EdWatch Becomes JudgeWatch

[This story was originally published in the 17 October 2008 issue of PIM: The Weekly Report.]

[Update 23 October 2008: Please note the important clarifications in the first comment from Dr. Effren. For the record, I did not recieve the email from the Gildea campaign; I did not recive her October 10 email; and I didn't contact her for this story. Dr. Effren makes an important distinction: Friends of EdWatch, not the EdWatch group, officially, are supporting Hedlund.]

One of the most controversial interest groups in Minnesota, EdWatch, is involved in
the Minnesota Supreme Court contest between incumbent Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea and challenger District Court Judge Deborah Hedlund.

EdWatch,
formerly the Maple River Education Coalition, was a major force in the
battle to eliminate the Profile of Leaning and it spawned the political
involvement of a number of conservatives including U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN6).

In an email exchange, EdWatch board member Karen Effrem,
M.D., and others encourage "EdWatch Friends" to attend a fundraiser.
Writes Effrem, "It is absolutely miraculous that we have the
opportunity to elect two such great people to the court in one year,"
referring to Hedlund and attorney Tim Tingelstad, who is running against incumbent Justice Paul Anderson.

In my view, EdWatch involvement for Hedlund will actually help Gildea,
because the group is deemed to be too far to the right on education
issues. [EdWatch's Web site does not include links to specific issues,
so you'll have to bounce around the site yourself to get a sense of
where the group stands on specific issues.]

No Responses to “EdWatch Becomes JudgeWatch”

1. Libertydoc Says:
   October 23rd, 2008 at 12:06 pm

   This post referenced an email from me as a private citizen to a private, internal email list that discusses education issues. The endorsement is on behalf of myself as a private citizen to fellow travelers in a private education group who like EdWatch - hence the greeting EdWatch Friends, not on behalf of EdWatch, which is a 501(c)(3) organization and unable to endorse candidates or even EdAction, a political action committee, which could endorae candidates if it had chosen to, or any of the board of directors of either organization. It was not sent to any official EdWatch or EdAction alert or fundraising list. There were no standard EdWatch or EdAction graphics or disclaimers in the referenced email, and if anyone searches, they will find nothing about this race on the EdWatch website, because neither organization has taken or is taking an official position on this race.

   Whoever forwarded the email from the private group to the Gildea campaign or to Ms Janecek actually violated the rules of the group. Unfortunately, that party did not forward to Ms. Janecek or Ms Janecek chose not to reference the follow-up email that I sent on October 10th to that group to clarify this situation, which I do below, with the permission of the group’s administrator.

   Karen R. Effrem, MD

   —– Original Message —–
   From: Karen R. Effrem
   Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 2:44 PM
   Subject: Clarification regarding Judge Hedlund

   Dear Friends,
   It seems that my personal email to our private, internal email list regarding the Minnesota Supreme Court race and the fundraiser invitation was sent outside this group and has created some confusion. Please let me clarify.

   That invitation was sent by me alone, Karen Effrem, private citizen to the mned group, a private, internal email list inviting my friends to an event for Judge Hedlund

   I apologize for using the solicitation “Dear EdWatch Friends” that may have contributed to any confusion, because that invitation was NOT sent on behalf of EdWatch, EdAction PAC or any of the other members of the Board of Directors. I am sure you noticed that the email did not have any of the standard EdWatch or EdAction graphics or disclaimers.

   EdWatch cannot endorse any candidates. EdAction has chosen not to make any choices in any of the judicial races, because that is separate from our mission dealing directly with education issues. I personally support Judge Hedlund due to our friendship from church, her 28 years of judicial experience trying all kinds of cases that appear before the Supreme Court, including criminal cases with which none of the other justices have any experience, her strong principles, and endorsements of attorneys that I respect.

   I hope that clears things up. Please contact me with any questions.

   Best,
   Karen Effrem