November 28, 2006

Brownback May Block Bush’s Nominee For U.S. District Court Judgeship

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Judge Janet T. Neff, a member of the Michigan Court of Appeals, is George W. Bush’s nominee for a spot on the U.S. District Court. Neff has a long-time neighbor who is a lesbian, and in 2002, she attended her friend’s commitment ceremony in Massachusetts. According to Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, Neff’s attendance gave the appearance that she “betrayed her legal views on gay marriage.”

Apparently, whether Neff favors gay marriage or not, Brownback thinks it would be perfectly fine for her to betray her friendship and hurt her friend’s feelings. Such is the complexity of “family values.”

The senator says he does not believe Neff should automatically be disqualified because she attended the ceremony. “I’m still looking at the Neff situation, and I will in the future,” he said.

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Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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