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O’Neill Court Justice Seeking Ohio Governor’s Seat Recuses Himself
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – An Ohio Supreme Court justice who has announced a Democratic bid for governor has recused himself from all future cases.
The court issued a statement Friday that says Justice William O’Neill has filed “a blanket notice” of recusal. Questions about potential ethical conflicts arose after O’Neill formally announced his candidacy Sunday. O’Neill said then that he would step down from the bench by the Feb. 7 candidate filing deadline.
Friday’s statement says Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor will appoint judges from state courts of appeals to sit in place of O’Neill.
O’Connor on Sunday urged O’Neill “to use caution” in performing his duties after he announced his bid. The 70-year-old O’Neill is required to retire as a justice when his term ends in January 2019 because of age limits.