The Pasco-Pinellas circuit judge misled voters, the state Judicial Qualifications Commission says. The sanctions must now be reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court.
By RICHARD RAEKE
Published April 30, 2004
Circuit Judge John Renke III agreed that he broke campaign rules for bench races.
NEW PORT RICHEY - A state commission says Pasco-Pinellas Circuit Judge John Renke III should be suspended from the bench for one month, fined $20,000 and publicly reprimanded for misleading voters in his 2002 campaign.
Renke agreed with the findings of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which said he misrepresented his experience and that of his former opponent, Declan Mansfield.
The sanctions now await review by the Florida Supreme Court.
According to documents released Thursday, Renke testified in Miami before a panel of the JQC, which investigates members of the bench. In that meeting, he agreed that he broke campaign rules for bench races.
Renke, who was elected to a six-year term, would lose about $11,000 from the suspension. Neither he nor his attorney, Scott Tozian, could be reached for comment Thursday night. Mansfield also was unvailable.
"Judge Renke accepts full responsibility (for the rules violations), admits it should not have occurred and regrets and apologizes for such conduct," according to the JQC's findings.
The JQC issued its original complaint against Renke in October. Documents released Thursday said he agreed with the following findings:
- Renke misrepresented his experience, saying he had "almost eight years handling complex civil trials in many areas." The JQC said the statement was "knowingly false because in fact you had little or no actual trial or courtroom experience."
- In a campaign flier, Renke not only overstated his own experience as an attorney but understated that of his opponent, Mansfield.
- In that same flier, Renke said he had "real judicial experience as a hearing officer hearing appeals from administrative law judges." But his participation actually "was limited to sitting as a board member of an administrative agency in isolated instances."
- Renke "or close family members" participated in partisan political activities and campaigned on his behalf as a member of a political party. The Republican Party of Pasco County endorsed Renke with his knowledge and consent. Judicial campaigns are supposed to be nonpartisan.
- Renke led voters to think he was an incumbent judge at the time of the election by describing himself in a flier as "John Renke, a Judge With Our Values."
- The same brochure included a picture of Renke with Clearwater firefighters, saying he was "supported by our area's bravest" when he had no official support from any group representing firefighters.
- In another flier, Renke said he was endorsed by Pinellas County public officials who were in fact members of the Pinellas County Republican Party.
Renke's father, John Renke II, is active in local Republican Party politics.
Bill Bunting, who chairs the Republican Executive Committee in Pasco County and was a booster of Renke's campaign, called the penalty "extremely harsh."
"The judicial canons, where they put the brakes on these people (judicial candidates), make it really difficult" for candidates to pitch themselves to voters, Bunting said Thursday.
The JQC added that it does not assert that Renke, 34, has "engaged in any corrupt conduct" since becoming a judge.
In recent years, the JQC has increasingly investigated claims of campaign misconduct.
In 2000 it recommended the removal of Manatee County Judge Matthew McMillan for misrepresenting his opponents record.
The Florida Elections Commission still is investigating a separate complaint related to Renke's judicial campaign.
Mary Repper, a political consultant for Mansfield, filed a complaint last year alleging the local Republican Party had failed to report three hefty contributions and an expensive mailing endorsing Renke and four other judicial candidates.
Renke II has called the omissions an "innocent mistake."
- Times staff writers Bridget Hall Grumet and Alex Leary contributed to this report.
