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Judges get disciplined

The negative campaigning in the Illinois Supreme Court race has led the Illinois State Bar Association to ask, in letters to the candidates, to simmer down their campaigns because it could lead to endangerment of public confidence in the justice system.

The letters were written by Thomas Johnson, Chair of the Committee on Supreme and Appellate Court Election Campaign Tone and Conduct, and released to the public Thursday.

The last time there was a race for Fifth Circuit Court Judge for the Illinois Supreme Court was 1992, and there will not be another election for six years.

Democrat candidate Gordon Maag and Republican candidate Lloyd Karmeier have taken up a race that has even gone litigious and marched down to a Williamson County court to debate the nature of an advertisement and a website.

However, this election year has marked a much different race that required both candidates to file complaints with the Illinois State Bar Association, which spawned the comments made by Johnson.

Johnson wrote both candidates to tell them the committee found their ads to be misleading and requested to "promptly and publicity disavow" the advertisements.

Maag, Illinois appellate court justice, said one advertisement discussed his court decision about a rape case, but according to him, failed to mention the person charged was sentenced to seven years.

"This is an outright lie," Maag said. "But they don't tell you that in those commercials."

Circuit Judge Karmeier agreed some ads can be misleading, but it is because of the time constraints on commercials.

"I've insisted that we not change facts or distort them," Karmeier said.

However, neither candidate took fault for what has gone wrong in the campaigning and instead focused what the other opponent did wrong.

"Unfortunately I think my opponent felt he was not leading the race so he went negative," Karmeier said.

Maag believes that negative campaigning has escalated, "because there are those that believe they have to gain power at all cost, and there are people trying to do just that."

In addition, the American Society for Tort Reform noted Madison County, which is in the fifth district, as being "lawsuit capital of the world."

This is why Maag said there is a need to identify the cause and then combine efforts with state legislators and courts.

But Karmeier said what the district needs is a judge from outside the Madison or St. Clair Counties to shake things up.

"Primarily, we need to find out why doctors are leaving," Karmeier said. "Whose fault is it?"

Additionally, both candidates said it is good that people pay attention to this race.

"The Supreme Court affects us in our day to day life," Maag said. "Our decisions concern criminal justice systems and businesses."

Karmeier and his wife have been campaigning all over the district to raise awareness for the race.

"In the past, political parties and people didn't pay attention to the race," Karmeier said. "Maybe this will get people out and look at our record. I urge people to get involved."

Maag said the way to campaign is to not be negative and to look voters in the eye and shake their hands.

 

 

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