Ohio Supreme Court commission reprimands, fines Hamilton County GOP candidate for relying on ‘gossip’ – The Cincinnati Enquirer

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An Ohio Supreme Court commission has publicly reprimanded and fined a Hamilton County Republican judicial candidate over using false information in a campaign mailer.

Karen Falter received a $1,000 fine and was ordered to pay $1,644.97 in court fees by a five-judge commission stemming from information she included in a letter to voters about her primary opponent, Curt Hartman, the Ohio Supreme Court announced on Friday. 

“We are appealing that ruling to the Ohio Supreme Court,” said Falter, a first-time candidate running for common pleas court judge,

Hartman filed a complaint with the Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Conduct after Falter’s campaign sent a letter to 202 absentee voters on Feb. 13. The letter claimed that Hartman “moved to Hamilton County 3 years ago to take a judicial appointment from Governor John Kasich in March 2017.” 

The information was false. Hartman moved to Hamilton County in May 2014, when he bought a condo in Anderson Township, according to public records. He was appointed common pleas court judge by then-Gov. Kasich in 2017, but lost the seat in the November 2018 election.

Falter appeared before a Board of Professional Conduct panel on March 16. The long-time county magistrate last week told The Enquirer it was a “small error.” But the state panel didn’t think so. It recommended the penalties, which a five-judge commission upheld. 

The panel concluded that Falter “chose to believe what was essentially courthouse and party-insider gossip or rumors without making any effort to check the truthfulness of the allegation,” according to court records.

“As would-be judges, part of what we need to demonstrate to the general public is our commitment and our ability to make decisions based upon the facts as established by evidence, not speculation or rumors,” Hartman said Friday.

The Falter-Hartman race has been highly contentious. It’s the only countywide local race on the GOP primary ballot this year.

The election, which was extended because of the coronavirus pandemic, ends April 28. There is no election day, and voters can only vote by mail.

Enquirer columnist Jason Williams contributed to this report.

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