Fayetteville Paper At It Again Against Rachel!
Makes Mockery Of Jouralism Ethics. Doesn't Want
Voters To Vote For Judges As A Consitutional Right!

Published on Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Our View: 'Madame Justice' is at it again, making a mockery of 'judicial temperament.'

Rachel Lea Hunter is the perfect poster child for a campaign to change the way North Carolina chooses its judges.

Hunter is a candidate for associate justice of the N.C. Supreme Court, facing incumbent Mark Martin in a nonpartisan election. Her first brush with controversy came last winter, when she sought to have her name appear on the ballot with the nickname "Madame Justice," which she says she has used since 1988.

The state Board of Elections wouldn't allow it - quite justifiably, since Hunter has never served as a judge on any level. She is a lawyer, but the closest she has come to a judicial position is work as a law clerk for several judges, according to the resume posted on her Web site.

This week, she took another shot at proving her paucity of "judicial temperament." She posted a photo of herself with former UNC basketball coach Dean Smith on her Web site. The photo appears under headlines that say, "Legendary Dean Smith Meets 'Madame Justice'" and "'As a Loyal Democrat to another Loyal Democrat, Win Rachel! Win!' ..... Dean Smith."

Smith says he never endorsed Hunter. "I never knew her in my life. I assume I'll vote, but I don't know who I'll vote for." Smith's assistant said she was told that the reference to Smith would be removed from Hunter's Web site. Instead, Hunter posted an illogical and misleading excuse on top of the "endorsement" photo, saying the headlines over the Smith photo "are there to get attention, but the readers are encouraged to read the statement. Had they done so, they would have noticed that I did not say that anyone had endorsed me."

They also would have come away believing that the headline, with quotation marks and an attribution to Smith, was an accurate quote. It clearly was not. At the very least, Hunter is deliberately misleading anyone who views her Web site.

Voters expect a certain amount of gamesmanship and hyperbole in political advertising. But they do not expect it in judicial races, where candidates typically use understated, dignified advertising. That's as it should be. Hunter's campaign - including her Web site, which also carries advertising for other partisan political races - is anything but dignified.

But it makes an excellent argument for considering alternatives to political campaigns for judicial positions.