Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Conflict of interest for Judge Taylor?

Judicial Watch reports that Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, who recently ruled Bush's NSA surveillance program unconstitutional, failed to disclose a connection to the plaintiffs in the case.
According to her 2003 and 2004 financial disclosure statements, Judge Diggs Taylor served as Secretary and Trustee for the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan (CFSEM). She was reelected to this position in June 2005. The official CFSEM website states that the foundation made a “recent grant” of $45,000 over two years to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, a plaintiff in the wiretapping case. Judge Diggs Taylor sided with the ACLU of Michigan in her recent decision.

According to the CFSEM website, “The Foundation’s trustees make all funding decisions at meetings held on a quarterly basis.”

“This potential conflict of interest merits serious investigation,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “If Judge Diggs Taylor failed to disclose this link to a plaintiff in a case before her court, it would certainly call into question her judgment.
(Judicial Watch statement)
Hat tip to Captain's Quarters.
I'll gratuitously point out for a second time that Judge Diggs Taylor is a Carter appointee.

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