Lars Larson: Oregon’s guilty of partisan judges

By Lars Larson,
NW and national radio host

Democrats in Oregon have cheated voters for decades on the choice of Judges on the state’s courts.

Courts make criminal and civil decisions that can wreck your life…or save it.

In theory, Oregon Judges are non partisan.

In theory, voters choose all of those who sit on that bench and wear that black robe.

In reality, voters choose nothing…and Democrats decide instead.

Certainly, appointed Judges must stand for re-election, but it’s almost unheard of for a challenger to displace a sitting Judge. So the Democrats OWN the courts of Oregon.

Now we have a new example from the state Supreme Court, so let me explain the game.

A democrat Governor named Kulongoski appointed Adrienne Nelson to the Multnomah County Circuit court 17 years ago.

Then Democrat Kate Brown appointed her to the State Supreme Court to replace another Judge who retired early.

Judge Nelson knows this sleazy game and she got the personal benefit from it. So she’s now retiring early so Governor Tina Kotek can appoint a Judge.

Nelson and Kotek know the choice of Supreme Court Judges properly belongs to voters…but they both have conspired to cheat the voters of that choice…the same way almost every Judge in the state is chosen.

Shame on both of them. Democrats whine a lot about voter disenfranchisement.

The next time someone tells you Oregon has non partisan courts and Judges and that voters make that choice, just call it out for the lie it is.