Right-wing groups, Catholic Church are behind effort to change how Oklahoma judges are appointed [View all]

[In It to Win It]

The Oklahoman

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A right-wing think tank, a national conservative advocacy group and the Catholic Church in Oklahoma are behind the latest effort to change how state appellate judges and justices are appointed, The Oklahoman has learned.

Documents show the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a right-wing think tank; the Judicial Crisis Network, a national conservative advocacy group; and the Catholic Church, through its arm, the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, are working with several Republican lawmakers to eliminate the Judicial Nominating Commission and replace it with a process that parallels the federal system.

The federal system in Oklahoma would involve the governor nominating judges subject to Senate confirmation. The goal: Put more "conservative Republican" judges on the bench.

The effort is the latest attempt in a decade-long battle to rid the state of the Judicial Nominating Commission and move to a system that opponents say isn't about the rule of law but instead about finding judges who will pass a conservative litmus test. That test includes arguments about abortion, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, public funding for religious schools and other issues.

This year, several pieces of legislation were filed that would dramatically change the way appellate judges and justices are appointed and would impose age and tenure limits on those justices.