–Scores Of Female Lawyers Alarm; Respectfully Request Pres. Boakai To Revoke Her Nomination
Female lawyers under the banner, “Women United for the Sustenance of Democracy and Good Governance (WOSUD)”, have distanced themselves from the merging “women majority” on the Supreme Court’s Bench, as Associate Justice-nominee professed, insisting that Cianeh Clinton-Johnson, at their knowledge, is a daughter of Clinton, a Liberian-Mandingo father and a native Loma Liberian mother, and as such she is by birth a Mandingo Liberian. “And in the face of an already seating Justice of the Mandingo tribe, it is as a matter of law, practice and tradition forbidden to have her sit as Justice of the Supreme Court, making it a total of two Justices of the Mandingo tribe on the Supreme Court’s Bench, were she to be seated as nominated,” the female legal luminaries alarmed.
In a release issued Tuesday, July 2, 2024, WOSUD said, “Further, we are of the opinion that it’s no time for women dominance on such high court’s Bench (be it Clinton-Johnson or whoever women), as Liberia gears up for a compound complex legal system in which the Supreme Court still stands as final arbiter of justice; rather, it’s time to ensure stronger and independent legal minds mend the high court’s Bench. In the first place, the Associate Justice being replaced here was a male, and there are already two women on the Supreme Court’s Bench, and in our minds it is enough for women’s inclusion.
“Howbeit, let it be known that Cianeh Clinton-Johnson’s nomination, if confirmed, will bring about tribal imbalance on the Supreme Court’s Bench, evident by the fact that there will be dominance of the Mandingo tribe on the bench in the face of an already seated Mandingo Justice. She also being a Mandingo by tribe will cause the effect of two Justices from this tribe on the Bench, as opposed to the 16 tribes of Liberia, and which will be highly unprecedented and must be avoided by the immediate withdrawal of her nomination, as no two persons from the same county, least to say being of the same tribe, shall sit at the same time or period as Justices of the Honorable Supreme Court’s Bench, as will be in this case if this nomination of Cianeh Clinton-Johnson, a Mandingo Liberian, to not be revoked and—God forbids—she is confirmed, appointed and seated.”
According to the release, “Realistically, there is no need for another woman’s inclusion. What is of importance here is that there is already a Mandingo representation on the Supreme Court’s Bench, to reflect His Honor Yusuf D. Kaba. Therefore, to have Cianeh Clinton-Johnson, another Mandingo by tribe, seated at the same time on the high court’s Bench will fall short of the usual practice of striving to strike tribal and regional balance on the Supreme Court’s Bench, and thus would not be in the best interest of the nation and people.
“We call upon His Excellency to most respectfully withdraw the said nomination in order to avert the pending and potential issue of tribal dominance and imbalance on the Supreme Court’s Bench. Further, we objectively are of the belief that a Supreme Court Bench dominated by women in this contemporaneous age and time of global legal complexity would purports such judicial body as being one of immense weakness, as opposed to it’s international counterparts, and which this nation much seek to now avert and avoid by the revocation of such nomination.
“We pray that the appointing power will take prompt notice and immediately correct these potential conflicts, as the Supreme Court at this critical juncture of our legal system is not a place for women and tribal dominance, as is the case with the nominee, Cianeh Clinton-Johnson, and such nomination needs to be withdrawn and revoked in the very best interest of the nation, it’s people and justice system.
“Moreso, based on reliable information reaching us, there is a strong woman from the Judiciary who has masterminded the Cianeh Clinton-Johnson nomination, and from a cross-section of another branch of government, thereby imposing her will of a Justice to be nominated to the Supreme Court’s Bench and which has resulted into this erroneous nomination of Cianeh Clinton-Johnson. This is absolutely wrong, as is violative of Articles 3 of the Constitution, which warns against interference into the workings of another branch of the government and, thus, an impeachable offense.
“Let that interfering strong woman be warned: impeachment awaits! We are closely watching and will not hesitate petitioning our legislators for the impeachment of any such official of a branch of government who evidently interferes with the workings of another branch, no matter who be involved, so be aware and desists. You do not mean well for this country, as you can see what your interference has given rise to. We know who you are but will not say now; all we advise is that, as this your nominee is withdrawn, please keep away from the Executive Mansion and give the Executive chance to do their work,” the woman insisted.