Cheer Up Charlies
Not as Good a Democrat as I
RECEIVED Wed., Feb. 11, 2004
Dear Editor,
It came to my attention in the recent The Austin Chronicle article that Jan Soifer claimed she was in no position to reject working for Rick Perry, John Cornyn, and the other Republicans in the redistricting lawsuits ["A Rather Unjudicious Race," News, Feb. 6]. She says that she just did procedural work.
Well Jan Soifer didn't work in the mailroom. She wasn't some first-year associate to be bullied around. Jan Soifer was a partner at Locke Liddell, a position I would hope allows her to reject work which is against her political beliefs. Of those beliefs I would hope includes a strong defense of the Democratic principles that were trampled during this year's Republican gerrymandering. If Jan Soifer is truly a good Democrat who was against redistricting as she claims, she must be totally spineless. "No position to reject the work" could also be just a clever ruse to bypass an issue on which she obviously shows her true colors. And I don't know what's worse: a spineless judge or one who works to advance the Republican agenda.
The redistricting lawsuits were centered on procedure. Soifer led the effort to get the case heard in Harris County, where all the judges are Republicans, instead of in Travis County. Given the chance to prevent a grave injustice to the people of Travis County, Jan Soifer worked in her own self-interest. Jan Soifer can say what she wants, but the truth is that she turned her back on the Democratic Party because she didn't have the will to stand up to her Republican law firm bosses and tell them that she wouldn't help Tom DeLay's power grab.
It came to my attention in the recent The Austin Chronicle article that Jan Soifer claimed she was in no position to reject working for Rick Perry, John Cornyn, and the other Republicans in the redistricting lawsuits ["A Rather Unjudicious Race," News, Feb. 6]. She says that she just did procedural work.
Well Jan Soifer didn't work in the mailroom. She wasn't some first-year associate to be bullied around. Jan Soifer was a partner at Locke Liddell, a position I would hope allows her to reject work which is against her political beliefs. Of those beliefs I would hope includes a strong defense of the Democratic principles that were trampled during this year's Republican gerrymandering. If Jan Soifer is truly a good Democrat who was against redistricting as she claims, she must be totally spineless. "No position to reject the work" could also be just a clever ruse to bypass an issue on which she obviously shows her true colors. And I don't know what's worse: a spineless judge or one who works to advance the Republican agenda.
The redistricting lawsuits were centered on procedure. Soifer led the effort to get the case heard in Harris County, where all the judges are Republicans, instead of in Travis County. Given the chance to prevent a grave injustice to the people of Travis County, Jan Soifer worked in her own self-interest. Jan Soifer can say what she wants, but the truth is that she turned her back on the Democratic Party because she didn't have the will to stand up to her Republican law firm bosses and tell them that she wouldn't help Tom DeLay's power grab.
Jordan Kramer
