Judge DeLaughter and the Lott Telephone Call

Senator Lott made a phone call to Judge Bobby DeLaughter. He had heard Judge DeLaughter wanted to become a federal judge. Doesn't every state court trial judge want to become a federal judge -- the benefits and working conditions are really quite nice. Was the call some sort of quid pro quo to get Judge DeLaughter to rule in favor of the interests of Richard Scruggs? Pretty doubtful. Maybe it was a Scruggs effort to get his brother-in-law to flatter Judge DeLaughter, to soften him so that he would think favorably of Mr. Scruggs. This sort of stuff, I suspect, happens all the time in the world of politics and the politics of the judicial fraternities these days.

So, Judge DeLaughter took the call, maybe he was even flattered (one finds it hard to think one would be flattered by a call from Senator Lott, or any senator -- they are not people who are above us lumpen electorate), but not a bit of this causes suspicion as far as I am concerned.

One wonders whether the prosecutor is going to use this call by Senator Lott to play on the illusions of members of a jury panel. It's a game, you see.