Yours for $16.5mCOURTS, in theory, are bastions of independence and impartiality. But that image is tainted when campaigns pass the hat for contributions, or benefit from spending by others. Earlier this month, a race for Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court was fuelled by at least $16.5m in campaign spending—the most expensive judicial election America has seen to date.
Democrats outspent the Republican candidates more than three-to-one and scored a resounding victory on November 3rd, taking all three open seats on the court to reach a 5-2 majority and increase the likelihood of left-leaning decisions from Pennsylvania’s highest tribunal. Crucially, these seven judges choose the tiebreaking member of a bipartisan commission charged with drawing the state’s electoral districts. So the win may pay dividends for the Democrats in state legislative races over the next decade as well.
The three Democrats elected to the Keystone State’s highest court owe their gavels primarily to organised labour and plaintiffs’ lawyers, their two most generous blocs of financial support. Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David...Continue reading
Source: United States http://ift.tt/1QkpROQ
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