Editorial
Hit piece on Sanders deserves correcting

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The latest political hit piece is on Justice Richard Sanders, who is running for re-election on the Washington Supreme Court.

It is a flier published by the Terry Sebring campaign. It has a picture of open jail cells and the headline, "Richard Sanders is 'the best friend the criminals have in the Supreme Court.' " The quote is from a politician, not a study, and is a gross exaggeration. The hit piece then summarizes a study by former Seattle University Law Professor Jim Bond, and misconstrues it, and quotes from a Sanders opinion, and misconstrues that. It then quotes this opinion page:

"If there were too many like him, the court might not function at all."

Yes, we did say that, but in this context: "Sanders writes clear and compelling opinions that reach directly to the state constitution and its history. He's an iconoclast who sometimes seems to enjoy being a dissenter. If there were too many like him, the court might not function at all. Six years ago, we said that the court 'may not need nine Richard Sanders, but it certainly needs one.' Still true."

Sanders is one of the best friends a fair trial has on that court, and we support him. The campaign against him misstates badly what The Seattle Times said about him in our endorsement.