Georgia ethics panel finds 2 Democrat-backed judicial candidates likely violated ethics rules

A special committee within the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission tasked with investigating complaints of judicial misconduct concluded that it "reasonably believes" two Democratic-backed candidates challenging Republican-appointed state Supreme Court justices violated judicial ethics rules. 

The committee said in a statement that the candidates – former state Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan and personal injury attorney Miracle Rankin – likely violated Georgia’s Code of Judicial Conduct by supporting each other's campaigns. 

Rankin and Jordan also violated a rule prohibiting judicial candidates from making statements related to issues that could come before the courts, according to the committee, when they appeared at an anti-abortion rally and said they'd support pro-abortion positions. 

The candidates say the findings politically motivated attacks. 

“They have chosen to attack my campaign because my message is resonating with voters – that judges should serve all Georgians without fear or favor," Rankin told the Georgia Recorder newspaper. "I trust that Georgians will see this for what it is and continue to exercise your right to elect who you would like to serve on your Supreme Court." 

Former state GOP Chairman David Shafer said that when Rankin and Jordan learned two weeks ago that the committee was investigating them, they sued to stop the probe.

The lawsuit was assigned to Stacey Abrams's sister, a federal judge appointed by President Obama. Judge Abrams blocked the committee from investigating. An appeals court this past weekend overruled Abrams. 

"This is a stunning abuse of the legal process by lawyers who are seeking to become judges – impartial dispensers of justice," Shafer also.