Storch for District Court Judge

Some Clarification on Storch’s “Zero Contribution Campaign”

I’ve recently received feedback and comments from many respected members in the community casting doubts on the viability of my campaign.  Traditional opinion is that a political campaign needs to raise as much money as possible in order to be successful.  Therefore, since I am not raising or seeking external funding and have sworn to a threshold (<$3,000 in spending), I must not be serious about winning.

First and foremost, let it be clear that I am 100% earnest in winning this election and I am not simply trying to make a point by seeking out a minority “protest vote.”

My campaign has been in the works since the summer of 2008 and not accepting funding is more than something to set me apart from the other candidates but is the result of serious consideration and I have written several essays on this subject.  (click here for link)

The values I hold most dearly and attribute to the independence of the judiciary dictate that I do not accept financial contributions from anyone who might appear in my courtroom.  Given that more than 70% of judicial campaign funding comes from attorneys who regularly appear in any given judge’s courtroom, I have chosen to maintain my moral integrity by keeping the courtroom as neutral as possible with respect to any attorney who might appear before me.

This position is reinforced by the recent United States Supreme Court ruling in Caperton v. Massey. (click for link to this article)

So how do I expect to get votes?  I think bombarding the public with bulk mailings filled with political doublespeak and worn out clichés is an insult to the intelligent voters of Durham.  Ironically, I am already receiving campaign literature from other District Court Judge candidates asking me to support their campaigns!  This only goes to prove my point of the inefficiency of the traditional approach.

In contrast, I expect to earn the trust and confidence of voters by going to them directly.  If you are a registered voter in Durham, expect me to come knocking on your door and introducing myself in person and addressing any questions and concerns you may have about our judicial system directly.

The bottom line is that a vote for Storch is not a “novelty vote” but a vote that represents more than the traditional approach to judicial campaigning.  It represents a vote for a higher standard.

If voters feel compelled to believe that in order for a candidacy to be legitimate that campaign must raise money, I’ll offer a solution:  Vote for Storch in the upcoming primary and then make out a check to any local charity.  The Durham Rescue Mission; Urban Ministries, Reality Ministries; and the John Avery Boys and Girls Club are a few worthy local causes that come to mind.  And in the memo section of the check, indicate that the donation is in honor of the Committee to Elect Storch.

Mailing addresses are:

Urban Ministries

412 Liberty Street
Durham, NC 27701-3408

Durham Rescue Mission

P.O. Box 11858

Durham, NC 27703

Reality Ministries

PO Box 242
Durham, NC 27702

John Avery Boys & Girls Clubs, Inc.

PO Box 446

Durham, North Carolina 27701

Or any other local charity you wish to help out.

For further reading on the ethical perils of judicial campaign financing, read: Judicial Campaign Financing: An Ever Present Threat to Judicial Independence

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