Sunday, August 19, 2007

YOU be the judge.

Jerks like this have no business staying in important jobs in our public sector. None. But what is worse, the Republican Party, again, has given him its endorsement. Now is the time to think again, if thinking at all was part of the process.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Local News - Early Returns State Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce, who is facing criminal charges for allegedly bilking two insurance companies out of $440,000, plans to continue his bid for retention for another 10-year term in November.

But he won't have an easy time of it.

His bosses, the justices of the state Supreme Court, suspended him with pay yesterday. In a written statement, the court said the suspension was necessary to 'protect and preserve the integrity of the Unified Judicial System and the administration of justice for the citizens of this Commonwealth.'

And the state Bar Association and his own Republican Party say they are reviewing their endorsements of his retention.
This is why people are angry.

This is why people are going to renew the efforts to toss out all the judges.

This is why the old parties (both the Ds and the Rs) have failed the citizens and voters.

Here is a tip: Don't vote for any judge retention.

1 comment:

Mark Rauterkus said...

I take a swipe at both the Ds and the Rs in the post. Keep reading the Early Returns posting to find out why the Ds get a knock too.

Or, here it is below:

Betting against Fumo

Next year is shaping up as a tough time for state Sen. Vincent Fumo, a powerful and outspoken Philadelphia Democrat who's been in the Senate for nearly 30 years.

He's facing a trial in February on charges filed by federal authorities claiming he misused a nonprofit group for personal and political gain and defrauded taxpayers of more than $2 million. The indictment also claims he used state workers to spy on his ex-wife and work on his farm near Harrisburg. He has maintained his innocence.

Now comes word, from the Philadelphia Inquirer, that Mr. Fumo will face an opponent, anti-casino activist Anne Dicker, in the Democratic primary for senate in April. She became interested in politics during the 2004 presidential campaign of Howard Dean.

She told the Inquirer, "How can this guy continue to stay in office when he's accused of having done so many wrong things against the community?"

One of Mr. Fumo's claims to fame is his leadership in getting the state's casino law passed in July 2004. But neighborhood groups in Philadelphia are putting up a fierce fight against both stand-alone casinos licensed for their city. Ms. Dicker has been a leader in a south Philadelphia group that is opposed to a Foxwoods casino planned for that area, along the Delaware River.