republican state leadership committee
October 11, 2018 -
The same secret-money group that pushed the U.S Senate to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh is dominating spending in judicial elections in Arkansas and elsewhere in the South. In some states, justices are looking to be re-elected with the help of campaign cash from corporations and law firms that have business before the courts.
August 17, 2018 -
The entire West Virginia Supreme Court — already in the crosshairs of corporate special interests — was recently impeached by the Republican-controlled state House for overspending, lavish renovations, and, in the case of one justice, criminal corruption charges. But Democrats see what's happening as a GOP power grab that comes amid a broader trend of conservative attacks on the judiciary.
July 20, 2018 -
With President Trump nominating a judge with a record of hostility to voting rights to the U.S. Supreme Court, state courts and constitutions are likely to play an increasingly critical role in protecting those rights — but those institutions are under political assault by conservatives.
May 18, 2018 -
An Arkansas judge blocked an election ad by the conservative Judicial Crisis Network attacking a state Supreme Court judge, citing libel concerns. If the group, which spends millions to influence state and federal courts, appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, its spending would present an ethical dilemma for Justice Neil Gorsuch.
November 30, 2016 -
Gregg Phillips of Texas, a former Republican Party official turned conservative activist, sits on the board of True the Vote, a tea party-connected poll monitoring group that peddles exaggerated claims of voter fraud while pressing for restrictive voting laws.
November 4, 2016 -
GOP mega-donors Charles and David Koch, their petrochemical company and its PAC are pouring money into North Carolina to influence state elections for governor, legislature, Supreme Court and attorney general.
October 28, 2016 -
Political groups unaffiliated with candidates' campaigns have already spent a record amount this election cycle to influence races for state supreme court seats. Among the states seeing big spending are Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina.