Opinion ID: 2229698
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The August 26, 1990 NAACP Press Release and Speech

Text: The statements that there exists a collapse of rule of law and the implication that Native Americans, blacks, farmers, women and other powerless financially distressed nonvested elements of society are not being treated fairly and impartially by the judiciary were found by the Board and the Referee to be a violation of Rule of Professional Conduct 8.2(b). That rule requires that a lawyer who is a candidate for judicial office comply with the applicable provisions of the Code [2] . Canon 2A of the Code requires that a judge should respect and comply with the law and should conduct himself at all times in a manner which promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. We concur with the determination of the Board and Referee. During a judicial campaign, a candidate may in an appropriate manner accurately criticize a sitting judge, but may not impugn the integrity of the judicial system. Matter of Riley, 142 Ariz. 604, 612, 691 P.2d 695, 703 (Ariz.1984). The Board and Referee found that Hopewell's statement that he would expose the specifics of corruption of justice in the Minnehaha County Courthouse to be violations of Rule 8.2(b) and Canons 1 [3] , 2 A and 7 B(1)(a). [4] The same findings were made concerning Hopewell's statement that the system of justice was now corrupt because of the influence of politically influential lawyer and lobbyists, power brokers for liability risk insurance companies, finances, environmental polluters and heavily handed law enforcement establishment. We concur with the determination of the Board and Referee. See In re Kaiser, 111 Wash.2d 275, 759 P.2d 392, 396-7 (Wa.1988). The comment that the South Dakota Judicial elections campaign guidelines committee compromised of incumbent state judges and pawnbrokering lawyers for vested interests have gagged Hopewell is found to be a violation of Rule 8.2(b) and Canons 1, 2 A, 7 B(1)(a) and 7 B(1)(c). [5] The Board and Referee found that Hopewell's statement that Judge Kean had a campaign treasury heavily laden with lavish contributions by politically influential lawyers and lobbyists, power brokers for liability risk insurance companies, finance environmental polluters and a heavy handed law enforcement establishment of this community to be violations of Rule 8.2(b) and Canons 1, 2 A, 7 B(1)(a) and 7 (B)(1)(c). We agree.