Texas's "texting judge" resigns, admitting she texted instructions to prosecutors

Hey, it’s[quote=“sdmikev, post:14, topic:12830”]
I’m sure there are plenty of dumb fucking goobers in Texas ready to defend her actions.
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Given the market for ‘God Bless Joe Arpaio’ swag, I don’t doubt it.

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Well, only one of these things was a shocking break with tradition…

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Yeah, I was pretty much thinking the same thing. Maybe she can put out a public apology, get into politics and be on the national stage in a couple years.

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It is my understanding that people are only guilty when they have been declared so in a proper court. Y’know, where the judge doesn’t take part in obstruction of justice.

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That’s the nice part of being a 3rd generation anything: You don’t have to proof your merits, they are mostly taken for granted.

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I suppose good always triumphs over evil too? And hard work is always rewarded? Where do you live, anyway?

Not only learned it, but it strikes me that by the time you’re a “The III” of anything, I imagine there is the potential for some “Divine Right Of Kings” thinking to sneak in, if not be an official and explicit part family seal. It reminds me of the crises that occur in other closed religious groups and elite circles where being a part of the group inherently gives a member superior morality to the point the external moralities don’t play a part, and actions become more moral based on their actor, rather than the other way around. dangerous.

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IIRC, he lives in Germany. Where advancement through merit isn’t just a talking point.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Texas Representative (and former judge) Louie Gohmert: http://bit.ly/1iiKcig

“According to the terms of the agreement, Coker was to send a formal
letter of resignation to Governor Rick Perry on Monday, stating her
resignation will be official December 6. Until then, she has agreed to
take a leave of absence, and will cease to perform any duties
connected with her position”

So, she’s withdrawing from all duties as a judge now, but her resignation takes effect December 6?

She expects to get paid for “not judging” for the next 6 weeks?

Can’t they fire her now and allow her to not judge on her own free time?

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Only a matter of time before she gets financial compensation for the emotional distress of being publicly shamed, like the UC Davis pepper-spray cop.

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Being off-white might do it.

Uh, hello. A goober is somebody from Georgia. At least get your insults straight, k?

I get what you’re saying - but in this case, we’re talking San Jacinto and Polk Counties - which all together don’t have 100,000 people in them - which explains why you get that small town, third-generation thing happening there. But I won’t be surprised if the Bar Association doesn’t slap her down sooner or later.

FWIW - my G Grandfather was also a judge near there, and a straight guy all the way, as was our cousin, the Governor. Texas has historically been in trouble like this for well over 100 years. It is not, as people who know nothing of the place often like to claim, the result of racism or stupidity, but a problem with the way the State had to try to organize multiple times in a very short period without any strong existing infrastructure. For close about 80 years, every time they’d get started, they’d be in yet another war and under yet another government. And then not long after they became a US State, the federal government got in there and went ape - together with private vigilantes, murdering 100’s civilians, lynching prisoners, etc. It was crazy, crazy bad times, and every governmental nightmare most of us have ever had. By those standards, this is small potatoes indeed.

But even so, most folks there are just fine, if mistrustful of any authority at all. They certainly have their reasons. In any case, all you really hear about are big-mouthed nutjobs in the media. It’s like Hollywood that way - just with a lot less private citizen nutjobs and more US Presidents to choose from.

Pink unicorns,

Jesus dying for your sins,

Justice in Texas.

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Am I the only one who has a problem with the very concept of a third generation judge?

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No criminal charges, of course. Of fucking course. When people in the justice industry ruin lives, it’s ok. She should be hanged.

These people should have stiffer penalties than average citizens because lives are in their hands every day. Instead it’s rarely even a slap on the wrist. On one hand you’ve got people in jail for years for things like pot, and on the other, you have who knows how many lives ruined by an individual, and the penalty is nothing.

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In a civilized country without capital punishment,

However, you misunderstand my comment. I was just pointing out that the person I replied to gave up one of the core principles of what we consider a Rechtsstaat or modern rule of law: The default assumption that someone is innocent.

Yes, some of the people this judge put away might have been found guilty (even erroneously) in a proper court. But they didn’t get that. “They were probably guilty” is a shitty excuse, that’s what it is.

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Actually, it’s not that good. We have severe stratification in education, for example. Children of non-academics have a much lower chance to be put on the academic track, even more so when they come from value collar families or, God forbid, immigrants.

And that’s even when they show the same grades and when you take in account that certain immigrant groups have trouble adjusting to modern values.

See, for example, http://www.spiegel.de/unispiegel/jobundberuf/mythos-chancengleichheit-soziale-herkunft-schlaegt-leistung-a-306425.html if you can read German or can deal with Google translator.

The article is 10 years old, but still relevant.

I’m a native Texan and yeah, unfortunately, the outcome didn’t surprise me in the least. “Conservative” political hacks* always have each others’ backs here in my state.

*and except in large, urban areas, Republicans are all you have…