Ohio GOP Considers Formal Complaint Against Brunner Campaign for Violating Ohio Judicial Code of Conduct

COLUMBUS— Today, the Ohio Republican Party announced plans to instruct legal counsel to investigate and, based on their findings, potentially file a formal complaint against Jennifer Brunner’s campaign for violating the Ohio Judicial Code of conduct.

Rule 4.3, Campaign Standards and Communications, of the Ohio Judicial Code of Conduct states that:

During the course of any campaign for nomination or election to judicial office, a judicial candidate, by means of campaign materials, including sample ballots, advertisements on radio or television or in a newspaper or periodical, electronic communications, a public speech, press release, or otherwise, shall not knowingly or with reckless disregard do any of the following: 

 

  1. Post, publish, broadcast, transmit, circulate, or distribute information concerning the judicial candidate or an opponent, either knowing the information to be false or with a reckless disregard of whether or not it was false; 

AND

 

1] A judicial candidate must be scrupulously fair and accurate in all statements made  

by the candidate and his or her campaign committee. This rule obligates the candidate and the  

committee to refrain from making statements that are false. 

 

Jennifer Brunner’s campaign has failed to live up to the Ohio Judicial Code of Conduct by falsely stating that Republican justices saluted when they were clearly waving to the crowd.

However, the video of the Newsmax coverage Brunner’s campaign cites clearly shows the true nature of the events. When President Trump recognized the Republican Ohio Supreme Court justices, they simply stood up and waved. Brunner’s campaign watched that same Newsmax video, and intentionally and dishonestly used a still photo to lie about what was happening and disparage Jennifer Brunner’s fellow justices.

“Jennifer Brunner’s campaign has clearly and shamelessly violated the Ohio Supreme Court’s Code of Conduct by blatantly lying about their Republican opponents,” said Chairman Bob Paduchik. “This is a matter that must be addressed immediately, and we are planning to engage our legal counsel to look into the matter and file a formal complaint.”

This is not the first time her campaign has been caught in a lie, but it is the first time they have been caught blatantly lying about their opponent.

Bottom Line: Jennifer Brunner should be disciplined for violating judicial ethics and allowing her campaign to dishonestly disparage her fellow justices.