Ohio judges now free to endorse political candidates

A longtime judge in Ohio did not violate ethics rules when he used his personal Facebook account to support his son’s political career, the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled in a case that affects all judges in the state.

John William Rudduck should face no penalty for endorsing son Brett’s 2023 run for a seat on the Clinton County Municipal Court, the justices held earlier this month. Doing so would violate his First Amendment rights, they said, despite calls from the Disciplinary Counsel that said Rudduck’s posts undermined public confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary.

A prohibition in the Code of Judicial Conduct against judges endorsing judicial candidates is unfair and does not serve a compelling state interest, Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy wrote for the majority.

“Judges do not give up their First Amendment right to engage in political speech simply by assuming office,” she wrote.

“While ...