TALLAHASSEE |?The Republican Party of Florida voted this week to oppose the retention of Florida Supreme Court Justices Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente, and Peggy Quince.
The vote comes at a time when another group is waging a campaign against the three judges, which it deems too liberal.
The judicial retention process does not pit justices against an opponent but asks voters ?yes? or ?no? if they should keep their job.
The state GOP says the case of Joe Elton Nixon highlights why the three should not be retained. He was on trial in the early 1980s for tying a woman to a tree and burning her to death. To try to spare Nixon the death penalty, his attorney admitted Nixon?s guilt without his consent. As a result, the Florida Supreme Court ruled he deserved a new trial because it said he did not receive an adequate defense.
In 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court disagreed and reversed the decision.
?The fact that the United States Supreme Court voted, unanimously, to throw out their legal opinion raises serious questions as to their competence to understand the law and serve on the bench and demonstrates that all three justices are too extreme not just for Florida, but for America, too,? a party statement read.
The group opposing the justices ? Orlando-based Restore Justice 2012 ? has created a scorecard and given the justices failing grades.
They are supported by 23 former Florida Bar presidents and have collectively raised $1 million in campaign funds.
All three justices were appointed by Democratic governors, but Quince?s appointment had the endorsement of the state?s incoming Republican governor, Jeb Bush.
matt.dixon@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4174
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