Summer Snapshots of MA Politics

Does a controversial nomination for a juvenile court judge position in Springfield, Massachusetts have anything to do with Governor Mitt Romney's presidential ambitions? Who knows? But since grandstanding controversial judicial appointments is what presidents do these days, if you want to look presidential in a kind of red-meat Republican way, it would seem to be the thing to do.

Governor Romney has ignited a statewide controversy for bypassing the bipartisan Judicial Nominating Commission, which vets judicial candidates and submits a list to the Governor, who then picks a candidate for final review by the Governor's Council (the elected body that in Massachusetts confirms or rejects judicial nominations). The judicial nominating system has worked well and, nominees are rarely, if ever, voted down by the Governor's Council.

But strangely, Romney ignored the recommendations of the JNC and nominated Springfield attorney Henry Rigali, who apparently has a checkered legal history, no experience in juvenile justice issues and did not even apply for the job. Peter Vickery, the Councilor for the western district that includes Springfield, opposes the nomination. Romney refused Vickerys' call to withdraw the nomination -- and a showdown vote is expected to be held on August 10th. Romney plans to personally preside at the meeting, thus allowing Lt. Governor Kerry Healey, who usually presides, to cast what may be the deciding vote.

"What's startling to the legal community is that the governor has abruptly abandoned a judicial selection process that was meticulously prepared to combat favoritism," David Yas, publisher and editor-in-chief of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly told the Associated Press.

"In 2003, Romney issued an executive order for sweeping reforms designed to end cronyism within the judicial nominating process. Included in that was a prohibition against lobbying for judicial office, screening candidates through a "blind review" process, and a provision that judicial nominees be nominated by the governor within 18 months of his or her recommendation by the JNC, an advisory body that reviews applications and interviews candidates for judgeships."


Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Family Institute, the state political affiliate of Focus on the Family is leading an effort to ban gay marriage outright, instead of the current proposed constitutional amendment that would have banned same sex marriage but institutionalized civil unions. The effort takes the form of a "citizens petition."

The Associated Press reports:

"The initiative would define marriage as between a man and a woman. It is part of an effort to overturn the legalization of same-sex marriage, which the Supreme Judicial Court legalized in 2003..."

"In June, the Massachusetts Family Institute and a coalition of other groups opposed to gay marriage said they were launching the effort to amend the state constitution, and pledged to seek the defeat of the earlier version."

"Governor Mitt Romney withdrew his support for the compromise ban and threw his support behind the new plan, saying the pending constitutional amendment had ''muddied' the issue of gay marriage by legalizing civil unions."

"After the new initiative is approved by Attorney General Thomas Reilly's office, proponents must gather about 66,000 signatures. Then the measure must be approved by two Constitutional Conventions in a row, before it would be put to voters in 2008."

Blogger Marry in Massachusetts, however, sees "declining voter appetite for rescinding rights, particularly when same-sex marriage is smooth and painless."

Meanwhile the group blog, Blue Mass Group has gotten two of the four candidates in the democratic primary for a vacant state senate seat in the 2nd Middlesex District to respond to their questionnaire. Current State Rep. Pat Jehlen and former state rep. Joe Mackey are both progressives with nearly identical views, according to Blue Mass Group. Jehlen has amassed a large number of endorsements, and Mackey but a few. Blue Mass Group asks, do endorsements matter? Meanwhile the question of who to vote for on August 30th is fast approaching.