Should Supreme Court Justices Be Nominated Exclusively From The Ranks Of Sitting Trial Or Appellate Judges?

Governor Malloy recently nominated his chief legal counsel, Andrew McDonald, to fill a position on the Connecticut Supreme Court created by the retirement of Justice Lubbie Harper, Jr.   In a just-published column, Manchester Journal Inquirer managing editor Chris Powell raises a number of questions about McDonald’s nomination.  As a former state legislator and as the governor’s legal counsel, Mr. McDonald has taken strong positions on a variety of issues, including religious liberty and freedom of information.  Powell is right to identify these issues, and asking Mr. McDonald about them during his confirmation process is both legitimate and appropriate. Read the rest of this entry »