A rigged judicial election?

Take a minute and look at the candidates on the District 7 District Judge list. As you know, Idaho judges have to run for election. If they get appointed to fill a vacancy, they later have to run for re-election. 4 of the 5 below are running for re-election, unopposed, as is the case with virtually every judge race. But look at who has filed to succeed Judge Greg Anderson.



Yes, that's Bonneville prosecutor Dane Watkins. I'm told that Watkins used to clerk for Anderson. I'm also told that Anderson has decided to retire; you'll notice he's not running to replace himself. I'm also told that he didn't announce his intent to retire until after the filing deadline. But apparently someone told his former clerk about that intent, and now Watkins is running unopposed for the judgeship.

Oh, and this is the same Prosecutor Dane Watkins who has apparently shown no interest in prosecuting Darin Palmer, Idaho's Bernie Madoff to the tune of around $60 million dollars.