Wednesday, August 23, 2006
I am delighted that Governor Pataki has appointed Gene Pigott to the Court of Appeals. It is unfortunate that the selection of this highly capable jurist is tainted with the fact that Judge George Bundy Smith was not reappointed, and by the fact that the court is now all white, but I'll take a court with Judge Pigott on it any time-- I really can't think of what a better judge would be like. It says a lot that Elliot Spitzer pays lip service to diversity but concludes, "Gene Pigott is an eminently qualified justice with a distinguished record".
A couple of side notes. First, it is not accurate to say, as some accounts have, that there has not been a Western New Yorker on the Court of Appeals since Matthew Jason retired in 1985. The Honorable Richard Wesley, from Geneseo, was on the Court from 1997 until June 2003. Second, how hilarious is it that Pataki says, "Reflecting back on it, I think I did know that Judge Pigott was a Republican, but it’s not something that even entered my mind"? I mean, please, dude, you have never picked a Republican for any court, ever. Who are you kidding?
A couple of side notes. First, it is not accurate to say, as some accounts have, that there has not been a Western New Yorker on the Court of Appeals since Matthew Jason retired in 1985. The Honorable Richard Wesley, from Geneseo, was on the Court from 1997 until June 2003. Second, how hilarious is it that Pataki says, "Reflecting back on it, I think I did know that Judge Pigott was a Republican, but it’s not something that even entered my mind"? I mean, please, dude, you have never picked a Republican for any court, ever. Who are you kidding?
// posted by Bill @ 10:19 AM 
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