California Judges Must Reveal Ties to Boy Scouts

Judges in California aren't banned from being involved with or members of the Boy Scouts, but a decision by the California Supreme Court comes close to that. At a recent meeting they revised the California Code of Judicial Ethics to require that any judges with such ties to either withdraw from a case or tell litigants win cases involving discrimination based upon sexual orientation.

According to CNS News, the change reads in part:

"A judge should disclose to the parties his or her membership in an organization, in any proceeding in which the judge believes the parties or their lawyers might consider this information relevant to the question of disqualification, even if the judge concludes there is no actual basis for disqualification."

This, this "change" isn't much of a change at all because it is simply a continuation of policy whereby judges have to be up front about ties to discriminatory organizations. Those with ties to the Boy Scouts actually get a special privilege because judges with ties to other groups that discriminate against gays have to choose between that and being a judge at all.

Predictably, religious conservatives are outraged. Barbara Simpson wrote for WorldNetDaily:

Can you see where this is leading? I can. It's leading to a complete breakdown of the legal system. I don't exaggerate. Things are changing with lightening speed and unless it's stopped, we really are doomed.

Oh, dear. Expecting judges to be fair and unbiased against gays is leading to the downfall of civilization as we know it. Run for your lives!

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