FAIR ELECTIONS E - B R I E F I N G

[Tom Trail <ttrail@moscow.com>]

Visionaries--During the past three months I have served as Co-Chair of a
Legislative Task Force
on Judicial Campaign Financing.   During the past 6 years the cost of a
supreme court race has
gone from $40,000 to over $150,000/ year.   Two years ago Judge Dan Eisman
received $51,000
from an out of state Term Limits coalition of organizations.   The Task
Force is concerned about
preserving the independence and integrity of our judicial system.  The
recommendations of the
Task Force are listed below.
>
>
>
>.	Legislative Task Force Issued Final Recommendations
>
>
>
>  Calls for Broader Evaluation of Judicial Selection  Process
>
>
>  Yesterday, the "Legislative Task Force on Judicial Campaign Financing"
>wrapped up two months of deliberation by making two recommendations.  The
>Legislature should: (1) Impanel a full-scale Interim Committee to study
>the  growing threat to judicial independence, and (2) Immediately enact a
>change  in the law to tighten up disclosure by groups trying to influence
>judicial  elections through independent expenditures.
>
>The Task Force expressed concern at the spending trends in Idaho's last
>three Supreme Court elections. Judges and candidates seeking judicial
>office are having to increase the amount of money they raise from private
>sources or borrow from their own funds to compete. This threatens the
>independence of Idaho's judges because many of the donors to judicial
>campaigns have cases pending in the courts.
>
>The Idahoans for Fair Election's report on the skyrocketing costs  of
>Idaho's judicial races: "TIPPING THE SCALES:  How Money Threatens  the
>Independence of Idaho's Courts" helped frame the Task Force's
>deliberations. (Report available online at
>www.idahoansforfairelections.org)
>
>Fred Hoopes, President of the Idaho State Bar, announced the  results of
>the Idaho State Bar's annual survey of attorneys. Idaho  attorneys voted
>overwhelmingly to take an active role in judicial campaigns  by
>establishing a committee to police the conduct of judicial candidates  and
>to examine the American Bar Association's recommendation for voluntary
>public financing of judicial elections.
>
>Judge Randy Smith of Pocatello expressed his appreciation to Idahoans  for
>Fair Elections for raising this issue with the Idaho Legislature  and the
>Idaho State Bar. "We would not be here today looking at this very  serious
>threat to judicial independence if it were not for your hard work,"  Smith
>said.
>
>The Task Force's recommendation to form an Interim Committee will allow
>full deliberation of emerging issues that - because of timing - the Task
>Force could not consider, such as North Carolina's recently enacted public
>financing system for judicial candidates.  The United States Supreme Court
>is also expected to revisit constitutionally permissible regulation of
>campaign financing, including new regulations under the federal
>"McCain-Feingold" bill.
>
>The Task Force was made up of six legislators, and was advised by a panel
>of four current judges, the deputy secretary of state, and the Chief
>Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court.
>
>
>Rep. Tom Trail/Dist. 6

>

Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
1375 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel:  (208) 882-6077
Fax:  (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail@moscow.com