Republican power grab for Iowa courts takes shape

Republican lawmakers have unveiled their plan to replace Iowa’s merit-based system for choosing judges with a process dominated by politicians from their own party. Governor Kim Reynolds quickly gave the bill her blessing, just weeks after she said of judicial selection, “we don’t want it to be political.”

Barbara Rodriguez and Stephen Gruber-Miller were first to report details about the proposal in a February 4 story for the Des Moines Register. Later the same day, identical bills from the leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary committees appeared on the legislature’s website (Senate Study Bill 1101 and House Study Bill 110).

Iowans replaced judicial elections with the current selection system through a constitutional amendment in 1962. The governor appoints judges but must choose from a short list of candidates recommended by a nominating commission.

Most elements of that process cannot be changed without amending the state constitution, a process taking years. However, membership of the judicial nominating commissions can be altered by statute. Republicans didn’t use their trifectas in the 1970s or 1990s to do so, nor did Democrats during the 2000s, because most Iowans recognize the process is fair and has produced high-quality judges.

Read more: https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2019/02/04/republican-power-grab-for-iowa-courts-takes-shape/