WHO WANTS TO BE A CIVIL COURT JUDGE?

What a joke.

Everyone knows Nervo is going to win and that the panel is stacked in his favor.

Ultimately, it really doesn't matter who else is voted out, cause no one will be able to raise the money to run an insurgent campaign against him.

We've discussed this topic before here on the blog. Why would any real "insurgent" subject herself to the panel if it's allegedly rigged? Doing so is inherently illogical and self defeating. Any subsequent campaign against the candidates reported out by the panel would be perceived as sour grapes.

If judges are so underpaid in this state, why are so many people applying for the job?

... cause they don't want to WORK for a living!

People submit to the panel process because they want legitimacy. They think an "approved" rating will open doors and allow them to be taken seriously as judicial candidates in the future.

The problem is that the panel system (and how people are appointed to serve as members) isn't an open process and isn't subject to public scrutiny. It's not even known who the panel members or panelists are!?! That smells of more backroom game-playing.

I was on a panel once, Sy. It went sort of like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TfdA9fWb_g

I'd love to take you as MY prisoner, Ginesy!

I've got a couple of panels you can work on!!

You all have some nerve attacking Nervo!

NER-VO!

NER-VO!

NER-VO!

NER-VO!

NER-VO!

In order to be taken seriously, one must come out of panel. That is the joke of the whole arrangement. it is tainted, we all know it, but the newspapers that endorse ignore it and the voters out there don't know enough to be versed in these matters. So, panel counts and candidates must subject themselves to a process that they know it futile - or face the ironic ire of those in the media or in the clubs and street operations who would claim that the candidate just didn't have the "guts" to go to panel.

Greg, can you support your statements?

It's easy to call something "tainted" or "corrupt," but it would be helpful if you gave us more insight.

I understand the panel member consisted of representatives from various community organizations. How were they influenced?

All you have to do is look at the US Supreme Court's decision in the Lopez-Torris case.

You'll find them referring to backroom politcking as the way things are done in New York.

Comment #1 was certainly prescient, or maybe just knew the score.

Although charges of 'fixed' panels are perennial, this year those claims were immediate and ubiquitous downtown.

Just look at what groups were included and which were excluded from the panel to realize there was an innate bias.

(For the record, I am not involved with any of the candidates or their campaigns, just a downtown goo-goo.)

People who know David Reck's managerial and personal style label it, shall we say, 'domineering' and 'controlling'.

In fact, of the four district leaders whose districts were primarily included in this municipal district, Reck alone did most of the arranging for setting the panel up. No one will disagree with that.

His female co-leader was not even contacted at all, and the other two DLs out of VID (Nervo's home club) were only peripherally involved.

Other DLs with smaller portions of the municipal district were completely excluded by Reck from setting up the panel.

Indeed, Reck excluded community and bar groups that might not favor Nervo. Believe me on this!

Groups he just happened to include were TWO glbt groups and the Italian (Columbian) Bar Assn. (Frank is a gay Italian.)

David Reck for the past several months would walk the rounds with Frank in tow announcing proudly �I have set up an independent panel this year�, immediately followed by, "This is Frank Nervo, MY candidate".

For months, political insiders downtown knew that Frank had a better chance of coming out of that panel than Big Brown has a chance of winning the Belmont Stakes.

It is unfortunate that a decent man like Nervo has to have this cloud hang over his election, considering his election victory is also a given.

Finally, is this system better than most? Yes!

But was this year's panel more 'tainted' than most? A resounding 'Yes'!