Sherrie Miday has a bit of a problem on her hands. She wants to be a judge. She wants this so badly that she has spent over $400,000 in her attempt to unseat a qualified and very well respected jurist. $177,000 of that comes from loans to her campaign committee.
With the statewide Democratic ticket torpedoed by Ed Fitzgerald’s multiple scandals, voter enthusiasm is not on Miday’s side, even in Cuyahoga County. With so much money spent and so much of it to be repaid, Miday has shown her desperation in her direct mail campaign.
In doing so, she has crossed the line in a judicial race.
Judge Pam Barker is the incumbent. She retained the seat on the bench in 2012, handily besting her opponent. Judge Barker received the highest ranking from Judge For Yourself and is endorsed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. She is an avid campaigner with a solid reputation.
This has Sherrie Miday concerned. So concerned that her mailers have so many red flags that she will have a grievance filed against her. The Ohio Republican Party and the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County both issued press releases today regarding the ethical questions from Miday’s literature.
“The Republican Party of Cuyahoga County announced its intention to file a grievance with the Disciplinary Counsel of the Ohio Supreme Court against judicial candidate Sherrie Miday. The complaint is in reference to a recent mailer by Miday which is in violation of Judicial Canon 4.3 G, which prohibits “misrepresenting the identity, qualification, present position or other fact of an opponent.”
RPCC Chairman Rob Frost stated “Miday, who was rated less qualified by the bar associations, apparently does not want voters to know that Judge Pamela A. Barker is an elected, sitting Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. According to the Plain Dealer, Judge Barker ‘has done much to distinguish herself, recently garnering excellent ratings from the four local bar associations in Cleveland… Barker is the clear choice.'”
As a resident of Cuyahoga County, I feel rather embattled in the quest for honest politicians and judges. It may not be coincidental that Judge Steven Terry held this seat until he was found guilty of federal bribery and perjury charges. Honest and ethical judges are needed if we are to have a swift and fair execution of justice.
Miday wants to be a judge yet has already violated the trust of the public by misrepresenting herself. I question her fairness if she can’t even properly run her campaign without crossing the lines. Judicial campaigns should be run on qualifications not cheap political tricks. She has soiled herself with her mailers.
With outstanding debts of $177,000, Sherrie Miday’s brow must be sweating. And it is showing. Even in traditionally dark blue Cuyahoga County, Democrats are concerned because of the lackluster ticket and the voter enthusiasm gap. And Sherrie Miday is facing a large loan to repay. And after Tuesday, she may have nothing to show for it.
