For Immediate Release                               September 19, 2008

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

This Week in Judicial Politics
Sept. 12-18, 2008

The Justice at Stake Campaign is publishing a new weekly national round-up, "This Week in Judicial Politics." From now until the 2008 election, it will be published every Friday on Justice at Stake’s web site, www.justiceatstake.org, and in the group’s blog, www.gavelgrab.org.

Clean-Campaign Guide Sent to Judicial Candidates

Working with the Midwest Democracy Network, Justice at Stake called on 719 judges in five Midwest states to follow new campaign conduct guidelines that help them steer clear of special interest pressures and political agendas.

A nine-page memo was mailed to candidates in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. It was signed by 11 Midwest reform groups.

"Special interest pressure may be rising, and canons of conduct might be loosening, but judicial candidates have all the power they need to preserve public confidence in impartial courts—if their own conduct is guided by a series of best ethical practices," the document says.

The Midwest has seen some of the nation’s nastiest and most expensive Supreme Court elections. Occasionally that trend has filtered down to lower-court elections.

From 1999-2007, the Great Lakes region had three of the six most expensive states for  Supreme Court elections. Illinois was second in candidate fund-raising, at $19.3 million, Ohio third at $18.7 million, and Michigan sixth, at $10.2 million. Wisconsin, ranked ninth at $5.2 million, is rapidly rising both in spending and venomous campaign ads.

A press release issued today by Justice at Stake and the Midwest Democracy contains a PDF link to the judicial candidates’ memo.

"The public fears that campaign cash and special interest pressures are corrupting the courts," said Bert Brandenburg, executive director of JAS. "Now is the time for judicial candidates to step forward and reassure the public that they will be accountable to the law, not political pressure."

Alabama Candidate Taps PACs for Support

Alabama’s newest campaign finance reports show that Republican appellate Judge Greg Shaw continues to hold an advantage over Democratic trial Judge Deborah Bell Paseur, drawing heavily on big contributions from business PACs.

According to an Associated Press report, Shaw has raised $591,270 this year, about $70,000 more than his opponent. Paseur has raised $521,009 through smaller gifts from 1,417 contributors-that is about 10 times the number  that have given to Shaw.

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