Legal Ethics
Traffic Judge Elected With $11K in Tix May Lose Seat
Posted Apr 24, 2008, 12:04 pm CST
By Molly McDonough
Philadelphia voters elected avid motorcyclist Willie F. Singletary to a seat on the Traffic Court in November, even though he had his driver's license suspended until 2011 for accumulating 55 traffic tickets and a whopping $11,427.50 in fines.
But what could cost him his $82,733-a-year seat is an April 22, 2007, campaign stop he made at a "Blessing of the Bikes" motorcycle club rally where he raised $285 for his campaign, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The event caught the attention of state Judicial Conduct Board officials because part of it was filmed and posted on YouTube. In the video, Singletary can be heard stumping for money and votes. He actually says at one point to shouts of encouragement, "You all could need me in Traffic Court. Am I right about that?"
The Judicial Conduct Board filed five misconduct counts against him Tuesday.
In October, after the video began to circulate, Singletary told the Inquirer that he only meant to assure his supporters that he would "give them a fair trial in the courtroom."
His father has since paid his traffic fines, the paper reports.