- law dawg
- 20 Comments
- 2236 Views
We’re in a judicial election year and despite there being a limited number of willing candidates, there are still enough to warrant campaign events and fundraising. How do you deal with this time of year? Are you attending their events? Are you writing a check and saying sorry I can’t make it? Do you contribute at all? Do you campaign for them or put your name or endorse? What are your tips for dealing with your friends and colleagues who are suddenly in candidate mode?
Our firm contributes for us through a PAC.
If we want to give to individual candidates, we do so on our own. Some members of our firm give to individual candidates; I don’t. I also don’t attend campaign events. Frankly, the whole process is unseemly.
When I was a baby attorney several years ago, the firm I worked at hosted various judicial candidates and encouraged all the associates to go shake hands, donate if you want, etc.
It felt so uncomfortable and I could tell many of the candidates felt uncomfortable too. “Hi Mr. Judge Candidate who I will be appearing in front of. Here’s some money.”
It’s one thing if your firm pays for you to be a “Citizens for Justice” member; it’s quite another when you’re expected to go mingle at the cadidate fundraising events.
I consider it part of my advertising budget. Of course the overwhelming portion of my outgoing expense for that is billboards, radio, etc., but the remainder goes to supporting the good judges or candidates that ensure my judgments don’t get slaughtered on appeal. My support to good judges or candidates is a fraction of what bad judges have cost me over time.
I think it is unethical and I tell candidates I don’t donate to judicial campaigns. I once told someone good luck and they posted on their website that I was a supporter which I didn’t think was cool. I do contribute $20-$50 here and there to friends who are running for other offices the same way I donate to them when they are doing awareness walks or runs.
I am happy to sponsor friends and others for walks and runs and other charity events, but I do not contribute to judicial races. 20 years ago, I was writing checks to competing candidates, and I decided to stop altogether. I don’t think it has hurt me with the judges I appear before.
I hate the fact that our judges are politicians. There is no way you can convince me they are “neutral” regarding those who campaign for them. The Judges don’t forget who got them on the bench and part of them (no matter how big or small) will always feel indebted.
I get what you mean. And I agree that judicial elections are not the best way to handle things.
But based on the system we have in place and the laws that govern, it’s not unethical to contribute to a judicial candidate and it’s improper to label anyone who does so lawfully as unethical (not that you’re doing that here).
As lawyers, we understand the difference between what the law is and what we think the law should be, and we know which one governs.
Our firm does mix and mingles with the candidates, but we do not make donations. Previous firm used to have a PAC and it was expected that partners would contribute to the PAC.
I have been getting voicemails from judicial candidates I HAVE NEVER MET asking for money/support. The balls on some of these people.
Hey now, a stranger’s just someone you haven’t met yet.
My firm donates to judicial candidates and so do I. The critiques of the system are valid, but at the end of the day, this is the system we have. The donations absolutely matter. Hate the game, not the players.
I have donated low five figures this election. Do the judges rule in my favor on ultimate issues and outcomes? Of course not. Do I sometimes get latitude and deference? Absolutely. Over the next six years, I am going to budget more, and keep the money in an index fund until its time to donate again.
Question: With so many people on the bench and running for election, does an individual’s contribution matter?
Maybe so, back in the day when there were only a handful of DC judges and many, many fewer lawyers, but today? I think it highly unlikely that any judge keeps a list of contributors on his/her desk. (Oh, I have on my desk Johnny Jones motion, but he only contributed $20 to my election. Screw him.)
(unless of course you are someone like Soros and contribute big bucks.)
Unless you are someone like Adelson….
Judges have to file campaign finance reports (and get fined if they dont). They know very well who donated what.
Hooge still hasn’t filed his
When Hooge was interviewed by Veterans in Politics, he said he didn’t really see a conflict of interest for political donations. I believe it was a question on whether or not one should recuse oneself.
5:09 minute mark.
I wonder why he hasn’t filed his campaign finance forms? 🤔
https://youtu.be/qOiYKKEOcxU?si=fz-eQcgML3xfSX8e
My favorite is when an attorney/firm hosts an event, then asks me to send them a check, written to the candidate, so that they can deliver their money AND my money at the same time at the event. They even offer to “send a runner” to pick up my check so that they can package it with their check! How thoughtful!
Like a grocery store asking me to donate to their charity so they can take the credit. No thanks, bruh.
I had that happen with a GoFundMe. I donated. The check was presented on behalf of the firm. Then I saw the amount of the check and realized I made a much larger contribution than the others. I will say, after that my esteem for my coworkers dropped after that experience , having now thought my coworkers are a bunch of cheapskates or greedy or broke.