Show Me The Rulings
September 30, 2008
Ohio Judge Joseph Russo is concerned about the public perception that by contributing to judicial candidates someone can “buy a vote on the court.” In fact, Judge Russo thinks this mere perception is “just as bad” as a judge actually acting corruptly by shifting a decision to reward campaign contributors.
Things are so bad in Ohio that, in a 2002 survey, 83% of Ohio voters believed that cash influences judicial decisions. With this perception so widespread, Ohio courts must be rife with corruption and dozens of Ohio judges must have been impeached for their misconduct. Can someone show me these rulings?
Or maybe there’s another explanation. Maybe this perception just reflects the low regard voters have for all public officials – from presidents on down to state judges. Maybe that’s why a more recent public opinion survey by the American Justice Partnership Foundation found that 75% of voters believe judges should be elected by the people and two out of three said elections were an effective way to hold judges accountable.