Dear Editor:
There's an odor rising from the Cole County Circuit Judge race in Cole County, specifically a $100,000 contribution to Brian Stumpe's campaign laundered anonymously through the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) in Washington D.C. No one is willing to say who the donor is or what he wants in exchange.
The information vacuum resulting from this stonewalling inevitably feeds wild speculation. Did the money come from China? Iran? Planned Parenthood? A St. Louis billionaire? Does the donor expect a favorable decision from a Stumpe courtroom?
Stumpe may be a decent man with the best of intentions for providing honorable public service, but the appearance of inappropriate influence on his potential judgeship casts a shadow. He should either reveal the source of the $100,000, send it back, or tell us the kind of cases he will have to withdraw from if elected.
Aside from suspect campaign contributions there are other problems with judge races. Judges should be nominated by the governor and approved by the Senate rather than being elected. They should not be subject to the partisan political winds of campaigns like the ridiculous cartoon ads being aired against incumbent Pat Joyce.
But that's a debate for another day. $100,000 is here now in our faces and can be dealt with appropriately by candidate Stumpe.