Just like the movies, New York State’s Office of Court Administration (OCA) is scrambling: getting their stories straight and destroying incriminating evidence. But this isn’t the movies, it’s New York’s nightmare….MORE…..
First, the Manhattan ethics scandal federal lawsuit, filed in late October, in which an insider exposed the whitewashing and cover up of serious charges against attorneys who were “connected.” Notably, that federal action seeks the appointment of a federal monitor over Manhattan's Ethics Committee.
And just last week, the explosive revelations unsealed in the Kerik indictment. And there's more to come. (Hint: stay tuned to the lawsuit filed by Judith Regan)
One common theme emerges, and which has the feds very interested: No oversight or accountability, but influence, favor and public office for sale.
We have received countless requests for government contact information from people who have evidence concerning public corruption in New York. Accordingly:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Public Corruption Squad C14
26 Federal Plaza
New York, New York 10278
(212-384-1000)
Realizing how busy these agents are, please provide a one-page OVERVIEW that includes:
1. The full name of the main person complained of, and their position/title (include known addresses, etc.).
2. The names of other involved people, and their position/title (include known addresses, etc.).
3. Brief Summary of what you believe they did wrong.
4. Brief List of documents/evidence.
5. List of names of witnesses, with their contact information.
6. Your contact information and, if so desired, your request to be considered a CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT.
Please, please… only a one-page OVERVIEW on top of whatever you submit.
Finally, and in fairness to newly appointed New York State Chief Administrative Judge Ann T. Pfau, we advise that sources reveal that OCA is “finalizing a ground-breaking ethics overhaul of the entire NY State court system.”
judy kaye is out??? i truly hope that judge phau will review all federal court lawsuits brought against OCA and she makes attempts to settle the mess that OCA put the courts in, in another legal jurisdiction! even if phau does put things in order, a federal monitor will be needed for several years to maintain the new ETHICS! good luck to her...she has my support, if she listens and addresses all complaints!
ReplyDeleteBlind Judith Kaye is still the Chief Judge (Chief Thug).
ReplyDeleteAnn T. Pfau is the Chief ADMINISTRATIVE Judge.
So, Kaye is, unfortunately, still around, until February when she finaly HAS to leave. Thank God.
The FBI shouldn't be knocking on any OCA doors. This OCA corruption has been going on for years. KICK the F&*%ing doors down and drag all their fat arses out hand cuff them, and throw them in the canl!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes you are correct!
ReplyDeleteI filed a complaint with the FBI 2 years ago and nothing was done.
4 months ago I sent the SAME complaint in, and now action is being taken.
I was told more than 2 dozen new FBI agents were added to the corruption squad.
Better late than NEVER, I guess.
Had heard the buzz about the alleged high jinks but could never believe. Now I am a believer. If Judge Kaye goes maybe things will improve, that remains to be seen. Gov. Spitzer is more interested in "Licenses" - he should take action on the Courts before it becomes a national scandal.
ReplyDeleteThe state of ny will not clean-up this mess, the feds are the only ones, if they will?
ReplyDeleteTrue, true, true...cannot trust anyone from OCA...fact! OCA IS BIG ON DIVERSION with CORRUPTION! Phau will address a few of the big issues, but she will be forced to ignore all the things that don't make the front pages of the news ,but are at the guts of all this crap they are pulling. Just had dealings with OCA in federal ct and they insulted me knowing they have nothing to win with! OCA and ETHICS in the same thought, as long as KAYE is at the helm... you better forget it. why isn't kaye conducting the ethics probes as the CHIEF???? This speaks volumes!
ReplyDeletethings are moving and the fbi should get in fast if you know what i mean, seal everything quickly, otherwise there will be nothing, but maybe that's what they want?
ReplyDeleteI think that after a full investigation of this scandal involving the Ethics Group a complete list of all the attorneys and law firms that were granted special treatment should be made public in the interest of justice and to clear the public air.
ReplyDeleteThe FBI can subpoena employees at anytime knowing that their is corruption in some form and same has been charged in federal ct at least 3x! Employees of the court should in private, be grabbing evidence of corruption (oca leaves their trail all over), before the chief judges everywhere command their destruction! I know OCA very well, and almost ALL are as crooked as they appear judicial! Beat them at their own game...it is great satisfaction and it will assist in cleaning up the scum and their bags!
ReplyDeleteTrials and Tribulations: 'Judges gone bad' set a record high
ReplyDeleteNovember 16, 2007
Business is booming at the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, which set a record last year for new investigations, launched three judges out of office and censured five, including one from Newburgh.
The commission yesterday released its annual report for 2006. It shows a steady rise in new investigations into the conduct of local, county and state judges, from 172 in 1997 to 267 last year.
That number's likely to increase, because the state Legislature increased the commission's budget to $4.8 million annually from $2.8 million, enabling the commission to hire more lawyers and investigators.
Administrator Robert Tembeckjian doesn't see that as a sign that more people are losing confidence in judges. "I'd say it's more a function of people knowing what the commission is, and getting in contact with us."
He points to the Internet — it's a lot easier to read one of the commission's painstakingly detailed reports on the Web in 2007 than it was to track one down by phone, have its voluminous contents stuffed into an envelope and then await its arrival by snail mail, which is how documents were delivered when the commission was formed in the 1970s.
"I think, as a general rule, the more active we are, the more newsworthy the decisions we make, the more people will be aware of us, and we'll get more complaints," Tembeckjian said yesterday, after the report was released. "Some of it, I think, is that as we establish a record of accomplishments, there's more confidence that a complaint will be treated seriously."
About 1,200 of the 1,500 complaints the commission received last year came from people involved in either civil or criminal cases. Fifty-four came from everyday citizens, 14 were anonymous, 80 came from lawyers, 11 from judges and eight from public officials.
The commission exists independently from the state's court bureaucracy. It's the only entity in the state with the power to publicly discipline judges, which it did 14 times last year.
Three judges were removed, five were censured, one was admonished — a less-heated scolding than a censure — and five publicly agree to leave the bench and never again run for a judgeship.
The five censured judges included Newburgh City Court Judge Peter Kulkin, who was upbraided for circulating campaign material in the 2004 election that contained falsehoods about his opponent, Jeanne Patsalos. The commission received new complaints about Kulkin this summer, charging that he made degrading remarks about Newburgh city police. Kulkin apologized and said his remarks were misunderstood.
Albany is legendary for the mischief that's done to the state budget, but Tembeckjian is convinced that the Legislature is committed to having an independent watchdog over the courts. "Our business is not going to go away," he said, "either by wishful thinking or by eliminating our funding."
Judge derby in '08?
There's a crowded field of hopefuls for the coveted gubernatorial appointment to the Orange County Surrogate Court judgeship, created by last week's election of Judge Elaine Slobod to state Supreme Court.
Months ago, Woodbury Town Justice David Levinson acknowledged the whispers concerning his name — "I hear I'm a candidate," he said — but since then, courthouse whisperers have included the names of Wallkill Town Justice Bonnie Kraham and former county attorney Stephen Hunter, who's also an acting village justice in Chester.
Levinson, Kraham and Hunter probably have an advantage because they're all Democrats, like Spitzer. But there are also some Republicans in the running: Port Jervis City Court Judge Robert Onofry, Warwick Town Justice Peter Barlet and Orange County Family Court Judge Andrew P. Bivona, whose term expires next year and who might be interested in the surrogate's slot.
Who knows? If Gov. Eliot Spitzer feels the need to mend some fences in the GOP-controlled state Senate in the wake of the Great Steamroller Stumble of 2007, one of the Republicans may have a shot.
Trials & Tribulations is the Times Herald-Record's weekly roundup of news, updates and anecdotes about local courts and criminal justice. Tips and threats are welcome. Call Oliver Mackson at 346-3130 or e-mail omackson@th-record.com. To read the state Commission on Judicial Conduct's annual report, go to www.scjc.state.ny.us/.
i have a much different experince with the state comm. on judicial conduct. i know them from a previous judicial removal in 1993, and in 2005 when i attempted to address the chief administrative judge in the 8th dist. who participated in a horrific termination of me after 30 problemless years, as the commission already knew, there top investigative atty refused to listen to anything i had to report to him about her. the case is now in federal court and she will have to explain her criminal retaliatory behavior resulting form the last removal case that the commission investigated. also, they are influenced by the OCA, I saw it all from 1990=1993! if the court had no opinion or negative opinion, that judge was out. a witness who was a chief clerk and working on his behalf was caught spying and forcing employees to give information to his state paid private atty, in the very courthouse i worked, when i was off for the day.a source called me and it was stopped. this chief clerk was a known alcoholic and her behavior of obstruction continued throughout the 3 yrs of investigation and nothing happend to her for her interference, by her employer OCA! her testimony included one or two questions, i have the transcript, and nothing about her alcohol or interference behavior...i saw that she was being protected by the commission. the commisssion knows i know how they operate and my credibilty and they are not independent of influence! i am sorry, but my second case involving a judge, and is related to the first case, was coverd up...at least for now!
ReplyDelete