Indiana’s IndyChannel.com reports that a judicial campaign fundraising flier appears to equate financial donations with favorable rulings. The flier advertises an event to support the re-election of Marion Superior Court Judge Becky Pierson-Treacy. Among the “suggested contributions,” are “$150 ‘Sustained’”; “250 ‘Affirmed’”; “500 ‘So Ordered’”; and “$1,000 ‘Favorable Ruling’”.
According to former Judge Gary Miller and others, the flier gives the impression that justice is for sale. As Miller states, such a flier, even if it were a joke, is not appropriate for a judicial campaign. A spokeswoman for the Indiana Supreme Court agrees; “We require our judges to act in a manner that promotes confidence in the judicial branch. They must always act with fairness and impartiality. Even the appearance of impropriety, or the appearance that something is unfair, is against the judicial canons.’” Indiana has reason to be upset by this flier, particularly when the public may have already suspected a connection between campaign fundraising and judicial rulings. The advertised fundraiser has since been canceled.
