For Immediate Release September 12, 2008

Contacts:   Charles W. Hall of Justice at Stake, 202-588-9454, chall@justiceatstake.org

9/12/08: This Week in Judicial Politics

Michigan Chief Justice Faces Challenge

After failing to eliminate two Republican justices from the Michigan Supreme Court through a “court unpacking” ballot measure, Democrats have nominated a challenger to take on Michigan Chief Justice Cliff Taylor in the November elections.

But it’s unclear whether Diane Hathaway, a Wayne County district judge, will be able to raise enough money to pressure Taylor, who has heavy business backing and already has raised $1.4 million, breaking a fundraising record he set in the 2000 campaign.

Casting a shadow over the Michigan campaign is the state Democratic Party’s failed attempt to back Reform Michigan Government Now, a measure that would have cut salaries for lawmakers, the governor and judges, and would have shrunk the Supreme Court from seven seats to five.

The measure stirred dissent among state Democrats, as well as numerous civic groups and editorial pages.

Although the measure got enough signatures to qualify, an appellate court kept it from the ballot, ruling that the proposed changes amounted to a full-scale rewriting of the state Constitution.The Supreme Court colleagues upheld that ruling, keeping RMGN off the ballot this year.

Taylor’s fund-raising is detailed in this report from the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. A Michigan Messenger article also discusses the Supreme Court race.

Alabama Air Campaign Begins

Television advertising has heated up in Alabama, the state marked by some of the nation’s most expensive and nastiest Supreme Court elections. In just less than a week, the Judge Greg Shaw Committee spent close to $94,000 in campaign ads. Shaw, a Republican state appellate judge, is heavily out-advertising his Democratic opponent,  District Judge Deborah Bell Paseur.

So far, ads by both candidates have been positive in tone, as is usually the case early in judicial campaigns. Shaw’s “Alabama values” ad, which aired in six major markets the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, can be accessed at his web site.  Paseur’s “Amazing Grace” ad, which aired only in the Huntsville market, can be found on youtube, and  at her web site.   The Brennan Center has a detailed round up of the TV ads here.

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9/12/08: This Week in Judicial Politics