You’re casting ballots today on whether or not to retain Missouri Supreme Court judges Kelly Broniec and Ginger Gooch.
Some progressives have openly tweeted that they plan to vote against retaining both judges, due to a September Missouri Supreme Court decision on Amendment 3. Missouri Governor Mike Parson, who appointed Judges Broniec and Gooch last fall, tells 939 the Eagle News that he’s voting to retain them and praises their background and work ethic.
Two retired Missouri Supreme Court chief justices wrote a recent letter to the editor of the “St. Louis Post-Dispatch”. While former Chief Justices Ann Covington and Michael Wolff were appointed by governors of different parties (Republican John Ashcroft and Democrat Mel Carnahan respectively), their letter touts Missouri’s non-partisan plan, which was adopted by voters in 1940. It evaluates judicial candidates for qualifications and ethical standards. While Covington and Wolff’s letter does not mention the two Missouri Supreme Court judges or any other judges up for retention by name, it says that the nonpartisan plan “seeks to ensure that the judges are not only well qualified but, also, will decide cases fairly and impartially under the law, free from electoral politics.”
Covington and Wolff note Missouri’s nonpartisan court plan has been copied by more than 30 states.
A statewide committee of non-attorneys and lawyers who reviewed the performance of all of Missouri’s nonpartisan judges up for retention this year says Judges Broniec and Gooch “substantially meets overall judicial performance standards.”
The Missouri Supreme Court, in a 4-3 September decision, reversed a Cole County Circuit court decision that Amendment three should not appear on the November ballot because it failed to identify all statutory provisions the amendment would affect should it be approved. The court said in its 4-3 decision that it was not about the subject matter of the initiative petition itself. Judges Broniec and Gooch dissented in the 4-3 decision. That dissent angered some progressives.
Progressive activist Jess Piper of northwest Missouri, the executive director of Blue Missouri, tweeted last week: “Vote “no” on Justices Broniec and Gooch. Send a message to the Missouri Supreme Court — we are watching your votes and we will vote accordingly.”
