This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 20, 2011 - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has announced today that he has chosen Appeals Court Judge George W. Draper III to be the newest member of the Missouri Supreme Court. Draper will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael Wolff in August.
Draper, 58 was selected from a three-person panel assembled by a judicial commission from 13 applicants.
Draper is the second African-American to serve on the state's highest court. The first was Judge Ronnie White, who served from 1995-2007. White currently is a lawyer in private practice.
Said Nixon of Draper: "In his 17 years on the bench and in his 10 years of service as a circuit attorney in St. Louis, Judge Draper has demonstrated a dedication to justice and to serving the people of this state.
"Those decades of experience and his legal acumen will enable him to be an outstanding judge on the Missouri Supreme Court. I am very pleased to be able to name this eminently qualified jurist to the state's highest court."
Draper has served on the appeals court since 2000 and was the court's chief judge from 2005 to 2006. Earlier, Draper served as an associate circuit judge from 1994-98 and then as a circuit judge in St. Louis County from 1998 to 2000.
From 1984-94, Draper served as a prosecutor with the St. Louis circuit attorney's office.
As Nixon's office notes: "A graduate of Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., Judge Draper obtained his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta. While serving on the bench, he also has taught trial advocacy classes at the Saint Louis University School of Law since 1996."
Missouri's legislative Black Caucus swiftly issued a statement praising the governor for his decision, noting that the high court has not had an African-American judge for the past four years.
State Rep. Steve Webb, D-Florissant and the caucus' chairman, added, "While the Black Caucus is pleased that African-American representation has been restored to the Missouri Supreme Court after a long absence, we also believe that Judge Draper's experience as a prosecutor, trial judge and appellate judge made him the best possible choice for the job."
Nixon, like his predecessors, avoids any talk of politics when it comes to judicial appointments and emphasizes the final choice's qualifications.
All that aside, Nixon's ;selection of Draper appears to offer political dividends among St. Louis Democrats.
For example:
State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, has been at odds with Nixon on various issues and some months back even asserted she might not support the governor in 2012, even though he's a fellow Democrat.
But Wednesday, all was forgotten. She tweeted, "Gov. Nixon got my vote!!!!” A few seconds later, Nasheed added, "Someone taught the Gov. how to play chess very well!!!!"
