The Editorial Board of the only daily newspaper of a major city plays an important role in addressing the conscience of the community.  Your editorial of April 15 accusing Governor Strickland and Chief Justice Eric Brown of politicizing the court sounds like an appeal to conscience but in its historical context appears more an act of hypocritical political partisanship. The Court was targeted for politicization in 2000 when even though Republicans held a five to two advantage, Democratic Justice Alice Robie Resnick was writing for a bipartisan four judge majority in the most important cases.  The Ohio and U.S. Chambers of Commerce spent $7 million of illegal corporate treasury money to defame Justice Resnick with a view to securing a more "business friendly" court. 

While Dispatch news reporters were at the forefront of exposing the Chamber's plan to "play dirty" so they could get away with "giving business everything they want," editorially the Dispatch criticized Justice Resnick and endorsed her Republican opponent Judge Terrence O'Donnell.  Many judges and lawyers responded to the Bar Association’s call to speak out against this attack on judicial independence, but neither Chief Justice Moyer nor Judge O'Donnell were among them.   The Chamber continued to spend another $7 million in illegal corporate money in favor of a “collegial” all- Republican court and achieved its partisan objective of an all-Republican court consistently issuing pro corporate decisions.  Adding one Democrat to the court constitutes one small step toward depoliticizing the court by restoring some political balance. 

Cliff Arnebeck, Attorney
1021 E Broad St., Columbus, OH 43205
Office 614-224-8771
Cell 614-361-9434