Michigan Supreme Court

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Michigan Gov Snyder to pick new Supreme Court justice – will he show moderation or ideological Republican extremism?

By Eclectablog on January 13, 2013 in Michigan, Michigan Democrats, Michigan Republicans, Rick Snyder

Snyder’s Supreme Court appointment will set the tone for the 2013 legislative session

As I anticipated (rather testily) last month, Democrats are losing a voice on the Michigan state Supreme Court. Thanks to the unethical behavior of Diane Hathaway, whose name will now forever be associated with the betrayal of Democrats and Michigan citizens in general, we went from a 4-3 Republican-to-Democrat ratio to what will be a 5-2 balance once Governor Rick Snyder makes his appointment.

This has many people across the state wondering what Snyder will do with this opportunity.

On the one hand, he could continue his recent trend of appeasing the far right conservatives in his party, cementing the partisan divide that has so intensely polarized our state and that has created warring factions who despise each other.

On the other hand, he could choose a more moderate candidate who is more palatable to Democrats in Michigan. By doing this, the Governor could begin to repair some of the damage that was done when he chose to force Right to Work legislation through during the inflamed duck session and the animosity he created by passing laws that hinder women’s access to legal abortion services in our state.

My analysis after the jump.

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Michigan Dems about to lose a seat on the state Supreme Court thanks the stupidity of Diane Hathaway

By Eclectablog on December 3, 2012 in Michigan Democrats

Oh, for the love of Goddess…

With the election of Bridget McCormack on November 6th, Democrats in Michigan picked up a precious seat on the state’s highest court. These seats are hard-won and, in McCormack’s case, it took the effort of a crack campaign staff coupled with volunteers across the state working their tails off to make it happen. Now we’re about to take a step back as current Supreme Court Justice Diane Hathaway appears ready to lose her seat.

By cheating on the rules for getting permission to have a short sale of her million-dollar mansion, Hathaway is now in deep trouble.…

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Out-of-state conservative group interferes in Michigan’s Supreme Court race, targets McCormack – UPDATED

By Eclectablog on October 31, 2012 in Lies, Michigan

The desperation is palpable

An out-of-state group known as the “Judicial Crisis Network” is spending $1 million in Michigan to attack Supreme Court front-runner Bridget McCormack. After you read my interview with her HERE, you’ll quickly realize that she’s a candidate perfectly suited for the Supreme Court. The now-viral West Wing ad released by her campaign gave her name recognition not usually seen with candidates for the bench. As I said in my interview, she’s the real deal, running a real campaign and she’s going to win.

However, that’s only true if we get out the vote for her, along with Connie Marie Kelley (interview HERE) and Shelia Johnson (interview HERE.) The most recent Detroit Free Press poll shows that an astonishing 75% or more of Michigan voters are undecided in the Supreme Court races (one partial term where Johnson is the candidate and two full-term seats where Kelley and McCormack are on the ballot.)

We simply must spread the word on these three incredible women. We must tell our friends, our coworkers, our family — anyone who will listen — that these three women represent the best choice for Michigan’s future.

More after the jump.

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Mich Supreme Court candidate Bridget McCormack’s West Wing video blooper outtakes + last ad

By Eclectablog on October 29, 2012 in Michigan

We need to educate our friends, relatives and coworkers!

The Detroit Free Press released an astonishing poll recently that showed that in the two Supreme Court races, one for a partial term and one with two seats open for full terms, more than 75% of voters are undecided. Three-quarters of the voters don’t know who to vote for. Of course, Eclectablog readers know:

Bridget Mary McCormack (interview)
Connie Marie Kelley (interview)
Shelia Johnson (interview)

Now it’s time to share this information with as many Michiganders as you can. An easy way of doing that, of course, is to print out the Eclectablog Voters Guide (pdf) and hand it out widely.

As your reward, I present you with the the bloopers and outtakes from Bridget McCormack’s massively viral West Wing public service announcement (after the jump.)

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Supreme Court candidate Bridget McCormack endorsed by former Mich Gov William Milliken

By Eclectablog on October 15, 2012 in Michigan Democrats

The last of the truly reasonable Michigan Republicans…

When I was just a lad and an aspiring activist, I volunteered for a group called “The Three O’Clock Lobby”. It was a youth-run, youth advocacy group and we endeavored to make sure the voice of young people was represented in policy-making, law-making, and government in general.

It was during my time there that I first met Governor William Milliken when I and another young person asked him to wear a button saying “I support youth participation” at a celebration of the International Year of the Child (this event is actually mentioned in the Wikipedia article.) Milliken was not only a really nice and sweet man, he was a listener and he was reasonable. Considered a moderate, a man with his approach to leadership and governance would have no home in the Republican Party today, especially not in Michigan. William Milliken was willing to compromise and there’s no compromising in today’s Republican Party.

Today, Professor Bridget McCormack, candidate for the Michigan Supreme Court, announced that she has received the endorsement of William Milliken. It’s a clear sign of where things are in Michigan today, politically-speaking.

More after the jump.

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INTERVIEW: Michigan Supreme Court candidate Connie Marie Kelley – Empathy, compassion, and experience on the bench

By Eclectablog on October 15, 2012 in Interview, Michigan

Another superb candidate for the State Supreme Court in Michigan

Connie Marie Kelley is currently a judge in the Wayne County Circuit Court. She was endorsed and nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party for the Michigan Supreme Court along with Bridget Mary McCormack (interview HERE) and Shelia Johnson (interview HERE.)

Like the other two MDP-endorsed candidates for the state’s highest court, Judge Kelley comes from a background that makes her unique suited and qualified to be a state Supreme Court justice. She has spent her career advocating for clients as an attorney and making the justice system more accessible for those who use it as a judge. She has represented a wide variety of clients including victims of domestic violence, those who have experienced discrimination, and workers who have been treated unfairly by their employers. In her personal life, she has seen the impact that drug abuse can have on families and has used that experience to help young people find other paths, serving as a mentor and teacher to young people from urban areas.

The full interview is after the jump.

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INTERVIEW: Michigan Supreme Court candidate Shelia Johnson – a proven history of advocating for fairness

By Eclectablog on October 1, 2012 in Interview, Michigan

Judge Shelia Johnson serves in the 46th District Court that covers the affluent southeastern Michigan communities of Southfield, Lathrup Village, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills, Franklin and Southfield Township is not your ordinary judge. Judge Johnson was born and raised in Michigan and spent time as a child in the segregated South. Through these life experiences, she as seen how justice is administered from several unique vantage points. She has also seen how justice is often denied and has spent her life trying to correct that.

My interview with Judge Johnson after the jump.

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West Wing ad for Supreme Court candidate Bridget McCormack a smashing success – here are the numbers

By Eclectablog on September 22, 2012 in Uncategorized

Whoa.

On Thursday morning, I posted a 4-minute long online ad paid for by the campaign to elect Bridget Mary McCormack to the state Supreme Court. In fact, Eclectablog was one of the first to get it and have it available. Since then, the West Wing reunion spot has gone crazy viral.

Click through for the numbers and details.

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WEST WING REUNION: cast cuts ad for Michigan Supreme Court candidate Bridget Mary McCormack

By Eclectablog on September 20, 2012 in Events

THIS is how you do it!

When I interviewed Michigan Supreme Court candidate and University of Michigan law professor Bridget Mary McCormack earlier this week, I told you that today was going to be a big day for her. And it is. In addition to receiving the coveted endorsement from Democracy for America, the McCormack campaign released a new online ad. But this isn’t just any ad. This ad was filmed with cast members from The West Wing and looks like an episode of the blockbuster show.

The ad talks about a national emergency that’s in progress: people are voting in the partisan section of the ballot but NOT in the non-partisan section where they judges are elected and the ballot initiatives are voted on. It also highlights the amazing background and work done by McCormack.

It’s a smart, funny, and very entertaining way to get the point across while endorsing a terrific candidate for the state Supreme Court. Watch it after the jump.

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