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For immediate release.
February 4, 2002
Contact: Jesse Rutledge, N.C. Center for Voter Education,
(919) 839-1200

Radio Ad Draws Attention to Judicial Campaign Reform

RALEIGH - You can’t give money to an umpire to influence a call, but in North Carolina a small group of insiders can contribute thousands to influence judicial elections. Lawyers may contribute to judges who hear their cases, or big special interests may contribute to judges that may decide lawsuits.

That’s the message from the North Carolina Center for Voter Education’s new advertising campaign, which kicks off today with a radio ad that will air statewide. The ad features a hypothetical baseball play-by-play in which both the runner and the catcher try to pay-off the home plate umpire to get a call to go their way.

According to Executive Director Chris Heagarty, it’s an attempt to make North Carolinians think a little harder about the potential for disaster should our state not take action to reform the judicial campaign system.

“North Carolina has one of the finest legal systems in the country,” said Heagarty. “But while money may not yet be influencing judicial decisions, we are in danger of it influencing the outcome of judicial elections. These elections are quickly becoming more expensive and more partisan. We need to keep our courts fair and impartial, and keep money and politics out of our courtrooms,” added Heagarty, echoing a line from the ad.

Heagarty cited evidence from other states, notably Texas, Michigan, Ohio and Alabama, where a rapid escalation in campaign spending and bitterly partisan political battles over Supreme Court seats have contributed to a venomous campaign atmosphere, harsh TV ads against sitting judges, and massive infusions of cash from special interest groups.

All these factors have resulted in a loss of faith in impartial justice in those states, according to the Center for Voter Education, and damaged the dignity and integrity of the rule of law.

The Center for Voter Education supports reforming the North Carolina judicial campaign system by establishing a system of public funding for judicial candidates who refuse special interest money and accept strict campaign spending limits. A bill that would do just that was passed by the N.C. Senate in November. The bill -- the Judicial Campaign Reform Act -- is due for consideration by the N.C. House when the state legislature reconvenes for its short session in May.

The Center’s radio ad campaign will run through until the end of March, and will be followed by TV ads later in the spring. In coming weeks the Center will launch a new radio ad to feature a special judicial campaign reform website through which visitors can order more information at no charge.

The N.C. Center for Voter Education is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization based in Raleigh dedicated to improving the quality and responsiveness of North Carolina’s election system. Former US Senator Robert Morgan serves as chairman of the board.

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