"Sasinoski testified that Melvin's office was using so much paper for campaign work that on one occasion she and Melvin loaded boxes of paper from [Senator Jane Orie's] Harrisburg office into Melvin's car to stock up. 'The suspension was actually down on the car. I was concerned,' Sasinoski said." (Tribune Review 12/30/11)
Apparently, a witness under oath, in court, giving detailed testimony about Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin personally stealing state legislative property for her judicial campaign isn't enough to be suspended from the bench. (Post Gazette 1/11/12)
But, it isn't just this one instance of theft. A recent grand jury report has page after page of sworn testimony outlining the rampant use of Melvin's staff and offices for political campaigns over nearly twenty years. (Grand Jury Presentment) Yet, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has not suspended her.
Here at CasablancaPA, we get a chuckle from this considering that just last week a sitting judge was suspended from the bench by the Supreme Court for allegedly exposing himself to an employee. (Inquirer 1/6/12) This kind of lewd behavior is clearly worthy of a suspension. How unseemly for a judge to even be accused of such activity!
However, it is just as unseemly for a sitting judge to be pilfering a state legislative office of its paper supplies for her personal political gain (and that's the least of the abuse of her authority). Maybe it would have been different if Justice Melvin has exposed her junk...in her trunk...too?
This is damning evidence as well as being a target of a Grand Jury, as well as, her sisters on trial being part of the Election Campaign of Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin.
ReplyDeleteThese Allegations alone now under investigation by a Grand Jury, should be enough for her to step down now with pay, until the Appearance of Impropriety is removed from the taint of our Highest Court of Honor.
Why the Republicans are refusing to call for this action in light of the allegations is a prime example of why the Federal Government may have to step in and investigate the Supreme Court, Attorney General, and Republican Caucuses of House and Senate.
Clearly, they are working together to slow up investigation, being non-responsive to Ethical Conduct, Judicial conduct, and the Appearance of Impropriety, and working to cover up the election and bonuses given to Republicans for Republican election to Higher Offices.
It is no longer a riddle wrapped up in enigma and it has been exposed to where no cover up can remove the stench of corruption, obstruction of justice and intentional violations of the National, Commonwealth, and Local Election Laws with Civil Rights Violations.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court should act on its own before they are forced to act with impending investigations on them due to ignoring the Appearance of Impropriety required by all Judicial Institution, Bar Associations, and Office of Attorney General employees.
Corbett cannot escape the fact he ignored the alleged crimes of Republican Candidates to use 350 OAG Employees to go after the alleged crimes of Democrats.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania may actually be the only place in America where the Governor, Supreme court, Attorney General, House and Senate Leadership, along with the Disciplinary Board, Judicial Conduct Board, and Ethics Commission are controlled corruption for continued prowling for power State Government, Judicial Branches, and Legislative.
It will not stand, the House of Cards is coming down every more as Sandusky Investigation, Orie Investigations, and Governor Corbett Election Strategy Tragedy of Children being abused and raped for the glorification of Governor Corbett election, as every misdeeds unfolds into prime dishonesty for one Political Party!
APPERANCE IMPROPRIETY:
ReplyDeleteBEAVER -- Beaver County President Judge John McBride Tuesday recused all county judges from the lawsuit between the county and former county solicitor Myron Sainovich because county commissioners oversee funding for the court.
County commissioners and Controller David Rossi filed the lawsuit against Sainovich and his Beaver law firm of Sainovich, Santicola and Steele in October after Sainovich refused to repay $44,000 they claim he improperly received in 2006 plus $13,000 in interest.
Sainovich, who was recently retained as Sheriff George David's solicitor, has denied any impropriety.
An attorney for Sainovich and the firm has filed a motion to have a hearing on certain points in the county's case, a request that McBride called "ripe for argument and decision."
The motion was referred to McBride for scheduling and that spurred his ruling.
"Because this Court relies upon maintaining its past and present good relationship with the County Board of Commissioners for funding of the Judicial Branch of government, it is necessary for this Court to recuse itself from this case," McBride wrote in his two-page decision.
McBride also wrote that the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts will appoint an out-of-county judge or senior judge "to preside over this case to its conclusion."
It sure seems funny that the President Judge in Beaver County knows when to avoid an Appearance of Impropriety but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices refuses to enforce its own rules on themselves.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness, people of character and high standing are walking tall as examples for those the wear black robes o judge common citizens forget their purpose and need reminding???
A court watchdog group on Tuesday called on state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin to resign in the wake of a corruption investigation, but the Supreme Court, Governor, Attorney General, and Republican legislative leaders remained mum on the issue.
Lynn Marks, as been brave enough as Executive Director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, to call on Melvin to step down in light of informing her of an Allegheny County Grand Jury Target investigating the use of state employees for political work.
Marks said that if Melvin doesn't act, the court should suspend her, and the public is saying if the Courts do not act, the Justices should be investigated for not protecting the Appearance of Impropriety and seeking justice among their own as if above all laws, ethics, or judicial conduct standards.
"All citizens, including judges are presumed innocent until proven guilty, but judges and especially Supreme Court justices should not be permitted to judge others while under the cloud of such a serious investigation," said Marks, whose Philadelphia-based organization advocates for appointing appellate court judges instead of electing them.
Duquesne University law professor Bruce Ledewitz, who also has called on Melvin to step down, said the Legislature could impeach Melvin or the court could remove her from duty.
The Court of Judicial Discipline could remove her if the Judicial Conduct Board brings charges, which has not happened, which is a refusal to obey their own guidelines of avoiding the Appearance of Impropriety?
A spokesperson for Governor Tom Corbett said the governor had no comment and prefers to remain silent on the issue. Republican leaders of the House and Senate did not return calls for comment either.
It is stranger, that in previous cases Supreme Court Justice Melvin has removed herself from hearing Allegheny County criminal cases while on the bench, but refuses to do so now?
What is more strange is the cloak of secrecy, no comments, and silence of some the highest ranking people that have been given the honor and privilege to oversee, enforce, create, and protect the commonwealth citizens of corruption by operating in the light of day not shadows of silence.
A wall of secrecy has come up among the Commonwealth Most Powerful Elite and if they will stand up for justice now, then they should fall on their inability to act instead of inaction to promote the shadows and slowdowns to protect corruption over seeking the light of justice as they claim when they ran for High Offices.
Corbett used Bonus gate to just make Headlines and selected certain Lawmakers for prosection and staffers, so he could be elected by the ones that gave him money and they escaped prosecution.
ReplyDeleteCorbett then assigned 350 OAG Employees to investigate and intimidate potential jurors for the Veon, Cott, and Rosepink trials, never demanding the bonus money to be returned by Immunity Witnesses.
Corbett and his prosecutors granted and allow these Immunity Witnesses to be coached on what to say, and allowed them to keep their jobs even though under oath they admitted breaking the laws and work rules of the caucuses without being directed by Cott, Veon and Rosepink.
It was all for the glorification of Tom Corbett to be elected to the Governorship and this is what Corbett, Mike Long, Kevin Harley and Corbett's entire Campaign Apparatus and Minions are covering up now that the Sandusky Scandal is breaking down Corbett's previous lies before the Media.
Meanwhile, when children needed to be protected from Sandusky by a proper investigation and there "The 10 Person Child Predator Unit" available to investigate and protect the children......
They were assigned to investigate and intimidate Jurors Backgrounds on Bonus Gate, and one lone State Trooper was assigned to slowdown the Sandusky Investigation.
This is what needs to be investigated in ALL HONESTY to get to the full truth and Corbett's excuses and previous Press Reports are now clouded in contractions already on the record that he cannot take back.
Prosecution Misconduct needs to be investigated during Corbett and Kelly's reign of inconsistent and purposely misusing the timing of investigations to protect Corbett's election and subsequent public comments on how he botched Bonus Gate Investigations on Senators and how he ignored the abuses of Children being raped for 3 years under his AG watch........we will get to the full truth and nothing but the truth.
Anonymous January 12, 2012 3:52 PM
ReplyDeletesaid...
"Prosecution Misconduct needs to be investigated during Corbett and Kelly's reign of inconsistent and purposely misusing the timing of investigations to protect Corbett's election and subsequent public comments on how he botched Bonus Gate Investigations on Senators and how he ignored the abuses of Children being raped for 3 years under his AG watch........we will get to the full truth and nothing but the truth."
YEAH, as soon as someone other than Casablanca decides to do some in depth reporting on all of this.
The news media is asleep at the wheel. Either due to fear or incompetence. Still not sure which it is.
Well, Corbett has hsown that these sources sure didn't mind sitting with him in the luxury box did they, when Corbett was at games looking for money to becoame Governor?
ReplyDeleteI remember alot of the readers here figuring this whole thing out- i.e., Second Mile contributions being used for political gains- when the story broke about a month ago re: the Second Mile Official resigning and the Board members sounding stupid about the whole situation.
As I have said for 3 months...........Tom Corbett tried to bury the case until he was elected Governor.
When the presentment became public, he hurried to Penn State demanding that JoePa be fired before he got to the BOT meeting.
With Joe as the story, Tommy Boy escaped scrutiny.
Corbett could have had Sandusky off the streets three years ago (he only needed one charge).
Corbett and Kelly must be held accountable.
If not for him, Sandusky would have been arrested and prevented from hurting children, but Corbett wanted to be made Governor more than doing his job..
When is Corbett going to be investigated???
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, from what I have read today, most of the questions asked of Erickson last night related to Paterno's firing.
Time to change the name to the Harriburgh Enquirer or start doing some real investigating and look into all our governor's dealings.
If one is to believe all the assertions that everyone waited until Joe won his 409th....
... Then it goes to reason that one must believe University Officials, the BOT, the Governor, the Attorney General and her entire staff, and the State Police all conspired to wait until Joe won his 409th.
Assuming that was the case why then did they inflict such damage to a man they so adored and loved?
Glaring hypocrisy and lies don't take long to indentify.
It takes a little time.
Especially, when the Courts, AG, Governor, House/Senate Majorities, and Supreme Court are covering the truth up to protect them?
Corbett a sick person, and the OAG is a twisted place.
Haven't checked in to this blog recently. I thought they (Harrisburg) all did it, and the truly disturbing problem is selective, politically motivated prosecutors!
ReplyDeleteThis blog has matured a lot, and shines a spotlight on important (and dramatic) issues. I'd beg you consider taking on a co-blogger who sympathizes mainly with Republican lawmakers, cast a caustic eye on Democrats, and is equally as outraged as you by injustice and hypocrisy.
Something for Mike, Brett and Rosemary.....have your AQttorneys Appeal. REMEMBER WHEN JUDGE LEWIS ALLOWED THE PAOAG TO DESTROY THEIR NOTES???? WELL READ ON.....
ReplyDeleteCourt Ruling Reignites Debate Over Sharing Evidence
by Carrie Johnson
January 12, 2012
It's not every day that eight justices on the U.S. Supreme Court throw their weight behind a defendant convicted of busting into a New Orleans home, demanding drugs and money at gunpoint and leaving five dead bodies on the ground.
But that's exactly what happened Tuesday in Washington, where nearly every member of the high court ruled that Juan Smith should get a new trial.
Justice Clarence Thomas was the only dissenter.
The case is bringing new attention to prosecutor misconduct and evidence-sharing lapses that led to the dismissals of other blockbuster convictions, including the corruption case against the late Alaska senator Ted Stevens.
Debate Over Prosecutor Obligations
"Our client Mr. Smith was convicted based solely on the testimony of a single eyewitness," said Kannon Shanmugam, a lawyer at the Williams & Connolly firm, who argued the case for Smith.
"And the Supreme Court in essence said that in a case of that variety where there are contradictory statements by that eyewitness, there is a duty to disclose."
But the district attorney's office in Louisiana didn't disclose police notes taken after the attack, when the witness said he couldn't identify any of the perpetrators, even though the same witness told a jury four months later that he was confident the man he saw in the house was Juan Smith.
That ran afoul of a 1963 holding by the Supreme Court, in a case known as Brady v. Maryland. The Brady case has come to stand for something big in criminal law — that prosecutors are obliged to turn over any favorable evidence that could help the defense.
"There is a broad recognition, which dates almost to the founding of the Justice Department, that prosecutors in criminal cases have an obligation not simply to see that individuals are convicted but that justice is done," said Shanmugam.
But there are more than 13 cases involving Brady violations by the district attorney's office in New Orleans alone.
Not to mention the high-profile debacle at the Justice Department, which walked away from the corruption conviction of the late Sen. Ted Stevens in 2009 because prosecutors had failed to turn over evidence about inconsistencies with the account of their star witness, Alaska businessman Bill Allen.
READ MORE BEOW....
SOURCE LINK:
http://www.npr.org/2012/01/12/145102823/court-ruling-reignites-debate-over-sharing-evidence
CONTINUED FROM ABOVE.....
ReplyDelete"In the run-of-the-mill case, it's very hard to know that you didn't get something," said Washington defense attorney Barry Pollack.
"And so I certainly believe from my experience the cases we're reading about are just the tip of the iceberg, and there are many more violations that the courts and the public never learn about."
Former prosecutors like Peter Zeidenberg say deciding what to share with the defense before a criminal trial can be a tricky process.
"It's just an inherently difficult decision for a prosecutor to make because you're inherently biased," Zeidenberg said.
"You believe this defendant you're prosecuting is guilty, or else you wouldn't be doing it."
Ever since the Ted Stevens fiasco, there have been a lot of nervous people in the Justice Department — all worried about the consequences of making a bad decision.
If you think about the way the system works, it's like you're playing a game of poker, but in this particular casino the person dealing the cards gets to look at them first and decide which cards to give you.
- Barry Pollack, defense attorney
The DOJ lawyers who prosecuted Stevens became the subject of a criminal investigation.
Although the special prosecutor in the case did not pursue criminal charges against the federal lawyers, a blistering report could emerge as early as this month.
Brandon Garrett, a law professor at the University of Virginia who studies wrongful convictions, says prosecutors should just open their files — all of their files — before a trial.
"Forget about suing prosecutors later, or overturning convictions based on misconduct; we want there to be full exchange of information from the beginning so that errors never happen in the first place," Garrett said.
"You'd hope that the lesson would be from cases like this, where you have old murder convictions overturned, that it's better to get things right in the first place by adopting open file policies."
A Unique Case?
Lawyers for Smith say there's an irony in his case.
Most defendants in state court proceedings don't get the right to a lawyer after they've been convicted.
But because Smith faced the death penalty for another crime, he was entitled to a lot of free legal help — help that uncovered the missing police files that cast doubt on the witness against him.
Smith's attorneys are also challenging his conviction in a second case.
"If you think about the way the system works, it's like you're playing a game of poker, but in this particular casino the person dealing the cards gets to look at them first and decide which cards to give you," said Pollack.
As for the district attorney in Louisiana, he says he'll press his luck and try Smith all over again for the murders.
SOURCE LINK:
http://www.npr.org/2012/01/12/145102823/court-ruling-reignites-debate-over-sharing-evidence
"LISTEN TO NPR RADIO SEGMENT ON PROSECUTORS MISCONDUCT BY THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES"
ReplyDelete"Court Ruling Reignites Debate Over Sharing Evidence."
"The case is bringing new attention to prosecutor misconduct and evidence-sharing lapses that led to the dismissals of other blockbuster convictions."
Brandon Garrett, a law professor at the University of Virginia who studies wrongful convictions, says prosecutors should just open their files — all of their files — before a trial.
"Forget about suing prosecutors later, or overturning convictions based on misconduct; we want there to be full exchange of information from the beginning so that errors never happen in the first place," Garrett said
by Carrie Johnson
HIT LINK AND LISTEN:
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=145102823&m=145125919
Bram, casa is looking for one thing: revenge. Brett, Mike and co are upset that they were brought to justice, and rather than admit that what they did was wrong, they can only complain and whine that "everybody else did it too".
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...Bram, casa is looking for one thing:revenge. And you sir/madam would have us believe that now that justice has been served,all is well in Xanadu? Well please do straighten the blinders and stare straight ahead,jerk/jerkette!
ReplyDeleteIt seems pretty simple. Either what the House D's did was a crime, and hundreds of criminals are running free in the Capitol, or it wasn't and people were prosecuted unfairly. Which one of these options is ok with you?
ReplyDeleteHouse D's ???
ReplyDeletefat00boy said...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...Bram, casa is looking for one thing:revenge. And you sir/madam would have us believe that now that justice has been served,all is well in Xanadu? Well please do straighten the blinders and stare straight ahead,jerk/jerkette!
January 14, 2012 1:35 AM
Or they are looking for Jstice For All!
Funny, Corbett promised to investigate all 4 Caucuses on Bonuses, but only House Democratic Caucus was investigated, you call that keeping a Promise, or putting on a Pony Show?
Someone lied and it was not Veon, Cott, or Rosepink but Corbett did not do what he promised did he???
Corbett miuse of OAG Resources an dmethods also amout to Prosecutors Misconduct according to the US Supreme Court!
House Democrats, fat00boy.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said..."House Democrats fat00boy". Come on and and say it anonymous, you are Tunnel Vision Tommy himself.I thought you would be so busy giving the State of Pa. away to your gas well buddies and covering your ass over that nasty Sandusky mess,you wouldn't have time to post on Casa
ReplyDeleteI'm quite baffled by your response, fat00boy. I thought you were asking what "House D's" stands for, and I was answering what I thought was your question. I'm not sure what it is about the post "House Democrats" that makes you think I'm Tom Corbett, or even sympathetic to him. If what the House D's did was a crime, then hundreds of criminals are running lose in the Capitol without fear of prosecution. Yes, or no?
ReplyDelete