For immediate release.
February 14, 2002
Contact: Jesse Rutledge, N.C. Center for Voter Education,
(919) 839-1200
Center for Voter Education Joins National Effort to Launch Justice at Stake Campaign
WASHINGTON, D.C. – North Carolina Appellate Judge James A. Wynn, Jr. echoed a wake-up call today from judges and voters who expressed deep concerns about the growing impact of money and politics on America’s courts at the national launch of the nonpartisan Justice at Stake Campaign -- a national partnership working to keep courts fair and impartial.
In addition, the North Carolina Center for Voter Education joined forces with more than 30 judicial, legal, and citizen groups from across the country to launch the Campaign in Washington, D.C.
According to two new surveys released at the launch, 76 percent of voters now believe that campaign donors get special treatment in court -- and even 26 percent of judges agree. Moreover, 8 in 10 state judges and 9 out of 10 voters are concerned that special interests are trying to use the courts to shape public policy to their own ends.
“We should act now before the public continues to lose confidence in their courts and judges,” said Judge Wynn. “If we stand together, it’s not too late to keep our courts fair, impartial and independent.” In North Carolina, money raised in judicial elections in 2000 reached nearly $2 million -- seventh highest among the 32 states that elected judges. “We must improve the conduct of these campaigns before the problem spreads to other states, Wynn added.” Supreme Court elections will be held in 34 states this year.
According to the national bipartisan surveys conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and American Viewpoint -- leading Democratic and Republic pollsters -- a majority of state judges (55 percent) believe that the tone and conduct of judicial campaigns has grown worse over the past five years. In addition, 74 percent of state judges and 81 percent of voters are concerned that in some states, nearly half of all state Supreme Court cases involve someone who has given money to one or more of the judges hearing the case. Survey results can be viewed on the web at www.JusticeatStake.org.
“These findings are a wake up call to all Americans: fair and impartial justice is at stake,” said Justice at Stake’s Executive Director Geri Palast. “We depend on courts to protect our rights and ensure equal justice. Justice at Stake partners are standing up to educate the public and keep special interests and politics out of the courtroom.”
State Supreme Court candidates raised $45.6 million during the 2000 campaign -- a 61 percent increase over 1998 and double the amount raised in 1994, according to a new study also released today at the event. “The New Politics of Judicial Elections,” written by Deborah Goldberg and Craig Holman of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and Samantha Sanchez of the National Institute on Money in State Politics, cited 2000 as a watershed election year for big money and special interest pressure on America’s courts. During the 2000 judicial campaigns, 80 percent of special interest ads attacked judicial candidates, far outstripping negative ads run by candidates and even political parties.
“More than 80 percent of state judges run in contested or retention elections,” said American Bar Association President-Elect Alfred P. Carlton Jr of Raleigh. “Nearly half of them say they are under pressure to raise campaign funds. As more judges face soaring campaign costs, more people think justice is for sale.”
Last week, the ABA reaffirmed its long-standing support for merit selection of judges, and passed an historic resolution urging states that elect judges to consider public financing of judicial campaigns. Carlton added, “Through the work of its partners, the Justice at Stake Campaign is bringing judges, lawyers, and citizens together to keep our courts fair and impartial.”
Fearing the justice system is increasingly divided based on money and power, voters and state judges support reforms to protect courts and reduce the power of special interests. For example, 93 percent of state judges and 82 percent of voters support a voluntary proposal for judicial candidates “to condemn negative advertising done on their behalf.” In addition, 8 in 10 voters and 6 out of 10 state judges support a general proposal to provide public financing of elections. Seven in 10 voters support merit selection with retention elections, which is also supported by nearly 60 percent of state Supreme Court justices.
“Justice at Stake is stepping in at a crucial time. The survey shows that Americans and their state judges want reforms that reduce special interest pressure and raise the standard of judicial campaigns,” said Stanley B. Greenberg, chairman and CEO of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research.
Both state judges and voters agree that lack of information has had a harmful effect on public participation. Only 13 percent of American voters report having a great deal of information about candidates in judicial elections, according to the surveys. In addition, 90 percent of voters and 87 percent of judges say they are concerned that because voters have little information about judicial candidates, judges are often selected “for reasons other than their qualifications.”
Linda DiVall, president and founder of American Viewpoint, said, “People want to know more about what courts and judges are doing in their state. When the public is not involved, money and special interests have more influence over our courts.” More than 90 percent of voters, and 75 percent of state judges, support new state efforts to provide voter guides prior to judicial elections.
The polls also show state judges and voters are concerned about inequality in the judicial system. Sixty-two percent (62 percent) of voters, including 90 percent of African American voters, believe that there are two systems of justice in the United States -- one for the rich and powerful and one for everyone else. More than 80 percent of judges are concerned with the idea of two-systems of justice in the United States.
In addition to the measures mentioned above, Justice at Stake Campaign partners are supporting a variety of other measures in many states across America. They include: judicial evaluation commissions, judicial recusal in cases involving campaign contributors, campaign oversight and citizen monitoring committees, rapid response to unfair attacks on courts and judges and outreach to political leaders and the media.
Information about Justice at Stake can be found at www.JusticeatStake.org.
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