Left-wing Soros group to help Tennessee justices up for retention
SOROS: The liberal magnate is jumping into the Tennessee Supreme Court judges retention race.
By Chris Butler | Tennessee Watchdog
NASHVILLE — Add billionaire George Soros’ name to the list of left-wing activists working to assist three Tennessee Supreme Court justices up for a retention vote this summer.
According to an advertisement, one of his reported organizations is actively looking for an experienced organizer to develop and implement strategies to help “advance or defend fair courts” in Tennessee, and three other states.
Earlier this month the same organization, Justice at Stake, put out a media release expressing concern about special interest forces targeting justices Gary Wade, Sharon Lee and Connie Clark.
They say this is happening even though pro-retention forces such as Nashville attorney Lew Conner still haven’t proven claims that big business and the Koch brothers are spending more than $1 million to oust them.
“Retention elections are designed to keep partisan politics out of the courts — not turn judges into politicians in black robes, pressured to raise money from parties who appear before them,” according to a Justice at Stake media release.
What kinds of judges do George Soros and other liberal progressive forces want for Tennessee?
Unfortunately, Tennessee Watchdog didn’t get the opportunity to pose the question Thursday.
Justice at Stake spokeswoman Carolyn Bobb said she would arrange an interview with Executive Director Bert Brandenburg.
“We are fighting for a fair and impartial court and we are hoping for money to stay out of races,” Bobb said. “That’s kind of our basic interest, and we don’t want judges to become politicians in black robes, so that’s our mission, but Bert can go into more detail with you.”
Bobb then asked Tennessee Watchdog to identify itself by name.
About 35 minutes later Bobb called back and said Brandenburg wasn’t available to speak that day, nor could anyone else speak in his place.
As for their open senior organizer position, whomever they hire will work out of Washington, D.C., and not Tennessee.
FLANKED: TN Supreme Court Justices Cornelia Clark and Sharon Lee stand by Nashville attorney Lew Conner at a fundraiser last month.
If true, this Soros employee would find him or herself in circumstances likely similar to Victoria McCullough, recently identified as a spokeswoman for all three justices in their retention campaign.
As previously reported, McCullough, currently the development chief for the pro-Obama Organizing for Action, appears to work out of Washington, D.C., at least by her LinkedIn profile.
McCullough and two other women working on the justices’ behalf, Carol Andrews and Brenda Gadd, have strong partisan ties to the Democratic Party. They are involved although the three justices maintain they are apolitical and politics has no place tainting the judiciary.
As for Soros, Human Events readers once named him “the single most destructive leftist demagogue in the country,” for giving generously to numerous left-wing causes and for comparing himself to a messianic figure.
As previously reported, Conner and many other Tennessee attorneys have held swanky fundraisers for the three justices, and one even indicated lawyers, not regular people, must take the lead on the election.
Former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen appointed the three justices.
Contact Christopher Butler at chris@tennesseewatchdog.org. or follow him and submit story ideas on his official Facebook page.
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