Vander Plaats Rules Out Independent Bids, Wants Justices Ousted

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Source: KCRG

DES MOINES – Members of Iowa’s legal community Friday decried an overt effort launched by former GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats and others to unseat three Iowa Supreme Court justices up for retention votes in November that would inject partisanship into a judicial system insulated from politics since 1962.

Vander Plaats announced that he had ruled out an independent bid for governor in the Nov. 2 general election and instead said he would spearhead an effort to defeat three of the seven Iowa Supreme Court justices who ruled in April 2009 that a state law defining marriage as only between one man and one woman was unconstitutional – paving the way for couples of the same gender to get married in Iowa. Only a trio of justices are up for retention votes this November.

“It’s surprising, it’s disappointing and it’s astounding that this would give rise to the kind of campaign that we’re told is going to be conducted,” said Mark McCormick, a Des Moines attorney who served on the Iowa Supreme Court for 14 years and ran as a Democratic candidate for governor in 1998. “I don’t think this campaign can or should succeed and I don’t understand the motivation for it, at least I don’t understand the goal except perhaps vengeance over one decision.”

Tom Henderson, a Des Moines attorney active in the Iowa State Bar Association, said he expected the group would be engaged in an educational effort to explain to Iowans how judges are selected and the process my which they render opinions based upon constitutional principles, case law and legal precedent irrespective of public opinion or political considerations.

Read more: http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Vander-Plaats-Says-He-Wont-Run-for-Iowa-governor-100124999.html

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D'oh.

[HuskiesHowls]

1. He also said that he'd issue an executive order

Shortly after the ruling allowing gay marriage was originally handed down, he said the governor should issue an executive order overturning the decision of the court. Although there is nothing in the Iowa Constitution or Code that would allow a governor to do such a thing. He also brought that up when he was campaigning in the primary.

They just don't get it.....you don't always get what you want. And if they don't like a court decision...its ALWAYS because of "Activist Judges"!!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. It may well work, depending on turn out

Well I remember the Rose Bird election