Better Courts for Missouri

The Star and Post-Dispatch have the story of a rather incredible letter from lobbyist and Better Courts for Missouri leader James Harris. In the letter sent Monday, Harris asks sitting Republican senators to “speak with members of the [Missouri Supreme] Court” about about a pending case.

Harris' outrageous suggestion that politicians should be lobbying members of the judiciary about pending cases was quickly shot down by the chief of staff to Sen. Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph).

Please know that any ex parte communication from you with the judges about this case or any issue before the court may involve serious legal ramifications and should be avoided at all costs.

Emphasis in the original.

The editorial board Post-Dispatch doesn't include many fans of the ballot initiative campaign from the "Better Courts for Missouri" organization, which would replace the state's widely praised nonpartisan judicial selection plan with a more partisan arrangement that would be controlled by the governor and state senators.

[T]he greatest single political threat to justice in Missouri lies with a harshly ideological and well-financed few who are doing all within their power to politicize how judges are selected in the state.

They have plotted — and continue to plot — to cut ordinary citizens and respected lawyers out of the judicial selection process and put partisans and power brokers in charge. Their current strategy is being advanced by a shadow group fronted by James Harris, a former political operative to former Gov. Matt Blunt. [...]