If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to check out David Schmader’s hilarious interview (scroll down to the bottom) with former Playgirl centerfold Geoff Thompson, the “gay friend” Supreme Court candidate John Groen proffered as a reference when he met our endorsement board. I think Thompson sounds loony (re: candidate Groen, Thompson says dreamily, “My relationship with him is one of the most important I have with another man”). But feel free to judge for yourself. Here’s that 1999 Willamette Week article about Thompson. My favorite non-sequitur: “Thompson says he works out six days a week and does not take steroids.”

Despite his odd choice of friends, voters should obviously assess John Groen on his own merits. That is, if he has any. One of Groen’s pet claims—which he trotted out in our endorsement interview, but which we didn’t have room to address in our endorsement of his opponent, incumbent Chief Justice Gerry Alexander—is that Alexander will have to retire five years into his next term. Groen thinks that’s a bad thing. From his website:

When a candidate runs for office they must be capable of fulfilling the duties of that office. Gerry Alexander seeks re-election despite being unable to complete the next term. The Washington State Constitution mandates retirement for judges at age 75. This results in the Governor appointing a replacement, thus weakening the separation of powers between the judicial branch of government and the executive branch and politicizing the judiciary.

Politicizing the judiciary? Excuse me, but I think electing judges is the best possible way to politicize the judiciary (uh, see the above). Groen, who’s given thousands of dollars to Republicans and whose campaign is being funded by a conservative lobbying group, should know that better than anyone.

There are certainly arguments on either side of the judicial election/selection debate. But coming from someone who’s basically buying his way into office, the anti-appointment argument seems particularly obnoxious.