2 justices step away from GOP feud cases

CTY law30p 07/30/09 The Blade/Dave Zapotosky Caption: Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger speaks to students in the Law & Leadership Institute at the University of Toledo Law School, Thursday, July 30, 2009. She told the students there are five important words for them to remember: listen, read, think, write, speak. Summary: Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger, of Toledo, will speak to students in the Law & Leadership Institute. This is to inspire disadvantaged children and help them become leaders.

COLUMBUS - A pair of Ohio Supreme Court justices have taken themselves off the bench when it comes to deciding a pair of cases stemming from feuding factions of the Lucas County Republican Party.

Justice Maureen O'Connor and Toledo's Justice Judith Lanzinger did not state reasons for their recusals, but both are Republicans on this year's ballot. GOP Justice Paul Pfeifer, who is also on the ballot, has not recused himself. The Republican faces no re-election opposition from Democrats.

The Lucas County party's executive committee has asked the court to invalidate Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's appointment of Toledo lawyer Ben Marsh to the county elections board and replace him with the committee's recommendation, Jon Stainbrook.

Ms. Brunner had picked Mr. Marsh as an alternative to choosing between the recommendations of the committee and a competing faction that claims to have ousted Mr. Stainbrook as party chairman.

The second case was filed by Paul Hoag, a Republican associated with the anti-Stainbrook faction. He has asked the court to throw out the candidacies of 52 people seeking a seat on the party's central committee, candidates who are believed to be Stainbrook supporters.