Florida GOP: We Will Unseat Judges Who Blocked Our Voter Suppression Plan

Florida's Republican Party declared on Friday that they will work to unseat the state Supreme Court justices who blocked Gov. Rick Scott's plan to suppress minority voting.

The party announced late Friday that its board voted unanimously this week to oppose the retention of Supreme Court Justices Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince, who were all appointed by Democratic former Gov. Lawton Chiles and who have ruled against several major priorities of Republican Gov. Rick Scott's administration. If the justices are not retained, Scott would appoint replacements. The move was an unusual one for the state party and has put attention on the retention of Supreme Court justices. A grassroots group called Restore Justice 2012 is also opposing the justices. No justice has been removed from the court in the 40 years since the state adopted a system where justices are appointed by the governor and then face "merit retention" votes every six years. There had previously been competitive elections, but that system was thought to be too political.

A group called Defend Justice From Politics is backing the judges.

Extreme legislators are joining with Governor Scott and out-of-state special interest groups to try to get Florida Supreme Court Justices R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince thrown off the Court. But Justices Lewis, Pariente and Quince don’t deserve these attacks. They have consistently upheld the Florida Constitution, defended the rights of Florida citizens, and ruled in case after case in a fair and impartial manner. Even if that meant standing up to powerful special interests. Don’t let partisan politicians and special interests take over our Supreme Court in a blatant political power grab.