Justice Terrence O'Donnell ran for reelection in 2004.

In the weeks before the election, Justice O'Donnell's campaign accepted thousands of dollars from the political action committees of three companies that were defendants in the suits. Two of the cases dealt with defective cars, and one involved a toxic substance. Weeks after winning his race, Justice O'Donnell joined majorities that handed the three companies significant victories.

Justice O'Donnell voted in favor of campaign contributors a whopping 91 percent of the time. He isn't alone; every justice's campaign (all but one of the seven justices presently on the court are Republicans) accepted money, and as a group the justices favored their contributors 70 percent of the time. Whether or not the contributions actually influenced their judgment, the potential conflict doesn't pass the smell test. If judges are going to take corporate money, they shouldn't decide cases that could benefit contributors.

Business interests made a concerted and successful effort to turn the Ohio Supreme Court from a consumer-friendly court to a business-friendly court. They did it with money. Ohio voters, who must be sickened by the smell of corruption in their state, should find a better way to finance judicial campaigns, or eliminate them altogether.