Ethics panel: Judges can't help each other campaign

The Committee on Judicial Ethics has issued an advisory opinion saying judges should not conduct a "meet and greet" event for the benefit of a fellow judge seeking re-election.

According to the advisory, that would violate the Canons of Judicial Conduct which prohibit a judge from endorsing candidates for public office.

"This prohibition applies to all endorsements whether by action or words and is absolute in application," the opinion states.

It points out that the rules don't prevent judges from participating in the political process as a voter or from making donations to a candidate or political organization. But it says hosting an event for another judicial candidate could have "an inherent coercive tendency creating pressure on attendees to support or contribute funds to the judicial candidate supported by the judge."

The opinion notes that there is an ongoing debate over the constitutionality of restricting a judge's right to endorse a candidate, but that that issue has yet to be addressed by a court.