Justice Laurie McKinnon (MT); ethical dwarf

The state of Montana presented Laurie McKinnon with a law license in 1987 after she graduated from University of Baltimore Law School. 

Over the past twenty-one (21) years, Laurie has had her significant snout firmly implanted in the public trough. Apparently, no self-respecting law firm in the greater Shelby, Montana area.

In November 2012, Laurie succeeded in duping the voters of Montana into electing her as an Associate Justice of the Montana Supreme Court. It wasn’t until early 2016 that it came to light that some outsiders had spent almost $1 million to assure that Laura won the election.

The largest portion of the group’s money came from two of America’s richest men. San Francisco billionaire Charles Schwab, the founder of the eponymous discount brokerage firm, donated $300,000. James Cox Kennedy, the Atlanta-based chairman of media giant Cox Enterprises, gave $100,000. Schwab is worth a reported $6.4 billion, while Kennedy is worth $10.2 billion — ranking both of them among Forbes’ wealthiest 400 Americans. (Paul Blumenthal, Huffington Post)

Charlie and Jimmy had a vested interest in assuring that Laurie defeated Ed Sheehy since they both owned large estates that included streams and rivers, which they wanted to restrict access too. However, Montana has very liberal laws for recreational waterway use. In fact, the Montana Constitution allows broad public access to those waterways, which included the streams/rivers that abutted the estates owned by Charlie and Jimmy.

Over the past 10 years (2006-2016), Charlie and Jimmy and those of their ilk have lost three challenges to the Montana waterway use law that was decided by the Montana Supreme Court. However, Charlie and Jimmy absolutely knew they could count on Laurie to vote in their favor if they could get her elected to the court, which is exactly what happened.

When the issue came before the Supreme Court in 2012, Laurie did what her handlers and pimps had paid for, she voted in support of their sham claims. In fact, the final vote was 5 against the purchasers of Laurie’s services and 2 for them.

Billionaires and business interests have learned that its much cheaper to purchase a State Supreme Court then it is to purchase state legislature since there’s only 5 to 7 court justice’s verses hundreds of legislators. More importantly, elections for justices run from 4 to 12 years whereas voting for state legislators happens every 2 to 4 years.

Put simply, it’s a matter of simple economics when it comes to purchasing the services of a State Supreme Court Justice. Who was the fool that said “Justice isn’t for Sale?”

And lastly, maybe Roger Miller could be persuaded to release a new version of his hit “King of the Road,” which would or should go something like this:

Justice for sale or rent, ruling to let, fifty cents

No phone, no pool, no pets, ain’t got no cigarettes

Ah, but, two hours of kissing butt

Buys at least a vote or two

I’m a woman of means by no means, king of the whores

I know every billionaire on every train

All of their children, and all of their names

And every payoff in every town

And every bribe that ain’t noted, when no one’s around

As we speak (ca. May 2016), Laurie continues to sit as an Associate Justice of the Montana Supreme Court.