When you can’t beat Mitch on the ballot, beat him in the courts
It appears that as Indiana Democrats give up on Jill Long Thompson they are turning to the courts to wage their war against Mitch Daniels.
A while back (yeah, we are a little behind on this one) Shaw Friedman, a former chief counsel to the state Democrats, former Edwards campaign chair, and former Democrat county chairman announced he was suing the state over FSSA modernization.
Is this an attempt for Democrats to impede Mitch Daniels agenda via the courts after failing to do so electorally or legislatively? We think so. And there’s a history of it.
(Read more after the leap)
In 2007, The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) got one of their stooges in Congress to insert language that would prohibit Indiana from allowing a private entity to manage part of FSSA’s operations. That effort failed.
Then in May of this year ACLU filed suit against Indiana as well. This time complaining that people were unjustly denied benefits (ironically, every complainant in the suit were initially denied and then got the situation fixed).
So now we get another lawsuit from Friedman, a Democrat operative from Northern Indiana seeking to bar the expansion of the modernization into Northwest Indiana.
Unrelated to FSSA, Jill Long Thompson is seeking to have the state investigate the Guv over alleged travel expenses.
Folks, we should be looking for more of this in the next months (and maybe well into the 2nd term) as the Democrats get more desperate to find a way to oppose Daniels. As they fail to defeat him in the Guv’s race they’ll continue to use the courts and other non-democratic means to oppose him.
September 19th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Are you saying only Democrats use lawsuits to get get results they can’t get legislatively?
If so, you really should talk to one of your party’s national heroes, James Bopp. Evangelicals fail miserably every time they try to get changes in federal campaign finance laws, so they repeatedly rely on Jimbo to go the courts and get results they can’t get legislatively. Almost in every instance, Mr. Bopp’s cause prevails, and I say kudos to him. I don’t cry about him “using the courts.” They exist to ensure that individuals have their statutory and constitutional rights respected.
I guess I’m always puzzled by people who claim they love America while they so disrespect the system of checks and balances, which is the most ingenious creation in the history of governance.
September 19th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Which, Chris, seems to be the goal of JLT and her flackies here. Engage in some sort of legal strategy to delay the Governor’s initiatives when they can’t make a good case to the voters.
It’s desperation on the part of the demmies. I don’t know if it makes me angry or makes me want to pity them. Either way its pathetic.
September 19th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
It makes me feel good–this is what you do when you can’t win on the issues…