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Suggestions that a RICO lawsuit could be filed against the Ohio Chamber and those who helped to assault (and re-elect) Justice Alice Robie Resnick in 2000 make this a good time to ponder what such ads have done to the judiciary.
If you don't remember the ads, let me refresh your memory. A woman dressed like Lady Justice peeked under her blindfold to see which donors were stacking piles of cash on her scales of justice. The heaviest donors won favorable rulings.
Back when the infamous Lady Justice ads were on the air, the Ohio State Bar Association abandoned its usual no-comment posture and condemned the chamber, saying the ads undermine "the public's trust in a fair and independent Supreme Court. From the Oct 22, 2000, Columbus Dispatch:
"The message it sends is, "If you can throw enough money at a Supreme Court justice, it will affect his vote,' " said Reginald S. Jackson, the association president.
I find it fascinating that the Bar Association didn't name names. So let's name the biggest offender: Bill Todd. He was the lawyer who created the Chamber's bogus non-profit used to illegally hide the donors' names, and pay for the shameless ads.
He was the lawyer who defended the illegal ads. And he was the lawyer who lost the case defending the illegal ads.
Since that remarkable campaign, studies have shown that the public's confidence in the judiciary has plummeted.
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A recent report by the Annenberg Public Policy Center showed that "big money and mudslinging are undermining public trust in the judiciary and the ability of judges to act independently and impartially.''
More troubling, a survey conducted by the center showed that 70 % of those polled said they believe the necessity to raise campaign funds will affect a judge’s rulings once in office. Sixty-three percent believe that pressures from past contributors would affect a judge’s fairness and impartiality to a great or moderate extent.
To read more about the legacy of the Bill Todd's of the world, view the entire report: Link.