A recent New York City Department of Investigation report that examined Charles J. Hynes's campaign spending and other conduct during his failed bid for a seventh term as Brooklyn District Attorney found that Kamins had been providing legal and political advice to Hynes over many months. The report revealed that Kamins, then the supervising judge for all of Brooklyn, recommended staff, prepped Hynes for debates and even provided extra legal advice dealing with active cases being handled by Hynes' office.
Following the June 3 DOI report, Kamins was removed from his senior position. But 10 weeks later, he is back on the bench hearing disputes over property values and deciding foreclosure cases.
David Bookstaver, the spokesman for the New York State Court system, said that, by law, a judge can only be removed or otherwise disciplined by the Commission on Judicial Conduct.
"Right now there is no mechanism to keep him from the bench. This isn't subjective, it's the constitution," Bookstaver said. "There is a process."
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A Judge's Status Robed in Silence
You have to choose, your Honor.
ReplyDeletePolitics or a black robe.
You can't have both.
NY's judicial discipline system is a crock!
ReplyDeleteTransparency is needed for the public to trust that the job is being done correctly.
ReplyDeleteThe NYS Judicial Commission is a joke. I filed more than 20 complaints about Mary Giordano, elder care attorney with Franchina and Giordano in Garden City, NY and the late Jude Joel Asarch of the Nassau County Supreme court in Mineola, NY. They did nothing. As far as they were concerned, the kidnapping and imprisonment of my Mom was ok with them.
ReplyDeleteLet's fix it, Mr. Brookstaver, so judges who are under investigation for ethical violations are off the bench until those violations have been proven or dismissed.
ReplyDeleteToo many innocent people suffer because unethical judges continue to sit on the bench and do more damage until the discipline process catches up with them.
The public is at risk.
To Diane:
ReplyDeleteIt sure is sick.
I filed a judicial complaint claiming a $20,000 kickback which wasn't even investigated. They're not following their own law.