By Joe Milicia
The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - An Ohio Supreme Court justice would not denounce a television advertisement by an outside political group Wednesday after her opponent called for it to be removed from the airwaves.

Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton said the ad, which suggests that her re-election could help solve doctor access problems, merely shows her judicial record.

"At this point, it doesn't cross the line," the Republican said. "It gives people an understanding of my philosophy on judicial restraint."

Her Democratic opponent, Judge Janet Burnside of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, said Ohio doctors leaving their practices because of the soaring cost of malpractice insurance is not an issue for the Supreme Court to tackle.

"The ad leads you to believe she has a strategy to solve this problem. That is wrong," Ms. Burnside said.

The candidates discussed the inappropriateness of several political ads funded by outside groups that portray them as either for or against big business during a debate Wednesday at the Cleveland City Club.

Both candidates denounced an outside ad that paints Ms. Burnside as a friend to the working class. The candidates previously objected to another ad that promotes local telephone competition by slamming SBC Ameritech while applauding two Republican Supreme Court candidates for their support of consumers and small businesses.

Ms. Burnside said she had not seen a new ad featuring a former Brush Wellman Inc. worker who won a lawsuit against the company after contracting chronic beryllium disease. The ad says Ms. Burnside should be supported because she is on the side of Ohio families. Ms. Stratton was a dissenting judge on the case.

Ms. Burnside said she stands by an Oct. 1 statement that she would disavow any negative advertising.