In a time when every dollar matters and every issue has a partisan angle, even judges aren't immune.
Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb decided in favor of allowing judges to identify with a political party, request donations directly and endorse partisan lawmakers.
To defend her ruling, Crabb said such rules restricting judges from declaring a party or endorsing others violated First Amendment rights and limited public interaction.
The move prompted public outcry for the possible impartiality conflicts such a freedom could cause in the justice system.
""Eliminating partisanship from the judiciary is the best way to assure that judges remain impartial,"" Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said in a statement.
A similar issue of partiality sprung up when Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson was criticized by opponents for accepting campaign donations from lawyers with cases pending. Although a spokesperson for Abrahamson defended the move as a product of the system, our justice system must stand for something better.
Her opponent, Randy Koschnick, signed a clean campaign pledge when he announced he was running, vowing to return any funds coming from pending cases.
When justices and judges take their positions, they willingly accept the ramifications of their duty to the judicial branch of democracy. Unlike other aspects of local, state and federal politics, the Judicial branch relinquishes certain rights in order to remain impartial in cases, engage in conflicts of interest and show partiality to one political party's philosophy.
If Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson wants to restore the public's confidence in justice impartiality, she'll also sign a clean campaign pledge to refuse funds in cases that present conflicts of interest.
In addition, Crabb struck a major blow to judge neutrality by allowing party affiliations for judges. The public should be evaluating judges based on their actions, not simply their party ideology.
America's justice system provides a universal third party to delegate between the grievances of others. We must not taint Wisconsin's judges and justices with party affiliations and campaign funds that compromise cases, as they only serve to worsen public doubt in our elected officials.
