which according to the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions should exist and act independently of the executive branch of government. Missouri Republicans have long aimed to destroy the plan and put appointments under the authority of the governor. Along with criminalizing abortion, killing this plan was a special passion of Ed Martin’s in his short, stormy run as Gov. Matt Blunt’s chief of staff.