Ever-more-expensive court races heading higher
Fair Courts E-lert
Bibliographic Info:
Author: Kathy Barks Hoffman
Source: The Associated Press
Date: 08/24/2008
Article reports that in states where "races for spots on their respective Supreme Courts have drawn millions of dollars in contributions," courts across the country "are caught in a high-stakes, high-priced fight" between corporate interests, trial lawyers, ideological groups and political partisans who are committed to bending judges to their will." Article summarizes the spending patterns in Wisconsin and four other Midwest states, noting that public funding and laws requiring full disclosure of individuals contributing to judicial ads are being considered in certain states. In a 2005-2006 study, the Justice at Stake Campaign reported that "business interests donated $15.3 million to those states, 44 percent of the total, and paid for 90 percent of all spending on special interest television ads."