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Saturday, April 29, 2006

Ind. Courts - "Judge says his name, former slogan were used without his permission"

"Candidate's ad stirs complaint: Judge says his name, former slogan were used without his permission" is the headline to a story by Tom Spalding in today's Indianapolis Star. Some quotes:

"Experience Counts" was Hendricks Superior Court Judge Robert Freese's slogan when he won a seat on the bench six years ago. That same phrase, used in a campaign advertisement Friday in The Indianapolis Star, led Freese to file a complaint with a state ethics board.

Freese said he filed the complaint with the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications, claiming an advertisement paid for by judicial candidate Larry R. Hesson uses the "Experience Counts" saying and Freese's name without his permission.

Freese, who has publicly supported Stephenie LeMay-Luken in the crowded Republican primary for judge of Superior Court 5, contends the ad implies he is endorsing Hesson.

Hesson and LeMay-Luken are competing on the GOP side with Maureen Devlin, Mike Jeffries and Scott Knierim. The winner will face Democrat Nicholas G. Schmutte in the fall election.

"My name was used without my permission, and I was not even asked whether I would give permission," Freese said. "I did say those two words, but I did not say them about Larry Hesson."

Hesson said Friday that he used the quote to highlight his 25 years of legal experience. "There was no intent to convey the impression that he was endorsing me," Hesson said. "To quote him, 'Experience Counts,' which I agree." Hesson said he wasn't aware that a complaint was filed against him and was looking into the incident.

Meg Babcock, an attorney for the commission, said ethics rules prohibit her from acknowledging whether a complaint was filed. But in general, she said, if a candidate were to falsely imply endorsement by another office-holder, it might be a violation that could lead to sanctions. The seven-member commission next meets privately in June. The primary is Tuesday.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 29, 2006 09:48 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts