Judicial Races Turn Ugly With Push Polls

According to the Clarion-Ledger, Attorney General Jim Hood is investigating several “push polls,” political smears that masquerade as telephone opinion polls, targeting Mississippi Supreme Court candidates. Third-party organizations have conducted push polls on Justice Chuck Easley, Justice Oliver Diaz and Crystal Springs laywer Jim Kitchens, who is vying for Chief Justice Jim Smith’s seat.

Smith’s campaign has denied any involvement in push-polling, but Kitchens’ campaign has release this statement suggesting otherwise:

Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Kitchens response to AG investigation of push
polling

JACKSON--Chief Justice Jim Smith’s campaign has found itself at the center
of a controversy that is now the target of a state investigation by Attorney
General Jim Hood, the Clarion-Ledger reported today.

According to the Clarion-Ledger, the attorney general’s office is
investigating whether or not unethical push polls being conducted on behalf
of Jim Smith are in fact illegal.

Attorney General Jim Hood told the Clarion-Ledger, “We are looking into
these sleazy, bogus calls to determine if they violate our criminal and/or
civil laws,” Hood said Monday. “We call on any person who has recorded one
of these calls to call our office at 1-800-281-4418 or e-mail us at
agjimhood.com.”

The Kitchens campaign released this statement through campaign manager Sam
Hall:

“We’re glad to see that state officials are watching these elections
carefully, considering all of the nasty tricks and past attempts by outside
groups to circumvent campaign finance laws.”

“Jim Kitchens will run a fair campaign, talking about his qualifications,
telling people how Jim Smith has hurt our courts and letting the voters
decide who would be the best fit for a fair, balanced court made up of
honest, honorable judges.”

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080923/NEWS/809230369/1001/NEWS

Posted by Ward Schaefer at 02:00 PM in Attorney General,  Judiciary,  Elections,  Releases | Email this entry

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