Letters: Casino contributions suggest corruption
Although Gov. Rendell got most of the attention ("Study lists Pa. politicians' casino money, Wednesday"), it is worth emphasizing that among the top 20 recipients named in the Common Cause study were state Supreme Court Justice Max Baer, who received $32,500, and former Justice Russell Nigro, who got $46,000 in casino money.
Rendell received nearly $1.1 million. His spokesman said, "Given that the governor ran for office advocating slots gaming in the commonwealth, it is not surprising that he got significant contributions from people who shared his point of view."
But how "surprising" was it that two justices made the list? Did they run for office "advocating slots gaming in the commonwealth"? They didn't publicly. Or were they supported by casino money because the contributors hoped to influence their future actions on the bench?
Whatever their motivations, we know one thing for sure: Justice Baer participated in the court's ruling that struck down a statutory ban on campaign contributions from gambling interests. Even if that case was correctly decided, his being involved in it certainly doesn't look good for him, or our legal system.
There are two lessons here: First, big political contributions can create at least the appearance of a corrupt influence on public policy. Second, the idea of judges' running for election, and raising money from special interests to do so, is absurd.
John R. Attanasio
Philadelphia
