Mixing Judges with Campaign Contributions Can Lead to Conflicts of Interest
Mixing judges with campaign contributions can lead to conflicts of interest. Fresh Airtalks to retired Judge Sue Bell Cobb and the Center for American Progress’ Billy Corriher.
This is FRESH AIR. I’m Terry Gross. We’re used to lots of political ads on TV in election season, but more and more these days, we’re also seeing ads for judicial candidates.
(SOUNDBITE OF AD)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: She put thousands of criminals in jail. Her house was firebombed, but Judge Sue Bell Cobb only grew stronger, more determined.
GROSS: In some states, judges are appointed by the governor or by a bipartisan commission. But in 38 states, judges are elected, and that means they have to raise money for their campaigns. They ask for money from lawyers, big business and unions – people who very well might end up with cases that come before these judges in court.
Our guest today, Sue Bell Cobb, became the first female chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court after running in the most expensive judicial race ever in the U.S. in 2006. She recently wrote an article for the online news site Politico with the title “I Was Alabama’s Top Judge. I’m Ashamed By What I Had To Do To Get There.” Justice Cobb retired from the bench in 2011, after a 30 year career as a judge. Later, we’ll hear from Billy Corriher, who studies money and judicial elections for the Center for American Progress. FRESH AIR contributor Dave Davies spoke with retired Justice Sue Bell Cobb.
Back