Ardis is right: Toss bad judges out of office

July 12, 2009
By Billy Dennis

Emerge Peoria doesn’t think much of Mayor Jim Ardis’  request of voters to “remember this outrageous decision” made by Appellate Court Judges Mary McDade and Mary O’Brien to reduce the sentence given the person who opened fire in a crowded Woodruff High School hallway.

We bloggers complain about how deals are made and how the City is run and there is a great deal of validity in those complaints (see today’s Peoria AntiPundit post entitled “Where’s our head..” for a fairly thorough list). However…
Unfortunately the Mayor was under no pressure to do better when he was up for re-election. Therefore, the Mayor didn’t promise Peorians a city free of crime, or any of the other things that we expect (i.e., a Mayor and Council that care about all of Peoria), he didn’t have to.
First, thanks for the link.
Second, I wish Emerge had stated why she’s so ticked off at Ardis.  These judges have to face re-election. That means the system is designed to give voters the right to toss judges out of office — for any reason they feel appropriate. It is completely appropriate to vote a judge out of office because you do not agree their decisions.
The mayor was within his rights to write his message. Agree or disagree with the way the city is being run by the Peoria City Council, he is right on this issue.
I remember this incident very well. Students were terrified and terrorized. The police kept the students locked inside Woodruff High School as they searched for the shooter. Parents gathered outside Woodruff were highly asgitated and frustrated.
I image these folks might agree with Ardis’ position. It’s easy to sit back  years later and be all full of compassion for poor, misunderstood Dione Alexander. As we learned at the time of the shooting, overconcern for the welfare of the perpetrator is what put the law-abiding students at risk in the first place.

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6 Responses to “ Ardis is right: Toss bad judges out of office ”

  1. Mahkno on July 12, 2009 at 4:59 am

    Methinks, Emerge feels that Ardis is soft on crime and other peripheral issues that concern those in the Heart of Peoria. So when a softy starts asking others to be tough, its a bit hypocritical.

  2. Emtronics on July 12, 2009 at 7:40 am

    Oh snap! Bingo! Me thinks Mahkno has a point.

  3. Themis on July 12, 2009 at 5:12 pm

    Let’s all pray to remove them from office.

  4. BJStone on July 12, 2009 at 6:46 pm

    For 40 days, themis, don’t forget…for 40 days. LOL

  5. Themis on July 12, 2009 at 10:59 pm

    Yeah, I never did quite understand the Arabian Nights reference….

  6. Themis on July 12, 2009 at 11:01 pm

    Er, wait…that was One Thousand and One Nights. Nevermind.

    LOL