In my Daily Numbers column that I compile each day, I have an item I refer to as "I don't get it."
I guess at this point you could include the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in that category.
Last night the high court suspended Justice Seamus McCaffery for his role in the ugly porn email scandal that is roiling Harrisburg and much of state government.
McCaffery already has apologized for sending or receiving 234 emails with sexually explicit content. He called it a "lapse of judgment."
Ya think?
Maybe McCaffery thought he was still presiding over Eagles Court. Yes, this is the same Judge McCaffery who gained quite the local and national acclaim by lording over the court set up in the basement of Veterans Stadium to deal with drunken Eagles fans.
In the meantime, there is a virulent political overtone that hangs over this story.
First, a lot of people believe all of this is a political witch hunt being pushed aggressively by Attorney General Kathleen Kane. She uncovered the cache of racy emails during the course of her investigation of how then-Attorney General - now Governor - Tom Corbett handled the Jerry Sandusky investigation.
It already has cost several state officials their jobs.
McCaffery believes the case against him is just the latest in his high-profile disagreements with Chief Justice Ron Castille. Both are from Philadelphia. Both are former Marines. McCaffery is a Democrat, Castille a Republican.
McCaffery was quick to apologize for his conduct, but could not resist firing back at the person he believes is behind airing all this dirty laundry in public.
He made hsi feelings for Castille clear last week when he offered his apology. He was still at it last night, blasting Castille for a "vindictive pattern of attacks" against him.
His attorney, Dion Rassias, noted that "today's action should surprise no one, given Chief Justice Castille's relentless crusade to destroy his career and reputation."
A third justice, Michael Eakin, was drawn into this quagmire last week, accusing McCaffery of threatening him with another cache of emails tied to Eakin. Eakin says McCaffery wanted him to put pressure on Castille to back off his attacks, and alleged that McCaffery made it clear he would go public with the emails on Eakin if he did not help out. McCaffery vehemently denies making any such threat.
At this point, you almost have to stand back and remind yourself that these are the robed men who sit on the highest court in Pennsylvania.
What the hell are these guys thinking?
There are a couple of things that come to mind here. One, don't they understand the kind of perception this is going to deliver to the public. Dirty laundry has never been raunchier.
Second, there is the whole idea of doing this kind of stuff on state computers, and on the taxpayers' time. Sure, some of it was done on personal computers, but what does it say about these judges that they would even consider doing this at all.
And maybe most important, how are women who work in these offices and often appear before these judges supposed to feel knowing of their predilection for porn.
It's ugly stuff.
One more reason to proudly proclaim: Pennsylvania, Land of Giants.
Comments