Turns out some judges aren’t all that bad. At least one saw fit to forward this email to MOPNS:
Message
I apologize in advance for using Dale’s email list.
I’ve had enough with Lembke attacking the Missouri Plan. The lawyers in this state MUST send a message that if you attack the Missouri Plan, we WILL fight back.
Joan Barry is running against Rep. Lembke for a Missouri Senate seat. What message do we want all legislators – regardless of party – to hear? I want them to hear that we will fight back. Its one thing to form a group to defend the Missouri Plan, but let’s fight our enemies as hard as Lembke is fighting against our judges. Who will join me by contributing to Joan’s campaign?
(Web address deleted for posting)
Stephen R. Bough
CCP blogger and liberal court defender Steven Bough, stepped way over the line when he used a mass email list – that included sitting judges – to shill for contributions for a political campaign. Bough’s passion for keeping trial attorneys in charge of naming judges must have gotten the best of him.
In his above “reply all” to an email post of a news story, Bough sends specific contribution information to like-minded lawyers and judges. The problem is he didn’t check the list and included some judges on their official government email addresses. Soliciting contributions through a state email address is a big no-no, as we are sure lawyer Bough could tell you. For such an egregious error, there is no choice but to file an ethics complaint.
This is what happens when over-zealous activists lose control. They don’t think before they act. Bough should apologize publicly for his outburst and his indiscretion.
0 responses so far ↓
1 Cathcart // Jun 30, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Wow! Big time trouble for the Bough man… I’m sure the ethics commission won’t look favorably on this development. Sick really.
2 StopLembke // Jun 30, 2008 at 4:51 pm
They could all donate here – http://www.stoplembke.com
3 Jim Byrne // Jun 30, 2008 at 4:55 pm
That’s the problem with an integrated Bar.
Bough wants to mobilize the unauthorized army to protect the Judiciary.
I always thought the people were supposed to be the ones to decide the fate of their government.
Is this really supposed to be a Judiciary that lacks force and will? Are they the least dangerous branch of government? –I DON’T THINK SO
Once again; when nobody says NO, the government will become the beast that consumes us all.
In 1944, we, the people, gave the Missouri Supreme Court the power to create rules for practice and procedure. They used this power to adopt the Missouri Bar Association as a committee of the Judiciary.
Am I the only one that sees adopting a 28,000 member army, with a multi-million dollar purse, as an unconstitutional acquisition of power?
64 years ago, somebody should have said NO! Is it too late?
4 Ummmm // Jun 30, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Jim,
Ummm, actually people can write their congressmen and women if they don’t like the laws. the senate and house will make the laws. The judiciary checks them. Tell the reps to do their jobs and there should not be a problem. If they don’t do their job, boot em. There’s the gov. and the MO reps…they can veto the judiciary. But don’t take the bite out of one branch of government. Civics 101 pal.
5 JasonB // Jul 1, 2008 at 7:09 am
Civics 101 would require real checks and balances not the ones we allegedly have in Missouri.
It is amusing to see that one of the defenses of the Missouri Plan is how many other states use it. What the attorneys who want to appoint judges who will rule for them forget to tell you is that NO state has implemented the Missouri Plan like Missouri. Most have seen that it has significant flaws and made changes to it.
It ought to be readily evident to all that the lawyers are trying to keep their control of the courts in place. If Joan Barry is their candidate – then that senatorial district should tell her – hell no! Lembke at least is willing to standup against these shysters.
6 Jim Byrne // Jul 1, 2008 at 7:48 am
Ummmm…
Were you trying to change the subject or just display your naivity?
Write a letter? Do you really think that works? If it doesn’t work, write a letter to the media.
Eventually you will get tired of writing letters, and go away. (The media will tell you that it is too big for them to address.)
I’m not making this up. I’m speaking from experience. You will get patronized and lied to, but most of all, you will be ignored.
IF your letter isn’t backed by lobbyist money, it is likely to get filed.
When it comes to the Judiciary; if you try to fix it, they (the members of the Judiciary) will attack you. –Ask Jim Lembke
By making the Missouri Bar Association a committee of the Judiciary, the seed was planted. Lawyers twist the truth, and then sell that twisted truth everyday, so they can win. It’s not about honesty; it’s about winning.
Don’t blame the lawyers! It’s part of their job. For many, it becomes part of their day-to-day lives.
7 Gavel Grab » links for 2008-07-03 // Jul 3, 2008 at 6:40 am
[…] CCP Blogger Sends Fundraising Appeal to Sitting Judges’ Official Email Accounts Email This Post […]
8 Stop Lembke // Jul 18, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Citing his attack on the state’s judiciary and values out of touch with Missourians, the Committee to Stop Lembke was created to oppose the election of Jim Lembke to the State Senate. Rep. Jim Lembke proposed eliminating the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan, which has protected Missouri courts for nearly seven decades by requiring the selection of judges based on merit rather than on political affiliation. Learn more here: http://www.StopLembke.com
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