Supreme Embarrassment

Not long ago I told readers about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice convicted for misusing staff for political activities.  So last year!  This newest Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice in the negative news spotlight is one Seamus McCaffrey, embroiled in a scandal involving sexually explicit materials sent around from official government email addresses.  The judge, whose trajectory towards the Supreme Court–an elected position in Pennsylvania–was boosted by a high profile stint as the on-site judge dealing summarily with rowdyism at Philadelphia Eagles football games, now rides off into the sunset.

Sisters: Act II

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice–Convicted (along with her sister). Though the governor (or the court itself–it’s been done both ways in the past) gets to appoint someone short-term whenever Judge Melvin lets go or is let go (a conviction alone won’t do–a judicial finding of unsuitability for the bench or legislative impeachment must finalize things), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will have to get itself another elected judge, who ought to take care not to use staffers as campaign workers.  Maybe the new judge will be good at Philadelphia Traffic Court oversight.