The Flacks Report [12 May 2009]

Martin Shulman Appointed to the A.T.---"True News" Blog---More on John Stackhouse's Vacancy---Incidental Items
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Justice Shulman Promoted

State Supreme Court Justice Martin Shulman was appointed to the Appellate Term, 1st Judicial District. (Mazel Tov!)

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True News Blog

One of the best blogspots to find out what's happening politically in both State and City government as well as links to all the newspaper stories on those topics, link to:

http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/

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Justice Stackhouse Vacancy, cont'd

State Supreme Court Justice John Stackhouse resigned in April, 2009, eight month's shy from completing his term in office. This now creates a vacancy on the Supreme Court (1st Judicial District). Two scenarios were previously reported in The Flacks Report.

Court of Claims Judge and Acting Supreme Joan Carey may be interested (was rumored to be supported by O.C.A. and the Chief Judge). If so, she'd be a designated a Supreme and could serve to year's end and then be "certificated" for up to six more years.

If not, Gov. Paterson would probably take Denny Farrell's "suggestion" on whom to name to the vacancy. In order for this person to be considered as an incumbent under our Party's [N.Y. County] "Crane Rule," such appointment must occur by June 1st, 2009 (Senate approval and assuming office must be by the date of the County's screening panel's report).

Neither is going to happen. Joan Carey plans to retire at year's end after 31 excellent years on the bench. And there just isn't time for the Governor to name an interim Justice who has come through the Governor's screening committee by June 1st of this year, and then be approved by the Senate's judiciary committee and full Senate and take the bench before the party's screening panel reports out later on, because the Governor's 13-member 1st Jud. Dist. screening committee, chaired by Robert Arthur Bourque at Simpson, Thatcher, Bartlett, is accepting applications through Friday, 15th May, 2009, and won't recommend until June or thereafter.

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Incidental Items

Former State Senator Franz Leichter has been appointed to the N.Y.S. Banking Board. . . . Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Smith might retire at the end of her Civil Court term (2016) to work in labor organizing.