A mystery in Southern Illinois politics: who’s the money behind the Campaign for 2016?

“Campaign for 2016” is the name attached to ads urging voters not to retain Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier.

If less than 60 percent vote Yes, Karmeier’s off the bench. “You would then have a 4-2 split (favoring Democrats) between the party affiliations,” says Karmeier campaign manager Ron Deedrick, “and it would then be up to the majority opinion of the court to make that determination as to who the justice would be for the fifth district.”

The ads attempt to connect the justice to campaign contributions. State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld (R-Okawville), a longtime Karmeier friend, says he’s upset by the commercials, even more so by the fact that the donors – who have purchased more than $500,000 in advertising – can shield themselves.

(Copyright 2014 Illinois Radio Network. Dave Dahl reporting.