GOP Judicial Candidates Get Speech Win Over Partisan Remarks (1)

Kentucky’s judicial disciplinary authorities were barred by a federal appeals court Tuesday from acting against two former candidates for their partisan statements on the campaign trail.

The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission violated the First Amendment rights of Republicans Joseph Fischer and Robert Winter—who lost their races for Kentucky Supreme Court and state appeals court, respectively—through threats of investigation and possible discipline for statements that made clear their partisan leanings, Judge Amul R. Thapar of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said.

The ruling is a victory for those who say the free-speech rights of judges and ...