STATE OF WASHINGTON
ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
OPINION NO. 96-1


Question
     1.  May a judicial officer speak on a nonpartisan topic at the
national convention of a political organization?

     2.  May judicial campaign contributions be used to retire the judge’s
campaign debt to a member of the judge’s family?

     3.  May a judicial officer allow his or her name to be attributed to a
book jacket quotation commenting on a fiction book?

Answer
     1.  CJC Canon 7(A) provides that a judicial officer shall not attend
political functions sponsored by political organizations except while a
candidate for judicial office.  Therefore, a judicial officer may not
attend the national convention of a political party and address the
gathering even if the judicial officer’s address is on a nonpartisan topic.

     The factual situation outlined in Opinion 95-7 is different from the
question posed in this opinion.  In that opinion the group the judicial
officer is addressing is not affiliated with or supported by a political
party whereas here the judicial officer would be attending the national
convention of a political party which is an official party function paid
for and sponsored as a party event.

     2.  CJC Canon 7(B) provides in part that candidates shall not use or
permit the use of campaign contributions for the private benefit of
themselves or members of their families.  It continues, candidates shall
comply with all laws requiring public disclosure of campaign finance.  RCW
42.17.125 permits the repayment of loans made to the campaign.  Only those
made by the candidate are limited to $3,000.  Therefore, contributions may
be used to retire the campaign debt to a member of the judicial officer’s
family unless otherwise prohibited by the PDC.  It should be reported as
required by RCW chap. 42.17.

     3.  CJC Canon 2(B) provides that judges should not lend the prestige
of judicial office to advance the private interests of others.  Therefore,
a judicial officer may not allow the judicial officer’s name in conjunction
with his/her title to be attributed to a book jacket quotation commenting
on a fiction book as that would be using the prestige of the office to
advance the private interests of others.

     See also Opinion 87-4.