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November 03, 2005
Hypocrisy Watch -- Alito/DeLay
A couple of days ago, U.S. Representative Tom DeLay's legal team successfully convinced a judge that presiding judge Bob Perkins needed to be removed from his criminal case, since Perkins' past contributions to Democrats would potentially create an appearance of bias against Republican DeLay.
And just today, administrative judge B. B. Schraub recused himself from appointing Perkins' successor due to his previous contributions to Republicans.
DeLay's team played the conflict of interest and partisanship cards, and got the judge they didn't like removed, but may have started a lengthy tit for tat. Judges stand for partisan elections in Texas, and are, therefore, political creatures by necessity. Finding an "unblemished" one may not be easy. Be careful what you wish for.
Today's Boston Globe unearths a much different (and more serious) conflict of interest case involving President Bush's new nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Samuel Alito.
It seems that in 2002, Judge Alito refused to recuse himself from a case involving the Vanguard mutual fund company, despite his owning at least $400,000 in Vanguard funds and his previous pledge to recuse himself from any cases involving the company. In this case he ruled in favor of Vanguard -- shocking.
The White House, not surprisingly, is dismissive of any conflict of interest allegations against its nominee and is already portraying Alito as a victim of a character assassination campaign. Republicans have gotten very good at playing the whining victim.
You can't have it both ways, guys. If Tom DeLay can't get a fair hearing from a "Democrat" judge, then Samuel Alito shouldn't be ruling on cases connected to his own financial interest. Which way is it going to be?
Posted by houtopia at November 3, 2005 03:16 PM