Storch for District Court Judge

Storch will not accept campaign donations

Judicial candidate Steven Storch is not accepting campaign donations. Why?  According to North Carolina’s Code of Judicial Conduct, it is permissible political conduct for a judge or candidate to “personally solicit campaign funds and request public support from anyone for his own campaign” or to allow others to do so for him.  According to this rule, a sitting judge or candidate running for judge is free to accept hundreds or even thousands of dollars in donations from local attorneys and other special interests who appear in that judge’s courtroom.

This flies in the face of other fundamental and more important canons of judicial ethics, namely that: 1) a judge should uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary; 2) a judge should avoid impropriety in all his activities; and 3) a judge should perform the duties of his office impartially and diligently.

The purpose of these canons is self-evident.  Judges are central to our democracy.  They resolve disputes between people peacefully and fairly.  They protect citizens from the power of the government, and they apply the law to protect or punish people.

In order perform these functions impartially and independently, a judge’s decisions should not follow public opinion, or promote special interests.  How much faith would you have in a judicial proceeding if you knew that the opposing attorney donated $500.00 or $1000.00 to get the judge who is deciding the outcome of your case elected to the bench?  And every judge must know where every penny raised during a campaign comes from, as required by Board of Election Regulations.  He or she cannot claim ignorance of the source and amount of campaign funding.

This is why Dr. Storch is not soliciting, personally or indirectly through his campaign committee, any cash contributions even though North Carolina law says it’s perfectly fine.

Some judges and candidates have spent as much as $32,000.00 in recent elections to get elected as district court judge.  That’s almost one third of a district court judge’s annual salary.  Steven Storch has vowed to spend his own money to get elected.  But let one thing be clear, he is not going to try to pull a Ross Perot and spend a small fortune of his own money in an attempt to buy the election.  On the contrary, his campaign is registered with the State Board of Elections as a Threshold Campaign.  This means that Dr. Storch has certified to the State Board of Elections that during the entire election cycle he will neither raise nor spend more than three thousand dollars ($3,000) to further the candidate’s campaign. This certification is made on the Certification of Threshold form (CRO-3600) which is on file as a public record.

Isn’t he dooming himself to failure by not raising and spending all the money he can?  After all, isn’t advertising  necessary?  Yes, advertising is necessary.  And expensive.  And so are campaign managers, and hired help.  Just check the campaign expenditures of past candidates.  Many candidates have spent more than $10,000.00 per election cycle.  Campaign managers, fundraising dinners, printing, can and do cost thousands.

Then how can Storch succeed in getting elected?  The answer is simple, he wants to earn your vote, not buy it.  He wants to demonstrate his skills and abilities by talking with people, earning their trust and answering their questions and concerns about Durham’s legal system.  In short, by direct communication which is the best form of advertisement.  Any candidate can have a brochure printed up and bulk mailed or print up a thousand signs and have them put up around the city.  But when was the last time a candidate for judge knocked on your front door and talked to you about what matters to you?

If you are a registered voter in Durham, expect Dr. Storch to come knocking on your door sometime in the next 12-18 months.  He’ll be asking you for your support.  Not in the form of a cash contribution but a signature on a petition to have him added to the 2010 ballot for District Court Judge.  He’ll need at least 20,000 signatures and plans to get every one in a door to door petition drive, one at a time.  And he might also ask for permission, when election time approaches, to place a campaign sign in your yard.

If you’re not available when he comes to your house, be assured that the red white and blue door hanger hanging on your door knob was left there by him.  And feel free to email, call, or write Dr. Storch with any concerns or questions you may have.

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