Great moments in judicial campaigning

I’m all in favor of traffic court judges being fair to defendants, but was this one pledging to be more than fair? Philadelphia Traffic Court Judge Willie F. Singletary was elected in November despite having had his driver’s license suspended until 2011 for accumulating $11,427.50 in fines for 55 traffic tickets. Now Singletary is in […]

I’m all in favor of traffic court judges being fair to defendants, but was this one pledging to be more than fair?

Philadelphia Traffic Court Judge Willie F. Singletary was elected in November despite having had his driver’s license suspended until 2011 for accumulating $11,427.50 in fines for 55 traffic tickets.

Now Singletary is in danger of losing his three-month-old robe – and the $82,733-a-year paycheck that goes with it – for a campaign appearance videotaped and made public on the YouTube Internet site.

It was an appearance that raised $285 for his campaign.

The state Judicial Conduct Board filed five misconduct counts against him Tuesday for an April 22, 2007, campaign appearance in which he pressed a group of motorcyclists for campaign donations.

“You’re all going to need me in Traffic Court, am I right about that?” he asked the group.

(Joseph A. Slobodzian, “Traffic court judge may lose his seat”, Philadelphia Inquirer, Apr. 24)(via ABA Journal)

One Comment