# Constitutional Law PAC

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The **Constitutional Law PAC** was a center-right [political action committee](/source/Political_action_committee) formed in the state of [Washington](/source/Washington_(state)) to help elect candidates to the [Washington Supreme Court](/source/Washington_Supreme_Court) and [Washington State Court of Appeals](/source/Washington_State_Court_of_Appeals).[1]

Conservatives expressed concerns that the group's leadership was too liberal, while liberals criticized the committee as a conservative attempt to influence judicial elections. The center-left FairPAC was started in response.[2]

## Candidate Evaluation Committee

The Candidate Evaluation Committee was chaired by Former [King County](/source/King_County,_Washington) Prosecutor [Christopher T. Bayley](/source/Christopher_T._Bayley) a moderate Republican. Members of the committee were Seattle labor attorney [Jerry Rubin](/source/Jerry_Rubin_(lawyer)) of the law firm [Stoel Rives](/source/Stoel_Rives) (Democrat), Chehalis attorney [Renee’ Remund](/source/Renee%E2%80%99_Remund) of the firm Vander Stoep, Remund and Blinks (Republican) and Senior Pierce County Deputy Prosecutor [Phil Sorenson](/source/Phil_Sorenson) (Democrat). In 2006 the committee formed a bi-partisan **Candidate Evaluation Committee** to issue rating for appellate level judicial candidates in Washington State. The committee issued two ratings for each candidate: "Judicial Qualifications" and "Judicial Philosophy".

### Judicial Qualifications

The Judicial Qualifications rating relied on similar criteria to those used by the [King County Bar Association](/source/King_County_Bar_Association) and other bar associations. The possible ratings were “Very Well Qualified”, “Well Qualified”, “Qualified” and “Unqualified”.

### Judicial Philosophy

The committee based its "Judicial Philosophy" rating reflects on their understanding of a candidate’s “deference to the law, constitution and established legal precedent.” An “A” was used to indicate that the candidate showed complete deference to the law, constitution and established legal precedent. A “B” was awarded for significant deference, a “C” for partial deference, a “D” for insufficient deference and an “F” for little or no deference.

### Ratings

The committee rated four incumbent judges as “Very Well Qualified”, Chief Justice [Gerry L. Alexander](/source/Gerry_L._Alexander), Judge [Ronald E. Cox](/source/Ronald_E._Cox) of the Court of Appeals, Judge [Marlin Appelwick](/source/Marlin_Appelwick) of the Court of Appeals, and Judge [David Armstrong](/source/David_Armstrong_(judge)) of the Court of Appeals. State Senator Stephen Johnson was the only non-incumbent rated Very Well Qualified.

Two candidates were rated “Unqualified”, conservative Supreme Court challenger [Jeanette Burrage](/source/Jeanette_Burrage) and [Joel M. Penoyar](/source/Joel_M._Penoyar) who was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2005.

## Leadership

- Chairman of the Board: Former [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) [Senator](/source/United_States_Senate) [Slade Gorton](/source/Slade_Gorton)
- Board Members: [Christopher T. Bayley](/source/Christopher_T._Bayley), [Anthony Sternola](/source/Anthony_Sternola), [Marianne Jones](/source/Marianne_Jones) and [Alex Hays](/source/Alex_Hays)
- Executive Director: [Alex Hays](/source/Alex_Hays)
- Chairman, Candidate Evaluation Committee: Christopher T. Bayley.

## References

1. ["Political action committee formed to elect judges"](https://books.google.com/books?id=ttgyAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Constitutional+Law+PAC%22&pg=PA15&article_id=3027,3398411). *Moscow-Pullman Daily News*. November 26–27, 2008. pp. 5A. Retrieved 2022-10-03.

1. Ammons, David (May 11, 2006). ["Judicial PACs could change tone of campaigns"](https://books.google.com/books?id=yl8zAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Constitutional+Law+PAC%22&pg=PA3&article_id=765,298959). *Wahkiakum Country Eagle*. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-10-03. A left-of-center group called FairPAC sprang up in response, registering with the state Public Disclosure.

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