The night they make the judges
We retract our Tuesday editorial. The Manhattan Democrats have not bypassed their independent, double-blind judicial nominating screening panel like they said they were going to. The party’s Judiciary Committee has not rejected the report of the panel run by law Prof. Meredith Miller, but has actually accepted it.
Furthermore, at tonight’s judicial nominating convention to fill three Manhattan vacancies on state Supreme Court, instead of granting party leaders leeway to support any of 19 candidates who appeared before the panel, including the 10 who weren’t approved, the leaders are limited to backing only the nine who won gold stars from the panel, as well as seven contenders who were given thumbs up twice during the course of four years.
This is all on the party’s website, along with the names of the nine and the seven.
“The Judiciary Committee of the Manhattan Democratic Party has approved the report of the screening panel, administered by Meredith Miller, which extensively reviewed the background and experience of a number of applicants and determined these well-deserved candidates would be most qualified.”
What is missing from the website, vanished down the memory hole, is the statement from last week. Since they disappeared it, we reprint it here:
“It has been confirmed that the independent screening panel ... failed to comply with significant procedural guidelines set forth in our Procedural Handbook of the Independent Judicial Screening Panel.
“We appreciate the numerous organizations and individuals that commit their time to ensure the high caliber of our judicial selection process. It is out of this appreciation and commitment to our process that the Judiciary Committee of the Manhattan Democratic Party deems it necessary to reject the panel’s report.
“Because the independent screening panel’s report has been rejected, all applicants ... shall be deemed eligible for nomination.
“‘As County Leader of the Manhattan Democratic Party, I am proud of the diligence of our Judiciary Committee and the seriousness to which they take the responsibility of shaping the judicial bench. The effectiveness of our Independent Screening Panel relies upon the integrity of the process, and I stand by the ruling of our Judiciary Committee to reject this panel’s report in light of even a hint of compromise,” said County Leader Keith L.T. Wright.’ ”
Never mind. No problem. They did the 180 because they were caught and exposed by yours truly. Ironically, the 6:30 convention tonight is at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Perfect.
Also tonight at 6:30 are the conventions for Dems in Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens, making it impossible to visit more than one. Democrats will also make judges tonight in Rochester and White Plains and Saratoga Springs. The last one will be at the Embassy Suites hotel. Last year, those North County Dems met in the Warren County Courthouse in Lake George and we screamed our heads off for using a courthouse for partisan political purposes.
However, our disgust didn’t dissuade Albany Democrats, who plan, once again, to have their party meeting at the courthouse Friday afternoon at 16 Eagle St., next door to the New York State Court of Appeals. Chief Judge Rowan Wilson and Chief Administrative Judge Joe Zayas absolutely must stop that. Get the hacks the hell out of the courthouse.