Letters to the Editor
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‘Light ‘Em Up’
So, the United States Supreme Court will not solve the problem of undemocratic cronyism in the selection of judges in New York [Editorial, “Light ‘Em Up,” January 17, 2008].
Not to worry. The means and responsibility for making this reform have all along been in the hands of the governor and the legislature.
Sadly, in his State of the State address last week, Governor Spitzer included not a single item drawn from the well-settled agenda of fundamental court reform this state so urgently needs.
I first came to Albany three decades ago. I witnessed the final stages of implementation of the last great burst of judicial reform.
This transformation of the Third Branch had been effected through historic constitutional amendments and legislation. Governor Rockefeller had made a great priority of achieving these reforms. Had the governor not done so, it never would have happened. There has been nothing comparable in all the years since.
Chief Judge Kaye of the Court of Appeals has strived mightily to get the “three men in a room” to act on this agenda. It has been no go. One cannot help but draw the inference that the priorities of the only female head of a branch of government are being treated condescendingly, if not outright ignored.
It is sad that Judge Kaye is spending the last year of her distinguished tenure in office devoting all her efforts to the mere housekeeping issue of a judicial raise.
Mr. Spitzer, Assembly Speaker Silver, and Senate Majority Leader Bruno should all be ashamed of themselves. They are letting this great lady go out with a sputter.
Mr. Spitzer should seize this opportunity to make the Supreme Court’s decision the pivot point in the progress of judicial reform. He can do so by using the urgently sought pay raise for members of the Legislature and the Judiciary as a bargaining chip to extract reform concessions.
One can think of no more powerful or obvious a strategy.
TERRY O’NEILL
The Constantine Institute
Albany, N.Y.
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