Finding the occasional fact in the flotsam

FWIW readers already knew that Amanda Pillsbury was planning a 2022 judicial campaign but now we know, from this ad spotted on Facebook this morning, that Pillsbury will be seeking one of the two 4th Subcircuit vacancies (click to enlarge or clarify):

This would appear to be a 'fact', with at least some news value -- and, as such, it may be readily distinguished from the wild speculation and deliberate misinformation spattered in my comment queue by the ever-inventive, and often ghoulish "Anonymous."

Why, just yesterday afternoon, if you were to believe it, Judge So-and-So just up and retired! Several others have also reportedly retired in the past couple of weeks. Sometimes the rumor is true -- but if you submit comments about nearly every judge, odds are eventually you must get one right.

According to my comment queue, slated candidates are rumored to be facing challenges from this pre-slated alternate, or that one. Several slated candidates allegedly face challenges from one alternate in particular.

You name the candidate, and there's a rumor: One said s/he refused to sign a particular candidate's petition "because the man passing her petition was incredibly rude and smelled of alcohol." I'll pause now as we all clutch our pearls.

Some of the would-be comments are at least amusing. Or hope to be. This one, perhaps:

Any tips on how to get petition signatures in the middle of a pandemic? Nobody wants to stop and sign when I stand outside the entrance to the tavern.

If you were to believe the comments in my inbox, there should be (will be?) a host of vacancies on our reviewing courts because this justice retired, or that one just succumbed to a loathsome disease, and because the Supreme Court has been "sitting on" all the announcements.

Is that not conspiratorial enough for you? Someone thought to offer this one:

The monopoly that is the ABA will offer you no protection. Don't do spike proteins, not even once.

And don't do the brown acid either. Bummer, man.

Getting on the ballot is hard enough. Perhaps harder this year than most. (We'll see.)

But if you do have an actual tip to share, or news of a petition-signing event, or something factual that might be of interest to FWIW readers, feel free to send me an email. That's a link to my email right there. Thanks.

Meanwhile, I'll keep looking.