The new Gordon Maag TV ad I wrote about today has just landed in my in-box. It’s harsh. You can click here to see the 5th District Supreme Court candidate’s spot.

He used candy to lure the children into the house. 

Once inside, the three children were sexually molested.  A four-year-old girl raped, her brothers sodomized.

A Belleville man was arrested and convicted of the crime after trying to develop pictures of the abuse.

Despite prosecutors’ objections, Judge Lloyd Karmeier gave him probation, saying “The court should grant leniency.”  [St. Clair County Court transcript 9/28/90 and case numbers that pulsate and glow]

Another case where Karmeier let a violent criminal out into the community.

Lloyd Karmeier, the wrong choice for Supreme Court. [Also in that same pulsating, glowing font]

The Republican Karmeier’s attack ad was pretty harsh as well, as was Democrat Maag’s first negative hit on Karmeier. My question is, why isn’t the local media doing any “truth squad” work on this campaign?

Click here to watch Maag’s first negative TV ad, which ran all last week and the first part of this week.

We count on judges to protect us and put violent criminals behind bars.

Judge Lloyd Karmeier let us down by giving reduced sentences to violent criminals.

Five years ago, Karmeier caused outrage when he gave only probation to kidnappers who tortured and nearly beat a 92-year-old grandmother to death. And despite objections, Karmeier reduced bail for a couple who beat their own child to death. [Newspaper quotes: “…lenient sentences for their vicious crimes” Belleville News Democrat, 2/15/01. “thugs terrorized a helpless old woman” Belleville News Democrat, 2/15/01. Circuit Judge Lloyd A. Karmeier reduced the bond…” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 1/18/90.]

Karmeier failed us.

Lloyd Karmeier, the wrong choice for Supreme Court.

And click here to watch Karmeier’s first attack ad.

Before we pick a judge to make important decisions, their record matters. [Newspaper clipping: Candidate for Illinois Court gets Low Marks From Attorneys” - St. Louis Post Dispatch (no date)]

Take Gordon Maag, ranked almost last among judges for his troubling record, including voting to overturn the conviction of a man who sexually assaulted a six-year-old girl. [Source: Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, March 1, 2000.]

There’s a better choice. Judge Lloyd Karmeier shares the southern Illinois values that we live by.

Rated “highly qualified” by the Illinois State Bar, Judge Lloyd Karmeier has the integrity and common sense judgement needed for our Supreme Court.

I think I’ll be analyzing these ads in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax (since nobody else is). Without seeing the ads it’s difficult to comment on them, which is why I uploaded them. Not sure how long it will last, though. Whatever. What do you, the blogosphere, think of these three spots?