A nonprofit organization that is spearheading efforts to constitutionally ban gay marriage in North Dakota has taken on another cause in the Nov. 2 election.
The Bismarck-based North Dakota Family Alliance has filed a federal lawsuit in hopes of abolishing rules that prevent North Dakota's judgeship candidates from expressing their personal views on issues that could reach the courtroom.
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The questionnaires for a 2004 voter's guide asked judges to offer their interpretations of the state constitution as it relates to
abortion, prayer in school and gay marriage.
Many of the candidates declined to answer the questions, citing Canon 5, said David Chapman, a Fargo attorney representing Jeffrey and the Family Alliance.
"The bottom line is you can't expect voters to make informed decisions without knowing what they're voting for," Chapman said. "People have questions and not allowing them to have that information denies them the proper process of election."
Southeast District Judge Ronald Goodman is one of the candidates who declined to fill out the questionnaire.
In a letter, Goodman told the Family Alliance he wouldn't complete the questionnaire even if the state's Judicial Code allowed it.
"I feel that a judicial candidate who would answer your questionnaire compromises his or her service as a judge," Goodman wrote. "A judge is supposed to be fair and impartial and not bring an agenda to the bench.
Patricia Monson, a Fargo attorney, Bar Association inquiry committee member and a defendant in the suit, said the questionnaire is irrelevant.
Judges, she said, are obligated to uphold the state constitution and not rule based on their personal views.
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/printer.cfm?id=71634Another attempt by the religious control freaks to hi-jack the court system and rebuild it into an arm of their church.
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