For plunder!

Well, you can't accuse Gov. Dorkowski and his boys of lacking gall. The ADN's report on Chief of Hacks Jim Clark's meeting with the Alaska Judicial Council makes clear that Dorkowski has decided to "draw a line in the sand" on the judicial appointment issue we discussed earlier. Again, cronyism is the one principle a man like Dorkowski is willing to defend - state appointments should be nothing but a cronyist requards system, unhindered by any girlie-man BS like "the Alaska Constitution" or "qualifications."

Right on, Frank - this state really needs to model itself more after Louisiana of the Huey Long era.

Clark's not-so-veiled threat was to send the entire issue to the Legislature - that hotbed of impartiality - to "re-examine" the nomination process. I can see Jimmy C in his pinstripe suit, cracking his hairy knuckles: "Ya know, dat's a nice little nomination process ya got der ... I'd just hate to see anyting happen to it, yanowuddimean?"

Problem is, Jimmy C. and the Dork don't have a leg to stand on, and Alex Bryner knows it. The nomination process is specifically outlined in the Constitution, and the Constitution gives the Judicial Council the authority to write its own bylaws. So the only way to force a change in the JC's bylaws is by Constitutional amendment. The legislature can propose such a change, but they can't enact it into law - that takes a popular vote.

And what do you think the people would have to say about giving Gov. Dorkowski more power to appoint his cronies (or relatives) to powerful state jobs than he already has?

Of course, the danger here is that the JC also has its politically-appointed members, and they may simply capitulate to the Dork's threats. But I think there is some real concern in that body for the integrity of the process - and rightly so. I also think that Justice Bryner has the backbone and the necessary level of disdain for Dorkowski's croneyism to shame the JC into doing the right thing.

At least I hope so ...