Walker's Camera Decision Gets Texas Republican in a Lather

Looks like Chief Judge Vaughn Walker isn’t making himself any friends among Republicans in Congress. After Walker ordered that the federal challenge to Prop 8 be televised for YouTube, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) fired off a protest letter (.pdf) to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

“I am greatly concerned about this development and urge the Judicial Conference to forestall the implementation of a hastily revised Local Rule that clearly deviates from longstanding Conference and congressional policy prohibiting televised trial proceedings,” wrote Smith, the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.

Since Judicial Conference policy is only advisory, and the Ninth Circuit is on board with Walker’s plan, we can’t imagine Smith’s solicitation being much more than a showpiece. But we emailed the AO, and will update if they respond.

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— Dan Levine
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Comments

[Art M.]

Aw, are the poor hateful, hypocritical homophobes going to be embarrassed because they'll be shown to be hateful, hypocritical homophobes? Gee - if they were REALLY Christian as they claim to be, they wouldn't be ashamed to speak out against homosexuality and same sex marriage. Then again, if they were REALLY Christian, they'd be minding their own business - worrying about the plank in their OWN eye instead of worrying about the splinter in their brother's.