Forget Kansas -- what's the matter with Texas?

Most guys get in trouble for talking smack about their ex-girlfriends. But down in the Lone Star State, if you say a few nice things about your ex-girlfriend, you can get in trouble too. This is most likely to happen if you're a judge, you said those things in 120 interviews with the media, and your ex-girlfriend was seeking an appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court at the time.

Remember Nathan L. Hecht, the Texas Supreme Court justice who rushed to the aid of his erstwhile paramour, White House Counsel Harriet Miers, during her disastrous SCOTUS nomination? Well, now he's being dragged before the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The Commission is tsk-tsking him for trying to be a good ex-boyfriend, claiming that his public statements about Miers violated the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, which forbids judges from "advanc[ing] the private interests of the judge or others."

More details, after the jump.

The Post explains:

In Texas, calling someone a "spokesman" comes close to fighting words.

Take the case of the Honorable Nathan L. Hecht, a justice of the Supreme Court of Texas and a well-known conservative jurist. A longtime friend of White House counsel Harriet Miers, Hecht gave more than 120 media interviews during her failed Supreme Court nomination. Hecht coordinated strategy with White House aides and agreed to take media calls straight from the White House, according to a recent investigation....

But a "spokesman?'' No way, he told the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which last month admonished Hecht for his activities on behalf of Miers. The Texas Code of Judicial Conduct prohibits judges from doing anything to "advance the private interests of the judge or others."

We think this is lame. As Hecht explained, he was merely "provid[ing] factual information about Miers' background, experience and views on religion and abortion," in response to media requests. Moreover, these statements "were fully protected by the First Amendment."

So leave Justice Nathan Hecht alone, Texas commissioners. Exes saying nice things about each other should be encouraged, not frowned upon.

Boom of the Judicial Canon [WP]

Earlier:Prior Wonkette coverage of Nathan Hecht (scroll down)