VIDEO: NOM sinks $235,000 into TV/radio ad buy targeting Iowa Supreme Court

Check out the TV ad below and read Jeremy’s post. $235,000 is a lot money, given Iowa’s small media market. — Eden

(Cross-posted at Good As You)

By Jeremy Hooper

NOM is all kinds of proud to partner with the Sandra Day O’Connor-misrepresenting group “Iowa For Mob Rule” “Iowa For Freedom.” Here’s Brian Brown’s latest e-blast, promoting the majority tyranny coalition’s latest TV spot:

Perhaps the biggest waste of 200+k in American political history! Because first and most obviously: The attempt to use this one UNANIMOUS decision against these three justices simply because the findings don’t jibe with certain LGBT-hostile religious beliefs is a major threat to the nature of the fair and independent judiciary.

But beyond just that: Even if the anti-equality crowd was to remove the three (or even all seven) judges, the chances of them finding a majority of replacements that will go the faith-based, anti-LGBT way is slim to none (and growing slimmer every day). Because in any given state Supreme Court appointment, the three potential justices who are delivered to the governor are selected by a nominating commission. Seven members of that commission are indeed appointed by the governor, but they must then be confirmed by the senate. The other seven members are attorneys elected by the state bar association. And of course the nominating commission culls their three possibilities from those who have demonstrated the merit needed for the job, not the partisan politicking that NOM and Iowa For Freedom would like to see.

So the point: There are so many parts of this process that are completely out of NOM and Iowa for Freedom’s control. Sure there are some partisan elements, due to the governor’s role. And ultimately the governor’s office, which could possibly turn GOP in the election, gets the final say in who gets the appointment. But Iowa’s process is not a partisan election where interest groups can easily sneak in seven ideologues via the deceptive campaigns that they call normalcy! Firing these three won’t mean that Maggie Gallagher gets the job by default. Rejecting their accurate assessments won’t change said accuracy.

What NOM/Iowa For Freedom (and their more silent partners at AFA) really wants is an overhaul of the constitution. And not just a marriage amendment, which courts will ultimately roll back. At the end of the day, what these folks want is a newly written document that grants heterosexual, faith-based superiority. Fortunately, the constitution’s retention is not up for a public vote this November. At least not directly.

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*Oh, and just a reminder (because it can’t be stated enough): “Liberal activist” Marsha Ternus was already appointed by the man who could be Iowa’s next governor: Terry Branstad, Republican former governor and current GOP nominee to retake the governor’s office. (*check bottom of this post to read what Brandstand said about Ternus back in ’93)