Liberty without learning is always in peril;
learning without liberty is always in vain.
-- John F. Kennedy
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Today's candidates don't repeat Udall's better lines, like his observation that the difference between a cactus and a caucus is that with a cactus, the pricks are on the outside.
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OK, enough clowning around.
Graft in New Mexico. In Albuquerque? Are I sure? Yep.
Amazingly, even our fine upstanding officials may get their fingers caught in the honey pot.
Favors for friends and relatives? Yep.
From Judges? Yep.
Seems our judicial standards commission found that Judge J. Wayne Griego, "knowingly involved himself and interfered with the adjudication of Metropoltian Court cases for family members, friends, close personal colleagues, court staff members and their families."
Where I came from this is called "fixing" a ticket. It's illegal and usually results in a jail sentence and removal from the ABA and the courts, along with a jail sentence and fine.
But this is New Mexico. And Albuquerque, besides.
It seems he was reprimanded in 2005 when he ordered his secretary to sign off on a traffic case plea agreement because he was "delayed" when returning home from a vacation. He received a $500 fine and was placed on supervised probation to be mentored by another judge.
Apparently the mentoring failed. Just last month 26 different witnesses spoke at the commission hearing. The commission found him "meriting discipline" for violating the New Mexico Code of Judicial Conduct and willful misconduct while in office.
They said Griego committed the misconduct in 14 of the 19 counts he was charged with.
They also said he was aware of, and participated in, the improper mishandling of the traffic citations. And that he had taken advantage of his position to dispose of citations.
Don't know if there was graft involved or not, but by the same token, this man needs to be removed from the court system and spend some time in that big "hotel" in Santa Fe. A formal reprimand will not suffice when an elected official is caught in illegal actions.
Oh, and by the way...Griego ws appointed by Bill Richardson in 2003.
Don't forget to click the header....
14 comments:
Here comes the judge.
Hey! That Windows Really Good edition thingie was a HOOT! (And not all that different from XP, come to think on it...)
Why does the Griego story not surprise me? I've been VERY fortunate, so far, in that I've never been busted in this part of the world for exceeding the speed limits. Prolly coz everyone else does, too. It's an 80 mph world down here. And I LIKE that!
Are your judges elected or appointed. He should be put in jail.
I think the header was very funny.Also happy to finally see a picture of you and Wild thing on this post.
yesbut, you know I'm thinking of sending Griego to your neck of the woods....
Buck, Moose, I figured you'd get a kick out of that Windows thingee.
Our judges are elected, but very few of the voters know anything about them and their behavior in the courts.
And Buck knows our judges often leave much to be admired when fulfulling their positions.
(Sometimes you wonder if they got any the night before.)
Moose, I'm glad you liked the pic of Wild Thing and me. (Only she's much better looking in real life.
I figured Wild Thing was, but what about you? ROFL
Hi Moose. Sometimes I look like a rejection from the cat. Eyuuuk, hairballs.
Was the judge a Chicago transplant or a genuine homegrown slug?
Looks like you got the booby prize from Wild Thing there. Hope she's already back up and kicking butt by now - especially YOURS!
That cartoon is rood! Heheheheh!
:@}
Lin, he's a genuine N.M. product. We don't need to import no stinkin' judges here.
Yeah, buddy. Booby prizes are a favorite here.
She's up, and got a good bill of health on her follow up visit. She just needs a bit of time to heal up some more.
b.t.bear, ure right. But it made u larf.
I was let off with a caution for speeding the other month, but had to produce my documents at the local cop shop - it wasn't plain sailing.. sigh. I feel a post coming on (thanks catmoves)!
I can't believe this judge is still judging! Crazy.
Shrink, I'm shocked. You were speeding? Ha. Must have been the radar gun was not set up correctly. I'll be over to read your Mea Culpa in a bit.
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