Who said judicial races are boring?
The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), according to The Patriot News, has rejected Republican candidate for Supreme Court Anne Covey by not including her name on a list of recommended candidates prior to the GOP’s January 31st vote to endorse the Commonwealth Court judge for the state’s highest court.
According to the PBA’s Judicial Committee, among the reasons Covey was rejected included a political advertisement used in her 2011 campaign.
Covey wrote in a letter that she feels the PBA’s “attempt to color all of my qualifications for the Supreme Court by a single legal and accurate political advertisement is without any sense of balance, fairness or propriety.”
She also mentioned how she feels that the “evaluation process is severely flawed, unbalanced and conducted in a reckless disregard for the truth and personal reputation and appropriate due process.”
Despite not being endorsed by the PBA, Covey was endorsed by the Republicans last month and will be on the May 19th ballot.
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23 Responses
The ad in question was false and misleading. That is why the PBA rebuked her. As a judicial candidate you sign an ethics pledge, which contains a clause against the candidates campaign running ads that Covey ran in 2011. You can attack a candidate, but you can’t lie doing it as a judicial candidate. It has been this way for years. Covey thought it wasn’t going to come back and bite her. She was wrong, just like she’s wrong for PA Supreme Court.
it’s time to APPOINT Judges in PA
I had the same experience with the Bucks County Bar Association when I ran for the Court of Common Pleas. It was over a dispute on the First Amendment and one of the committee members did not comprehend that the US Supreme Court ruled on the issue of judicial political speech in a state where judges are elected. See Republican Party of Minnesota v. White. By the way, “POLITICS AIN’T BEAN BAG”–TIP ONEILL. Covey is right on the issue. If we elect judges then expect campaign ads that may disrespect the opponent. What a concept? Old as the republic
She should be bounced from her Commonwealth seat, yet alone permitted to run for the Supreme Court!!
So the report came out today from the PBA. “the candidate signed a pledge to not engage in false or misleading campaign advertising. The Commisssion viewed one of her campaign advertisements, which aired in November 2011, and concluded she violated her pledge. Moreover, when questioned about the matter, in the commission’s opinion, she was not forthright in her responses. Because of her violations of her 2011 campaign advertising pledge, and her recent failure to advertise the commission’s questions about her advertisement in an honest and straightforward manner, the Commission cannot recommend her candidacy for the Supreme Court.”
So she was NOT HONEST!! Great job Republicans!
Is Judge Convey now going to disqualify herself from the case she is handling because of her attack on Mr.Eckels a party in that case? The PBA ratings are only designed to inform the public about the qualifications of the candidates. They are not an endorsement, political or otherwise,of the candidates.
Lula, if you think the endorsement process is legitimate, let me enlighten you. The three “chosen ones” were picked months in advance. At the meeting, a deal was cut with the SE caucus and the Central Caucus so the SE would vote for George. Note, he did not recieve a lot of votes in the straw poll at the SE. This left Jubeliler in the dust and she withdrew. Just about every person in the SE voted for George all of a sudden. Why? Because they were told to! I was there and heard it for myself. The committee people, except for a few wrong people, are sheep and do what their told and follow the “company line.” This is so they feel important by belonging to a group. If they fail to tow the line, there are repercussions. I’ve been there!
There was no bullying at the winter meeting. All candidates interviewed with regional caucuses. There were initially 10 or 11 candidates. The ones with no business running for PA Supreme Court bowed out. Olson, Covey, George are truly excellent candidates with impeccable reputations.
I find it amazing but perhaps I shouldn’t, that merely being a member of the PBA can give you a recommended qualification. Look at the candidates they “endorse” quickly over the years. A few have been Republican but most are Dems. They are not a group of sage legal minds interested in fairness on the bench but are one of self preservation and vote their own interests.
As long as the “endorsement” process is directed by Convicted Felon Bob Asher, you are going to get these kinds of loser candidates, whose only real qualification is to do what Bob tells them to do. Good for the Dems, bad for the state.
Has anyone seen the offending “political” ad?
Judge Covey is making this issue even bigger with her petulant response. She comes off looking petty and spoiled. This will hurt her either in the primary or general. She is unfit to serve on Pennsylvania’s highest court. The lawyers that she attacked will now have a reason to get involved in this race and fund attacks against her candidacy. I’m glad she is showing her true colors this early in the campaign.
Tom – Your article is inaccurate. The PBA did not “reject” Covey by not including her name on the ratings list. The PBA will only exclude a candidate’s name if they received a “not recommended” rating AND the candidate has promised to withdraw from the race. Interestingly, we have yet to see the PBA’s rating on Covey. So, that begs the question: was Covey’s name omitted because she told the PBA she was withdrawing but then she did not? If so, that is dishonest. If not, then why did Covey get special treatment? Politics at play here definitely. Will also be interesting to see what happens with Olson.
The bar association has a bipartisan commission with lawyers and nonlawyers participating in the evaluation. Neither the bar associaiton nor the Judicial Evaluation Commission is dominated by plaintiffs’ personal injury lawyers, if that is what you deem ambulance chasers. Of course, when someone is injured due to another’s fault, you will no doubt consult a personal injury lawyer.
Have any Republicans been elected to any statewide offices in last 3 years? How many Republican judges have been elected to Superior, Commonwealth Court, or the Supreme Court in last three years? Few,I think. It appears to me that Democrats will continue to win statewide and will win judicial elections. Vote heavy MontCo is very, very likely to go Democrat.
What makes Republicans think they can win any statewide office in 2015?
I’m not saying there isn’t room for criticism of the PBA’s endorsement process, but Ms. Covey might have more credibility if she’d criticized it and boycotted it instead of waiting until after she was rejected.
Here is one of many other stories on the Republican Queen:
http://www.thepennsylvaniaprogressive.com/diary/3673/anne-covey-not-qualified-to-be-a-judge
Nice job republican committee members!! The Dems thank you!
I am sure the results were “skewed”…lol
How long before she starts telling gullible Republicans that “the mean bar association doesn’t like me because I’m too conservative?”
If anyone thinks the Republican endorsement is flawed they should really have an issue with the bar association picking judges.
The Republican leadership handpicked Covey and bullied everybody (committee members) into voting for her. This was a done deal months ago. The GOP endorsement process is a joke. George bought his way in. Here’s a thought — Did Covey tell the PBA she was withdrawing so they would not publish her name before the endorsement process? According to her spokesperson, she was finished with her interviews the same time as the other candidates, yet the PBA held off releasing her rating until AFTER the endorsement process. Gleason and Asher knew about this not recommended rating at the GOP Winter meeting too. The Republican Party is sunk. I also agree this PBA review process is flawed. Did anyone see that Edith Marino is on the panel? Yes, Congressman Tom Marino’s wife! Let me guess, randomly selected?
She had no problem accepting the endorsement of a couple of political bigwigs in the Republican party.
Well, Republicans can kiss that seat good-bye. More brilliant leadership by Gleason, Asher, and the boys in the southeast, but at least no one will have to waste money propping up that candidate.
The bar association is a joke. It’s dominated by ambulance chasers.