Here’s an idea: Judges should avoid lunching with people who are parties to cases in their courtroom. If that’s just too strict for inbred Topeka, the lunch conversation should not involve those cases. Because Kansas Supreme Court Justice Lawton Nuss talked about school finance during a March 1 lunch with Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, and Sen. Pete Brungardt, R-Salina, even showing them a related chart he’d made, Nuss is now off the case. That’s appropriate.
What’s not needed is for lawmakers and Attorney General Phill Kline to overblow the incident, either as legislators try to pass a schools plan during this week’s wrap-up session or via other inquiries. Nuss’ ill-advised lunch likely won’t change any future court rulings on the case; it just means one fewer justice will be telling lawmakers to fix school finance.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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12 Comments
So much for the Eagle’s stand against “private meetings.” Guess it’s OK if you’re meeting about something the Eagle favors.
It’s not the lunch that’s important, it’s the fact that we have a Supreme Court justice who is attempting to direct the legislative process by suggesting that the court would prefer a bi-partisan bill and discussing dollar amounts.
Something stinks! One Supreme Court justice is married to the Governor’s former chief of staff. Another Supreme Court justice is caught telling legislators what he wants them to do regarding the biggest case in Kansas.
Amazing that Justice Nuss only realized he had a conflict when he was confronted by a reporter willing to do some legwork (not from the Eagle, of course).
Now our local paper protests any further investigation. Sad.
According to the Salina Journal, Nuss had recused himself in 2002 from the school finance case. But apparently that recusal didn’t “stick”? Will this second recusal “stick”?
Salina Journal, Oct 22, 2002Court to hear school-finance case”Salinan Lawton Nuss, who this past week took a seat on the Kansas Supreme Court, recused himself from hearing the case. Nuss represented the Salina district in the past.”
http://www.saljournal.com/blogs/?p=667
Wow, even I am a surprised that the Eagle editorial wants to dismiss this incident.
This is a big, big deal in my opinion
Who knows how many more meetings like this have taken place.
What’s pathetic too is Sen. President Steve Morris’ trying to defednd actions. What a poor, poor leader.
Just finished reading my print paper. It featured a story about columnist Leonard Pitts. Pitts said “he expects what newpaper readers should expect: bold, decisive journalism that reveals the truth.”
…or maybe we should be more worried that someone will “overblow” an incident.
The Eagle is really showing its true colors with this blog post. This is a huge deal and it gives cause for looking into how Kansas sits it justices. This case also demonstrates how out of control courts and legislating judges operate. Sad day for Kansas; even sadder for the Eagle because it proves the points they have been fighting against for so long. Nuss was clearly inserting himslef into the legislative process; where a clear majority of Kansans feel he does not belong.
It is not surprising that the Eagle would take this position. They are only for open government if they think it is their opinion being squashed behind the scenes.
The people should be outraged by this. It shows exactly what some of the legislators tried to warn us about but they were ignored. We were told that the Supreme Court was above all politics but this shows they were not. How can Allegruci who is the husband of the previous chief of staff for the governor and her current (as well as past) campaign manager say that there has not been a discussion between the judge, his wife or the governor?
How can this just be written off as poor judgment? Even an attorney knows better than to discuss any part of a case outside of the court or with his client. If you accept the responsibilities of being a judge you should know better than to discuss any of your cases outside the court. You should really know the rules to be a Supreme Court Judge or turn down the position.
Neither of the two judges worried about even the appearance of impropriety because they figured they were above the law. Allegruci figures he really has nothing to worry about because he cannot stand for retention again because of his age. Nuss just figured he was above the law. Then you add in the legislators that participated and they act like it is no big deal because they do this all of the time. They just do not get it. But then we are dealing with unethical people and they figure the laws are different for them.
I am not sure if an honest investigation can be done but something should be changed. It is time to change the way the Supreme Court Judges are appointed. Let’s call on the legislature to take action. We must make sure that we have a court that does what they are supposed to do and stay out of politics.
My my myThe righties are in a snit.
Well we got Ruby. The party functionary hack.
Blow Joe weighed in with his usual blogfart.And we have a mixed bag of posters I’ve never seen before, conservatives all out raged outraged I say at this bit of impropriety.
I wonder. Did these same folk come down with the same case of outrage That UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT JUSTICE Scalia went on a little hunting outing with some folks he was going to be edjudicating?
The leg. won’t do it’s job and fund the schools. That is because the leg. is dominated by folks whose constituency are the above! Namely hypocritical cybabies afraid they will have to pay another nickle in taxes. SOMEBODY has to act in the best interest of Kansas. If it has to be judges so be it.Hey the same kind of activism got your boy bush in office.
Sounds good to me JR.
The Governor refuses to perform her constitutional duty and present a budget to the legislature that includes a spending plan for the 85% of the budget that goes to K-12 Education.
You and the supreme court have taken control of 85% of the General Fund away from our elected representatives. The house and senate may as well not even bother going to topeka.
7 non-elected officials run the state government. So much for the great experiment in democracy. Enjoy.
And we have a mixed bag of posters I’ve never seen before.JR
Typical liberal elitist comment by JR. Gotta be part of the “Blog” club to post, JR?
JR, there is a huge difference between discussing a case with litigants and going on a hunting trip! No one has said Nuss can’t go to lunch with Sens. Justices and Legs. socialize often and nobody cares. But this went way too far. But you already know that; it’s just the best arguement you could come up with. Sometimes it’s better not to comment when you are clearly in the wrong.
Hey JR
What does edjudicating mean? is that, judged educating legislators…is it judges educating you on how to spell adjudicate?
oops. and that is no typo…glad you are a voter, we are all more safe now..