Candidates for state Supreme Court seats and special interest groups are breaking television advertising spending records this election cycle, spending $7.7 million by the first week of October, according to an analysis from Justice at Stake and the Brennan Center for Justice. That is a rise of nearly 17 percent from the $6.6 million that state Supreme Court candidates and special interest groups spent on advertising by the first week of October 2006.  Many of us thought Hurricane Katrina was punishment enough but the good people of Louisiana have been deluged with TV ads for these candidates.  Louisiana supreme court candidates and special interest groups have spent $726,253 on TV ads so far this election cycle, with $286,410 of that just in the week leading to the Oct. 4 primary. During the entire 2004 campaign cycle these candidates spent only $153,212.  This rise in spending is despite a 2001 poll that found 76 percent of Americans believe campaign contributions affect judges’ decisions, and two-thirds believe individuals or groups that give money to judicial candidates receive favorable treatment.  This leaves us with two questions:  A) What type of person spends millions so they can dress in a floor length gown and bang their gavel?  B) Doesn’t it make sense to adopt a Clean Elections approach for judicial candidates to remove any taint that contributors receive favored treatment in court?