State courts are a political matter
by admin on 12/06/09 at 8:16 am
Charleston Daily Mail
June 12, 2009
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that state Supreme Court candidates who benefit from too much financial support – the court did not specify what amount is toxic – may be presumed to be biased and should not hear cases involving the parties that supported them.
The ruling cheered the critics of high-dollar judicial campaigns.
“The Supreme Court said, ‘Enough is enough,” said Bert Brandenburg, executive director of the nonpartisan Justice at Stake campaign. He said states that elect judges “must get to work now, to keep campaign cash out of our courts of law.”
The ruling encouraged those West Virginia lawmakers who want to limit independent political spending, particularly by corporations.
Federal judges have twice temporarily blocked enforcement of those efforts. Some people’s objection to corporate spending on judicial elections is correctly viewed by others as an unconstitutional attempt to stifle free speech.
