Litigation

IA Paper: Impeachment Plan is ?Pure Insanity?

By Peter Hardin

A propose to impeach four Iowa Supreme Court justices amounts to “pure insanity,” a leading state newspaper editorialized as the legislature opened today.

In an editorial entitled “Stop the impeachment effort now,” the Des Moines Register strongly condemned talk of impeaching four justices who remain on the court after voters removed three others in November. The three, appearing on a retention ballot, were dumped in response to the high court’s 2009 ruling that permitted same-sex marriages in the state.

The editorial maintained that “extraordinary and unacceptable behavior” may be the grounds for impeachment, “but an unpopular court decision is no basis for impeachment.” It concluded:

“It is time for bipartisan condemnation of this reckless impeachment movement before more damage is done to Iowa’s courts and constitutional government. This is an opportunity for reasonable and thoughtful legislators in both parties to stand up and defend the principles of separation of powers, and judicial review by an independent and courageous judiciary able to give meaning and force to the principles articulated in the Iowa Constitution 153 years ago.”

Meanwhile state House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Democrat, vowed, ?We?ll try to shut the place down” if Republicans push for impeachment when the justices have done nothing wrong, according to a Des Moines Register article. Democrats hold a 40-member minority in the 100-member House.

On Wednesday, Iowa Chief Justice Mark Cady will deliver the annual State of the Judiciary address to legislators at 10 a.m., and it will be available live through the judicial branch website, www.iowacourts.gov.

According to an Iowa Independent article, the remaining  justices showed they are immoral and “open enemies of God” by choosing Justice Cady to lead the court, conservative radio host Steve Deace and Republican Party of Iowa Central Committee member Wes Enos agreed.

You can learn more about the impeachment controversy in Iowa from Gavel Grab.

Full post as published by The Gavel on January 10, 2011 (boomark / email).