2 state justices plan fair re-runs

By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published June 03, 2008

Supreme Court Justices Mary Fairhurst and Charles Johnson filed for re-election Monday while also announcing they would sign pledges to run clean, fair campaigns.

A third justice, appointee Debra Stephens, did not file yet but said in the three judges' joint news release that she also accepts the pledges.

"We thought it was important to jointly announce our commitment to these principles, and hope our example will encourage judges at all levels of court to sign on as well," Stephens said in the release.

One pledge is from the King County Bar Association and the other from the Washington Committee for Ethical Judicial Campaigns, a nonpartisan group recently formed under the leadership of retired Appeals Court Judge William Baker.

Johnson, the longest-serving justice on the court seeking his fourth term, said he was shocked by the 2006 campaigns for Supreme Court. He added that he hopes the pledges can "take some of the vitriolic tactics out of judicial races, which I feel is harmful."

He said negative advertising demeans the judiciary and "diminishes the public's respect."

Fairhurst added in the release: "People expect fairness and integrity from their justices, so it's only common sense that we run our campaigns along these same principles."

Michael Bond of Seattle, her challenger, said recently that he would review the pledge and consider it, but he also had concerns about having to disavow advertising that third parties might run in a campaign.

He noted the trend toward candidates denouncing others' speech, such as presidential candidates Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain each repudiating a pastor with whom each had a link.

The 2006 campaigns for Supreme Court seats were marked by attacks and ads by third-party groups, including by the Building Industry Association of Washington and a rival liberal group funded by labor, environmental, trial lawyer and tribal groups.

The BIAW has been looking for candidates to support for judge, and its spokeswoman has declined to comment on the pledges.