And we’ll settle for a classier state judiciaries that follow and enforce their own rules. More than half the states in America still hold popular elections of judges. WAC? would be happy if elected state judges–with their shadow constituencies of campaign money-contributing companies and lawyers–would adhere to the spirit and language of rules already in prescribed or adopted. See, e.g., But most don’t. Popular election of state judges is medieval and embarrassing–and so we still like like Tony Mauro’s Law.com piece of April 2008, “A New Call for Tougher Recusal Standards“, on the Brennan Center Report. Mauro’s article begins:
With state judicial elections getting more costly and raucous, many organizations are voicing concern about how to preserve–or restore– the independence and integrity of state court systems. When judicial candidates accept campaign donations or make campaign pronouncements that might affect their impartiality in future cases, what can be done?