A Jackson attorney running for the state Court of Appeals is in violation of the Judicial Code of Conduct by not attending a two-hour course on campaign practices, finance and ethics, a special committee on judicial elections says. Attorney Brad Clanton is one of five candidates running for District 4, Position 2 in the southwest-south central part of Mississippi. Also, the committee allowed candidates who were not able to attend either of these seminars an opportunity to view a video recording of the seminar to comply with this requirement.
Clanton didn't attend either scheduled seminar, the committee said. He was then contacted by Darlene Ballard, executive director of the Commission on Judicial Performance, and given an opportunity to appear and watch the video recording of the seminar. Clanton made an appointment to come to the commission's ofice June 20 to watch the video recording but didn't show up.
Ballard said Thursday that she will continue to try to get Clanton to come in and view the seminar video. Candidates without opposition are exempt from attending the course. The rule says the candidates and their election committee chairpersons, or the chairpersons' designees, shall complete the seminar within 20 days after the qualifying date for candidates in the election. Within 10 days of completing the course, candidates then shall certify to the committee that they have completed the course and understand fully the requirements of Mississippi law and the Code of Judicial Conduct concerning campaign practices for judicial office.
The Special Committee on Judicial Election Campaign Intervention convenes during years when there are judicial elections. It is designed to respond swiftly to allegations of judicial election campaign misconduct. Wicker of Tupelo and Everett T. Sanders of Natchez.
Canon 5 F says the committee's responsibility "shall be to issue advisory opinions and to deal expeditiously with allegations of ethical misconduct in campaigns for judicial office The objective of the Special Committee shall be to alleviate unethical and unfair campaign practices in judicial elections However, it doesn't appear the committee has any enforcement power and cannot force Clanton to take the seminar.
