Circuit Court Judge Criticized By Peers

One of the two federal appeals court judges who declared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional is criticizing his colleague for putting the ruling on hold. Judge Stephen Reinhardt told The Associated Press “the court caved in to public pressure and should not have frozen its original ruling.”

A three judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that the pledge is unconstitutional because the phrase “under God” was added by Congress in 1954. Reinhardt calls the decision to freeze the ruling “a public relations gimmick.”

Judge Alfred Goodwin wrote the ruling – then blocked it the next day. He says he blocked it to clear up confusion until any appeals are filed. Goodwin said he “wasn´t caving in to pressure, but was instead cooling down the fire.”