Under pressure, Burnside denounces anti-Stratton ads in debate

After weeks of refusing to disassociate herself from a supporting PAC's negative ads against her opponent, Evelyn Stratton, the liberal Janet Burnside finally bent. Under mounting pressure from major media, after official condemnation from the Ohio State Bar Association, and with slipping poll numbers, Burnside denounced the ads Tuesday evening in a statewide televised debate.

"The people who support me have been sleazy and lying about Justice Stratton and they should remove" the ads, Burnside stated.

Trial attorneys, labor unions and lobbyists have funneled nearly $1.7 million into campaigns for Burnside and Hamilton County Municipal Judge Tim Black, according to Ohio Citizen Action. These special interests are hedging bets that their candidates will support their position on proposed legislation that would put a $300,000 cap on jury awards for pain and suffering. The Supreme Court nullified such laws twice in the 1990s.

Read the whole story in the Columbus Dispatch (subscription site - paid access only).

Commentary by Chad D. Baus:
Another reason for these groups' support for the liberal candidates pertains squarely to the anti-firearms debate in Ohio. According the Secretary of State's data, Democrat Tim Black is also receiving financial backing from Stan Chesley. Chesley, who has hosted fund raisers for both Clinton and Gore in his home, and who is leading the fight on the Cincinnati Gun manufacture's law suit, has personally given Tim Black $2,000, his law firm has given $10,000.