As anticipated, lame duck Colorado Governor Bill Ritter will appoint lesbian activist, Deputy Attorney General Monica Marquez to replace Mary Mullarkey on Colorado’s embattled Supreme Court, according to a report by the Denver Post’s top political correspondent, Lynn Bartels.
Monica Marquez ( DENVER POST-RJ SANGOSTI)
Marquez has the needed pedigree. A law degree from Yale, Lesbian activism, and a dad who was the first Hispanic to serve on the Colorado Court of Appeals. We don’t know much more about Marquez or the other two finalists as they all jointly refused to speak to the public, despite their contact information being provided for exactly that purpose.
She would be the second Hispanic to serve on the Colorado Supremes, and perhaps the only one should Justice Alex Martinez lose his bid for retention in November. Marquez, who obtained her law degree in 1997, has scant experience – and almost all of it defending state government and its employees. A much nicer photo of Marquez sporting a more stylish haircut is here, together with photos of her co-finalists. [deleted because Law week web site infected with malware]
Anyone who thinks Marquez’ votes on any of the disputed tax and other issues of legitimate concern to the public would be any different from Mary Mullarkey’s votes is delusional.
Clear the Bench Colorado may well have prompted Chief Justice Mullarkey’s resignation, and they and tireless Director Matt Arnold should be applauded for that effort. It’s an important first step.
But until we achieve systemic change in the judicial branch, we are doing nothing more than rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Worse, we fool people into believing that cosmetic cures mean something when they don’t. Such deception will only slow reform, not aid it. What Bill Ritter has given us appears to be a younger, more virile model of Mullarkey.
ExPat ExLawyer 