Press Releases

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2006
Contact: Keith A. Lake
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
614/228-4201

Ohio Chamber Endorses Cupp, O’Donnell For Ohio Supreme Court
COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s political action committee (OCCPaC) today announced its endorsements in this year’s elections for the state’s highest court.

OCCPaC endorsed the re-election of Justice Terrence O’Donnell and the election of Judge Robert Cupp as the two candidates who will help maintain a fair and balanced Ohio Supreme Court that serves the best interests of all Ohioans.

“With the changes that have taken place on the Supreme Court in the previous two elections, Ohioans can now boast of having a truly independent judiciary that respects the separation of powers and has not legislated from the bench,” said Ohio Chamber President & CEO Andrew E. Doehrel. “The elections of Justice O’Donnell and Judge Cupp will guarantee we won’t return anytime soon to the days when an activist majority caused great uncertainty in our legal system and had a chilling effect on our economic climate.”

Justice O’Donnell is seeking re-election to his first full-term. After being appointed to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court in 2003, he captured 60 percent of the vote the following year in earning the right to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor. Justice O’Donnell has been a member of the state judiciary for more than 25 years, and the Ohio Chamber’s endorsement recognizes this substantial experience as well as his commitment to judicial restraint.

“Justice O’Donnell’s approach on the bench is a model for all judges to follow,” Doehrel said. “Read his dissents in Schirmer (v. Mt. Auburn Obstetrics & Gynecological Assoc., Inc.) or Modzelewski (v. Yellow Freight Sys., Inc.) It’s clear he’s not interested in putting his own stamp on public policy. He properly wants to leave law-making to our elected officials in the legislature.”

Judge Cupp, currently a member of the Third District Court of Appeals, is seeking to fill a vacant seat on the Court. He is the only candidate with judicial experience running for the open seat. He also spent ten years on the Senate Judiciary Committee while a member of the Ohio Senate from 1985-2000 and brings a tremendous amount of legislative knowledge and experience.

“Judge Cupp’s respect for our constitution and the role it defines for the judiciary will make him an excellent addition to the Court,” Doehrel said. “We appreciate his commitment to providing a system of justice that is stable, predictable, and fair. That kind of legal climate is exactly what Ohio needs in order to attract new investment and businesses and create jobs.”

In an election year in which the Court races could get lost amid the attention paid to higher profile campaigns on tap for November, the Ohio Chamber plans to make the Ohio Supreme Court elections its top priority and will continue its longstanding efforts to educate Ohioans about the role of the Supreme Court and the importance of the judiciary.

“After three successive election cycles in which voter interest and participation in Ohio Supreme Court campaigns increased, we took a step back in 2004, when the number of ballots cast in the Court races was more than 20 percent lower than the number of ballots cast in the presidential contest,” said Doehrel. “We feel we have a responsibility to make sure Ohioans are informed voters when they go to the polls in November and that they recognize Supreme Court decisions can impact the cost of the goods and services they purchase, the availability of health care, the quality of education and other public services, and the cost of running a business.”

Founded in 1893, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce is Ohio's largest statewide business advocacy group. The Chamber works to promote and protect the interests of its members – large and small – while building a more favorable Ohio business climate.

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