JUSTICE MICHAEL DONNELLY “PLEA BARGAINS” AD
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Ad Text: The woman says, “Believe it or not in Ohio some people charged with rape are allowed to plead guilty to less serious crimes that have nothing to do with rape, if you have the right lawyer. Really? Plea bargains like that may be good for criminals but they’re really bad for the rest of us. Justice Mike Donnelly and victims’ rights groups are fighting to outlaw dangerous baseless pleas. That’ll make sure the offenders get the punishment they deserve for the crimes they actually committed. And when they do, we’ll all be a lot safer. That’s why I’m voting to reelect Mike Donnelly to the Ohio Supreme Court.”
The accompanying Instagram post reads: “It’s true. Today, some people who commit serious crimes like rape are offered plea bargains that allow them to plead guilty to lesser offenses that have nothing to do with rape. That’s why I’ve been fighting to outlaw dangerous, factually baseless pleas. Take a minute to watch our new ad to learn more about why factually baseless pleas are wrong for Ohio families.”
Who's responsible for this ad?
This is a traditional candidate ad paid for by the Donnelly for Supreme Court committee. From Jan. 2023 to September 2024, Michael Donnelly’s campaign committee has received over half a million dollars ($752,918.98 including monetary and in-kind donations). In the September 2024 report, his campaign reported having $690,764.10 available to spend in the race. To see contributions to candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court, visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s website. Examine top donations here.
Discussion and Analysis
Analysis by Alan Johnson, retired Ohio Statehouse reporter
The latest 30-second ad from Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly centers on a topic that’s been a focus for him – “baseless plea bargains.” In 2020, Donnelly, a Democrat, and former Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, a Republican, proposed a statewide database of arrests and sentencing. They argued that would improve fairness and level out inequities caused by plea bargains and disproportionate sentencing. Donnelly’s “Believe it or Not” ad, voiced by a woman speaker, questions cases where someone is charged with rape, but pleads guilty to a “less serious offense that has nothing to do with rape.” The ad says Donnelly is working with victim rights groups to end such “dangerous baseless pleas … We’ll all be a lot safer.”
The ad focuses on a serious flaw in the judicial system, but the fact is the Ohio Supreme Court rarely rules on cases where plea bargaining is an issue. That is typically dealt with by prosecutors and judges at the trial and appeal court level.