Five GA Supreme Court justices remove themselves from election dispute

[Calista241]

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Five of the eight justices on the Georgia Supreme Court on Monday disqualified themselves from a case calling for an open election for Justice Keith Blackwell’s seat.

Justices Charles Bethel, Michael Boggs, John Ellington, Nels Peterson and Blackwell recused themselves from hearing appeals filed by former U.S. Rep. John Barrow and former state Rep. Beth Beskin. Both contend there should be an election that allows voters to choose a successor to Blackwell, who announced in February that he is resigning from the court in November.

Barrow and Beskin are appealing an order by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Emily Richardson, who ruled that Blackwell’s seat officially became vacant when Gov. Brian Kemp accepted Blackwell’s resignation. Per Richardson’s decision, an election is unnecessary because Kemp gets to appoint Blackwell’s successor.

In Monday’s order, Chief Justice Harold Melton and Justices David Nahmias and Sarah Warren denied a request filed by Barrow last week that they recuse themselves because of possible conflicts of interest. The three “carefully considered the motion to recuse him or her,” the court said in an order, without further explanation.

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/news/local/five-supreme-court-justices-remove-themselves-from-election-dispute/LFAw0Gfn4W41SAuz2Hzr3L/

[Polybius]

1. Does this help us or them?

How were the recused judges politically?

[Hoyt]

2. All of justices appointed by GOPers.

[marble falls]

3. They are admitting that were involved in someway with one or both of the parties.

[CottonBear]

4. Kemp is canceling an election due to a resignation that won't be effective for another 8 months:

<snip>

An attorney for the state argued Friday that Blackwell’s seat was in fact considered legally vacant once Gov. Brian Kemp accepted Blackwell’s resignation. A section of Georgia law says a state office is vacated as the result of seven different scenarios, including “by resignation, when accepted.” But because Blackwell is still hearing cases and writing opinions, the seat is not actually vacant, lawyers for Barrow and Beskin argued.

“Gov. Kemp and (Raffensperger) have acted as if this future tender acts as an immediate vacancy which they have the duty to fill,” said Cary Ichter, an attorney for Beskin. “The notion the state can cancel an election due to a resignation that won’t be effective for another eight months … is simply ludicrous.”

Lester Tate, an attorney for Barrow, argued that if the election is not held, it would set a dangerous precedent for justices resigning early and giving the governor the power to choose their successors instead of Georgia voters.

“We would never have an election again,” Tate said. “What really happened here is the kind of shenanigans you don’t see in any Western democracy but in a banana republic.”

<snip>

https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/barrow-beskin-ask-judge-revive-election-for-georgia-supreme-court/dfSmnA53nfLt9eQqQ1uvOJ/

More of the same from Governor KKKEMP and his loyal henchman and successor, Secretary of State Raffensperger, as they attempt to further subvert and destroy democracy in Georgia.

[Lonestarblue]

5. Kemp is just one more Republican crook.

He stole his election as governor. Of course he would try to steal another seat on the court to benefit himself with a corrupt appointee.

[CottonBear]

6. I live in Georgia. I know John Barrow will fight the good fight against the GOP.

He used to be my congressman and an Athens-Clarke County commissioner before that.

I knew him during his time on the commission. He’s got a Harvard law degree. He’s from an old and prominent Athens family. His father was a longtime judge in Clarke County.

Fun fact: Both Barrow and Kemp are from Athens, GA.

[cab67]

7. Why is he resigning?

Just curious.

[CottonBear]

8. Official reason: To spend more time with his family. Real reason: I don't know, but...

I suspect more subversion of democracy and voting rights by Kemp’s ongoing crime of stealing our elections.

https://www.11alive.com/mobile/article/news/state/georgia-supreme-court-justice-keith-blackwell-to-resign/85-8a4bc73e-fc4a-4281-b223-b24d989a0a84

Georgia Supreme Court justice to resign in November



Photo Credit: Supreme Court of Georgia
Georgia Supreme Court justice to resign in November
Justice Keith R. Blackwell cited family obligations and a wish to return to private practice as his reasons.
STATE
Author:
Jonathan Raymond (11Alive)
Published:
11:24 AM EST March 2, 2020
Updated:
11:24 AM EST March 2, 2020

ATLANTA — Citing the wish to spend more time with his family and return to private practice, Georgia Supreme Court Justice Keith R. Blackwell will resign in November.
The state Supreme Court announced his intentions on Saturday.

Blackwell, 44, has served on the Supreme Court since 2012, and was appointed by former Gov. Nathan Deal.


“Our oldest daughter will leave for college in only a couple of years, and her sisters will follow not long behind,” Blackwell said in a letter to the governor. “I have decided that it is best for my family that I return to the private practice of law.”

RELATED: Georgia Supreme Court agrees to hear Ryan Duke's appeal in Tara Grinstead case

His replacement will be Gov. Brian Kemp's second appointment to the Court. The first will take the seat of Justice Robert Benham, who retired this weekend. That appointment has not yet been announced.

<snip>