State Farm Buying Judges

State Farm Buying Judges: "State Farm's Legacy of Buying Judges

Illinois is home to the nation's costliest judicial election ever: the 2004 contest between Lloyd Karmeier and Gordon Maag. The two candidates in Illinois's fifth judicial district together raised almost $9.4 million, nearly double the previous national record.It topped the money raised in 18 of 34 U.S. Senate races decided that year. Even Karmeier, the winner of the race, described the money poured into the campaign as 'obscene.'

After he won the election,
Karmeier cast the deciding vote
that saved State Farm roughly a half-billion dollars.


STORY HERE:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125572852
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