Florida Education Association Endorses Supreme Court Justices: Payback for 'Activist' Ruling?

Through our friends at FloridaWatchdog.org,, Sunshine State News has obtained a copy of a letter the Broward teachers' union sent to its members, announcing the endorsement of the retention of Justices Barbara Pariente, R. Fred Lewis, and Peggy Quince by the organization's state affiliate, the Florida Education Association. The letter is attached below.

No word yet on whether the Florida Bar, former Sen. Alex Villalobos, former FSU presidentSandy D'Alemberte or anyone else decrying the "politicization" of the merit retention race will be condemning this move.

The Florida Education Association (FEA) is the beneficiary of at least one ruling made by the three controversial justices, who are accused by critics of being left-wing activists. Check outour analysis of Bush v. Holmes, which in 2006 ruled private school vouchers violated the FloridaConstitution. If these justices are removed by the voters, and replaced with more conservative appointees, Holmes could be overturned and the FEA suffer a crushing defeat in their war against school choice.

Earlier this month the justices were endorsed by the state's police and fire unions ... while the high court prepares to rule ontheirlegal challenge to legislative pension reforms.

Although Justices Barbara Pariente, R. Fred Lewis, and Peggy Quince are insisting that voters shouldignore their rulingswhen they head to the polls and consider only whether these justices have ever committed a crime, their critics andother legal scholarssay otherwise: it is absolutely relevant to their retention that voters consider whether these justices are interpreting relevant law according to its original public meaning, or whether they are activists who ignore the law and impose their own personal moral philosophy on cases that come before them.

For the last several weeks, Sunshine State News has reached out to the three justices (who are traveling around the state to sit down with newspaper editorial boards) to interview for this series. In September, we were notified by a representative of their joint campaign that they are specifically refusing to interview with the News, which is Floridas only center-right news organization.

Check out SSN's exclusive and continuing series on this subject: "Are They Activist? A Look at Justices Pariente, Lewis, and Quince."