"Grandstanding for the public does not sway judges or win court cases — strong legal arguments do."

Lex Anteinternet: Lex Anteinternet: Chuk Gray again attempts to int...: the Attorney General and Governor tell him to go back to his office and do his job. Our last entry on the far fight wing populist who clearl...

And today an open debate has spilled on to the pages of the Tribune, as Secretary of State Gray, who normally likes to accuse the media of having a radical leftist agenda, texted the Trib with his supposed rationale as to why he should be admitted to the suit, which include distrusting Attorney General Hill to fully represent the wishes of the residents of the State against "the radical left".  He also uses the thin excuse that he has taken an oath to the Constitution and its laws, which of course every state official has.  That oath provides, pursuant to Wyoming's constitution:

Senators and representatives and all judicial, state and county officers shall, before entering on the duties of their respective offices, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation:  “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey and defend the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the state of Wyoming;  that I have not knowingly violated any law related to my election or appointment, or caused it to be done by others;  and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity."

Governor Gordon's point is that intervening as the Secretary of State in an action in which the Governor is a named defendant is not part of Gray's duty to "discharge the duties of [his] office.", which of course it absolutely is not.

Gray maintained his distrust against Hill stems from the failed suit against Washington over coal ports, something we noted was a doomed effort at the time.

Governor Gordon accused Gray of grandstanding and stated what was quoted above; "Grandstanding for the public does not sway judges or win court cases — strong legal arguments do". Gordon also defended Hill and said the blame, for the coal port suit, was if anything the fault of a "Trump appointed" solicitor.  I'd place the blame on the effort clearly not being supported by the law, which is also the case for Gray's attempted intervention in this suit failing.

Gray's effort here is, at best, misguided, and at worst, an effort at political grandstanding as Gordon suggests.  That Gray, who probably has no interest in the real work of the Secretary of State's office and every interest in remaining in the spotlight to advance himself, would clash with Gordon was inevitable, as Gray clearly intends to be the far right, populist Governor of a state that he moved into just slightly before starting to seek office.  If a Democrat used this office this way, people in Gray's camp would scream that he should be impeached.