Kill the Messenger
Aug 23rd, 2006 at 4:15 pm by Susie
Here we go again:
WASHINGTON — A judicial watchdog group contended Tuesday that Michigan U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, who last week struck down a federal warrantless wiretapping program, may have had a conflict of interest in the case.
Judicial Watch, a conservative-leaning group based in Washington, issued a news release calling attention to Taylor’s apparent membership in a local foundation that gave $45,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan in recent grants. The ACLU of Michigan was one of the parties to the case challenging the surveillance program that was begun after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The lead challenger was the national ACLU.
“This potential conflict of interest merits serious investigation,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said.
Taylor noted on financial disclosure reports filed in 2004 and 2005 that she is a trustee and secretary of the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan. That group says on its website that it has given a total of $45,000 in recent years to the ACLU of Michigan for programs serving gay men and lesbians. Taylor could not be reached Tuesday.
Tuesday’s complaint adds to attention that some legal groups have focused on the judge and her approach in the case, rather than the ruling itself.
A very large stretch of logic, if you ask me, and the Republicans have no one to blame but themselves. After all, they have so thoroughly muddied the lines of potential conflicts of interest, it’s laughable.
Do the Bushies’ feelings about black people have something to do with their characterizing the ruling by Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, who is black, slamming Bush on the NSA warrantless spying as “sloppy” and “careless”? Just wondering, is all.
Meanwhile, I know it’s a cheap trick to poke fun at Ann Althouse — like shooting fish in a barrel — but I can’t help contrasting her words in a NYT Op-Ed last November with her words today, when she lambasts Judge Taylor.
Not only is today’s analysis idiotic, but she committed exactly the same act of “carelessness” last fall she accuses Judge Taylor of today.