Engler and the judges
Mike Wowk of the Detroit News writes an article entitled "Judicial appointments cloaked in controversy". It seems, however, that he is trying to find controversy where none in fact exists. The early focus of the article is on a newly appointed judge who offends no one:
"Richard Caretti started as Macomb County's newest circuit judge on Monday, but he wasn't selected by voters."
Of course not; he is an appointee. Caretti is a non-controversial choice, succeeding Judge Patrick Donofrio, a well-respected and moderate jurist just appointed by Gov. Engler to the Court of Appeals to succeed the late Judge Martin Doctoroff, who died in August of this year from Lou Gehrig's disease.
The initial focus on Caretti gives way to a general discussion of the fact that Engler has appointed many judges (a total of 160 judges at all levels, we are told) in the course of 12 years in office, but of course that was his right and his responsibility as Governor. I don't know how Wowk thinks he can find "controversy" here; he certainly doesn't establish any. For the most part, Engler has appointed eminently qualified and respected jurists over the years of his three terms.
Wowk seems to criticize the appointment of Jeffrey Collins by referring to him as a "Republican activist". Collins was appointed by Engler to the Court of Appeals in 1998 and then was nominated this year by the President as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, where he now serves after Senate confirmation. He is a Republican, yes; he is an African-American as well. But the most important point, never mentioned by Wowk, is that Collins is widely regarded as a rising star in the political world. He is an excellent public speaker and has a sharp and engaging mind. Before being appointed to the Court of Appeals, Collins served as a Recorders' Court judge and then as a Wayne Circuit judge. He has been widely praised in each of the positions for which he was selected to serve. He is far from being, as Wowk suggests, a political hack appointed by a cynical governor and then by an equally cynical President.
Wowk serves up several quotes from Geoffrey Fieger about Engler's appointments, but Fieger can generate a controversy at a Sunday picnic. Given his history, asking Fieger to comment on judges is like asking Anna Nichole Smith to comment on, well, just about anything.
There is in fact a significant amount of controversy in legal circles about Engler's appointments to the Supreme Court, but for some reason Wowk is entirely silent about those.
6:09:59 PM
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