Statement on Failure of Trial Lawyers' New "Republican Trial Lawyers Caucus" To Elect Their Candidates in Safe Republican Districts

"This reminds me of the early days of the space program when all those test rockets were blowing up right after launch," commented John H. Sullivan, president of the Civil Justice Association of California.

"The trial lawyers are fighting a fundamental inconsistency. On one hand they have a history of strong support for candidates who are pro-government regulation. But now they set up a new subgroup to oppose government regulation -- but only when it applies to the legal industry. The political system is not going to let them have it both ways."

The "Republican Trial Lawyer Caucus" PAC heavily supported candidates in Assembly Districts 2, 3, and 73, and all their candidates were defeated. While the PAC also contributed to other races, the funds were not significant in affecting the outcome one way or the other.

Since the first of the year, plaintiffs' lawyers and their organizations have contributed at least $1.2 million to candidates for state offices. At least $380,000 has come from individual lawyers and at least $845,000 from their political committees.