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Home Front: Politix
Judicial Watch: Judge Taylor has conflict of interest in wiretap case
2006-08-23
Hat tip to the indispensable Gateway Pundit.
(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and judicial abuse, announced today that Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, who last week ruled the governmentÂ’s warrantless wiretapping program unconstitutional, serves as a Secretary and Trustee for a foundation that donated funds to the ACLU of Michigan, a plaintiff in the case (ACLU et. al v. National Security Agency). Judicial Watch discovered the potential conflict of interest after reviewing Judge Diggs TaylorÂ’s financial disclosure statements.

According to her 2003 and 2004 financial disclosure statements, Judge Diggs Taylor served as Secretary and Trustee for the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan (CFSEM). She was reelected to this position in June 2005. The official CFSEM website states that the foundation made a “recent grant” of $45,000 over two years to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, a plaintiff in the wiretapping case. Judge Diggs Taylor sided with the ACLU of Michigan in her recent decision.
Served on a board of directors. While that's not against the judicial code (as I understand it), it does raise questions, and a good judge would have disclosed it, or moved the case to another judge just based on the appearance of an impropiety.
According to the CFSEM website, “The Foundation’s trustees make all funding decisions at meetings held on a quarterly basis.”

“This potential conflict of interest merits serious investigation,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “If Judge Diggs Taylor failed to disclose this link to a plaintiff in a case before her court, it would certainly call into question her judgment.”
That's a big ooops, and if true it's going to get her in some degree of trouble.
Judge Diggs Taylor is also the presiding judge in another case where she may have a conflict of interest. The Arab Community Center for Social and Economic Services (ACCESS) is a defendant in another case now before Judge Diggs TaylorÂ’s court [Case No. 06-10968 (Mich. E.D.)]. In 2003, the CFSEM donated $180,000 to ACCESS.
Posted by:Steve White

#14  I wonder what the President's poll numbers would be if he responded quickly to all the examples of lefty malfeasance we've been seeing since 9-11?

That depends on how he responds. If he could wink, shake his head and talk in that 'oh-you-silly-little-liberals' voice like Reagan, his numbers might be as high as Ronnie's were.
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2006-08-23 15:36  

#13  #11 So where's Bush and the administration on this ?

There's the rub...it's one thing for the blogs and commentators to be on this, but the GOP leadership needs to be willing to call the left on things like this.

Consistently and persistently.

The "let's be gentlemen" strategy for engaging opponents does nothing but sap morale on the President's side.

I wonder what the President's poll numbers would be if he responded quickly to all the examples of lefty malfeasance we've been seeing since 9-11?
Posted by: charger   2006-08-23 14:37  

#12  Geez, finally found somebody with less hair than me!
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-08-23 11:08  

#11  So where's Bush and the administration on this ?
I can't stand this kind of passive weakness. We need to flush out the leftists and smack them down proper. Let's impeach this bitch.
Posted by: wxjames   2006-08-23 09:36  

#10  Conflict of interest is the least of her problems. Since the NSA case ruling, I've been reviewing some of her 'opinions'. This cow is perhaps one of the most unscholarly, unlearned, illogical, leftist activists on the Federal Bench. Some of her opinions are literally laughed at in many Law Schools around the country.

We simply can't afford another liberal in the White House. A fresh new slew of liberal Judge appointments would be sure to follow. The damage is long term. Look at this witch, for example. A Carter appointee. Jimmuh Cahtah: The gift that keeps on giving.
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2006-08-23 08:52  

#9  I want to be surprised, but IÂ’m not. Now when the judicial system reviews her and throws it out she will scream the "right" is after her. This is just sad to see there are people like this out there affecting our nation security that are linked to organizations hell bent on destroying America and our values. She deserves no quarter if this proves out.
Posted by: 49 Pan   2006-08-23 08:09  

#8  she played games with a Michigan Affirmative Action case as well, trying to steer the case to a sympathetic judge vs the judge already picked at random, which was the established procedure
Posted by: Frank G   2006-08-23 08:01  

#7  wow. what a devastating surprise. i'll bet she's really scared and everything. the sterling record of removing biased asshole judges will probably keep her awake at nights, although it's non-existent.

Now if she had been caught using a penis-pump instead of just perverting the law to suit her political agenda, whoa, she'd be toast... not to mention a transvestite.
Posted by: flyover   2006-08-23 04:05  

#6  "it would certainly call into question her judgment."

Just looking at her I question her judgment!
Posted by: gorb   2006-08-23 03:06  

#5  This useless bitch is yet one more fine example of what good ol' Jimmah has done for us. I swear the two tools most damaging to US society in the past century were Hubie Humphry and Jimmah. Followed very closely by the drunken asslicker from Cape Cod.
Posted by: SOP35/Rat   2006-08-23 02:49  

#4  It appears the Judge could have real problems.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2006-08-23 01:08  

#3  uncanny, kinda looks like Michael Jackson without the hair
Posted by: Jan   2006-08-23 00:53  

#2  How many conflicts of interest before she gets the boot?
Posted by: Captain America   2006-08-23 00:24  

#1  About time useless leftards in high places get exposed.
Posted by: Duh!   2006-08-23 00:09  

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