Candidates' views differ over fund-raising methods



The '527' organizations don't coordinate fund raising with the candidate.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Judge William O'Neill is refusing to accept financial contributions for his state Supreme Court justice race but isn't opposed to his supporters' creating committees to raise money to promote his candidacy on their own.
Judge O'Neill, of South Russell, a member of the Warren-based 11th District Court of Appeals, said his campaign won't accept any contributions and that "Money and judges don't mix."
But when asked by The Vindicator if he would take money from so-called "527" organizations, Judge O'Neill said he doesn't "have an objection to those who support me raising money" that way. The 527 organizations, named after an IRS code section, can raise and spend money to support or oppose candidates but don't coordinate efforts with candidates.
Judge O'Neill is facing A.J. Wagner of Dayton, a Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge, in the May 2 Democratic primary. The winner faces incumbent Justice Terrence O'Donnell, a Rocky River Republican, in the November general election. Justice O'Donnell handily defeated Judge O'Neill in the 2004 election, getting 60.5 percent of the vote.
What opponent said
Judge Wagner said there is no distinction between a candidate's taking money for his own campaign and a 527 committee's raising cash to support the candidate.
"I'm in favor of [527 committees supporting his candidacy], but I'm not the one saying, 'I'm not taking any money,'" Judge Wagner said of Judge O'Neill. "I'm puzzled by his statement."
When Judge O'Neill unsuccessfully challenged Justice O'Donnell in 2004, he put a limit on contributions to his campaign of $10 per individual and $1,000 per organization. His campaign raised about $85,000 compared with almost $2 million for Justice O'Donnell.
But this time his campaign won't accept any money because Judge O'Neill says money plays too much of an influence in judicial elections. He favors placing a $10 fee on each lawsuit filed in Ohio, and using that money -- about $30 million annually -- to fund all judicial candidates running for office.
Judge Wagner said his Democratic opponent can't win statewide without raising money.
Goals
Judge Wagner's goal is to raise $2 million by the November general election, something he admits is going to be tough. The judge gave his campaign a $20,000 loan in late 2005 and said he's raised about $100,000 since the beginning of the year.
Judge O'Neill "believes money doesn't belong in political races," Judge Wagner said. "I don't necessarily disagree, but you need to raise money to run statewide."
Judge O'Neill bought a printing press and is distributing campaign fliers to voters. The judge said campaign volunteers distributed about 100,000 fliers, and the plan is to distribute another 50,000 to 100,000 before the primary. His goal is to distribute 1 million by the general election. The printing cost is $400 for every 100,000 fliers, he said.
The fliers compare Judge O'Neill to Justice O'Donnell, and there is no mention of Judge Wagner.
Judge O'Neill, who is confident he'll win the Democratic primary, said he doesn't mention Judge Wagner because he has nothing negative to say about him.
skolnick@vindy.com

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