THE FLYERS ARE FAKE BUT THE THREAT IS REAL

SCOPA (Supreme Court of PA) justices are monitored for fairness through a combination of public accountability, ethical oversight, and independent review. After serving a ten-year term, each justice faces a retention election vote giving voters the power to decide whether they stay on the bench.  But beyond elections, justices are bound by the Pennsylvania Code of Judicial Conduct, which enforces standards of impartiality, integrity, and transparency.  If a justice is suspected of misconduct, the Judicial Conduct Board investigates and can refer cases to the Court of Judicial Discipline which has the authority to issue sanctions or remove a judge entirely.  The court also operates with internal checks, including administrative oversight and public transparence through published opinions, hearings, and annual reports.  Together these systems ensure that justices are held to a high standard and remain accountable to both the law and the people they serve.  

Enter Jeffrey Yass.  Remember him from the Judging the System education edition of Donkey’ Kick?  He and his billionaire buddies are investing millions of dollars to turn what is supposed to be a nonpartisan judicial retention election into a partisan election.  They are spreading lies and misinformation through an onslaught of television ads, billboards, and mailers that have been arriving in people’s mailboxes every few days.  

Here’s a list of lies they want you to believe and then the facts: 

LIE #1: The liberal Supreme Court gerrymandered our congressional districts to help Democrats win.   WRONG!
FACT: The Goofy Kicking Donald Duck gerrymandered map was drawn by a GOP-controlled legislature in 2011 which the current court overturned in 2018 for being unconstitutional.  

LIE #2:   Term limit the woke Democrat Pennsylvania Supreme Court. WRONG! 
FACT:  Judges do not have lifetime appointments and there are no term limits.  PA justices serve 10-year terms and face retention votes. There is only mandatory retirement at age 75.

LIE #3: Stop judicial activism - vote NO on retention. WRONG!
FACT: This lie suggests rulings were politically motivated. The court’s decisions were grounded in constitutional law including striking down partisan gerrymanders and protecting voting rights and the environment.  

LIE #4: The court rigged the election to help Democrats win.  WRONG!
FACT: This lie implies intentional manipulation of election outcomes.  The court corrected unconstitutional maps that unfairly favored Republicans for years!  

LIE #5: Vote NO to save democracy.  WRONG! 
FACT: These justices protected democracy by upholding voting rights, striking down unconstitutional maps, and defending fair elections.  

LIE #6: Vote NO to stop judicial overreach.  WRONG!
FACT: The court’s rulings have upheld constitutional protections.  Calling it “overreach” is a political spin, not a legal fact.  

LIE #7: Retention votes are partisan elections. WRONG!
FACT: Retention elections are nonpartisan. Voters simply decide whether a judge should stay based on performance - not party.  

LIE #8: This is your chance to take back the court.  WRONG!
FACT: Retention votes aren’t about taking back anything.  They’re about evaluating judicial performance - not flipping seats.

So, let’s be clear: this isn’t about maps or saving democracy.  It’s about a billionaire trying to buy the courts by lying to voters and hijacking a process that’s supposed to be nonpartisan. The flyers are fake, but the threat is real.  If we let this disinformation campaign succeed, we open the door to a court that answers to money and not the constitution.  
 
Vote YES to retain all the Judges.

 Talk to your peeps and neighbors and ask them to do the same. 

 Share these facts with everyone you know. 

We’ve seen the damage – fast, relentless, inhumane, and real.  Now we vote to defend our constitution not only for us but for future generations.