If you were voting for a state supreme court justice, you’d want to know their background, wouldn’t you? In Georgia, as our sister site Townhall notes, the stakes are high: a 9-0 conservative bench could easily turn into a 5-4 liberal majority if Democrats get their way.
Why then would a judge block the findings of a judicial panel tasked with investigating potential misconduct among candidates? Yet, that’s exactly what happened:
A federal judge in Georgia barred a state judicial committee from publicly commenting on judicial conduct rule violations the panel says two Democratic-backed state Supreme Court candidates committed ahead of Tuesday’s election.
U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner, issuing a temporary restraining order, ruled on Monday that the special committee convened by the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) of Georgia was not allowed to issue a Sunday statement accusing Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan of violating judicial conduct rules after campaigning together and appearing at reproductive rights events.
Two things you’re not supposed to do when you’re running for the office in the Peach State: support the campaign of another candidate and/or publicly weigh in on issues that you might potentially consider if elected. They did both, according to the JQC.
Townhall reports:
In her ruling, Judge Gardner wrote that Rankin and Jordan were protected by the First Amendment. "Accordingly, Plaintiffs’ speech regarding ‘reproductive rights,’ abortion, or having endorsements or support from pro-choice platforms, ‘EMILYs LIST’, or other organizations (not directly representing a political party) is protected by the First Amendment. Here, none of the language cited by Defendants in the JQC Letters contain explicit pledges," it read. Gardner also said Rankin and Jordan would suffer 'immediate and irreparable' injury from this information.
The First Amendment guarantees free speech. OK, fine — you are free to say what you want, Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan (who is staunchly anti-voter ID and is accused of being soft on crime) — but shouldn’t we be free to know what you say? And how is violating the rule against campaigning together and appearing at partisan events a free speech issue?
There’s one other little thing that sticks out: The judge is Stacey Abrams’ sister. Yes, that Stacey Abrams, the hard-core leftist who refused to concede the 2018 gubernatorial race, bandied about claims of a “stolen election,” and is constantly embroiled in ethics controversies.
Former White House Chief of Staff (from Trump’s first administration) Mark Meadows weighed in:
Disgusting omission by @thehill.
— Mark Meadows (@MarkMeadows) May 18, 2026
The judge is STACEY ABRAMS’S SISTER.
You’d think that would make the headline.
This is beyond political interference by another radical leftist judge! pic.twitter.com/rxgTcJYrKm
While the race is supposedly non-partisan, everyone knows that the opposite is true. Former President Barack Obama and former VP Kamala Harris have endorsed Rankin and Jordan, while Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) backs Justice Charlie Bethel and Justice Sarah Warren, who were both appointed by a former GOP governor.
Apparently, for Judge Leslie Gardner, keeping people in the dark about their candidates is “protecting free speech.”
Editor's Note: Unelected federal judges are hijacking President Trump's agenda and insulting the will of the people.
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