STATE OF WASHINGTON
ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
OPINION NO. 95-24


Question
     May a judicial officer attend his or her own campaign fundraising
event for which admission tickets are sold?

Answer
     CJC Canon 7(B)(2) provides that candidates for judicial office shall
not personally solicit or accept campaign contributions.  A candidate may
not attend a campaign event at which admission tickets are sold as the
appearance would amount to the judicial officer participating indirectly in
the solicitation of funds which is prohibited by Canon 7(B)(2).

     A judicial candidate may attend a campaign fundraising event where an
admission fee is not charged.  At these events the general practice is to
have the fundraising take place out of the presence of the judicial
candidate by having the candidate either make an appearance before there is
any solicitation for contributions or to have the solicitation take place
in a location at which the candidate is not present.  This avoids the
appearance of indirect solicitation of funds because the candidate is
unaware of who has and has not made a contribution.