A bombshell criticism urges courtroom officers to strip the legislation license of outgoing New York Chief Choose Janet DiFiore, alleging a variety of moral transgressions, The Submit has discovered.
Wednesday is DiFiore’s ultimate day answerable for the state judiciary after saying her abrupt resignation final month.
Dennis Quirk, the longtime head of the New York State Court docket Officers union, is submitting the 13-page criticism with Jerold Ruderman, who chairs the grievance committee within the Ninth Judicial District.
The criticism fees that DiFiore improperly intervened in a disciplinary case involving Quirk; refused to adjust to courtroom orders when the chief decide was sued by 46 older judges pressured out of their jobs; and dominated on instances as an alternative of recusing herself involving the legislation agency Greenberg Traurig, which personally represented her within the litigation involving the older judges.
Quirk additionally accused DiFiore of “conspiring” with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the appointment of 4 further judges to the state Court docket of Claims to “clear the pathway” for the chief’s daughter, Alexandra Murphy, to run for and be elected to a seat on the state Supreme Court docket in Westchester County.
DiFiore, a former Westchester District Legal professional, was a Cuomo appointee to the bench. She wrote the bulk 4-3 Court docket of Appeals choice that tossed out the Democratic Occasion drawn legislative maps as unlawful gerrymandering.
Her daughter, Murphy had no opposition in her race for judgeship.
DiFiore abruptly introduced her resignation in July.
Inside hours, printed experiences stated the Fee on Judicial Conduct was investigating whether or not DiFiore improperly used her affect to induce courtroom officers to punish Quirk in a disciplinary continuing. Some observers speculated the probe triggered her surprising resignation, which DiFiore denied.
Within the new criticism, Quirk argued that DiFiore’s alleged abuses ought to bar her from training legislation altogether when she leaves the bench. Sometimes, ex-judges land well-paid gigs at established legislation companies.
“Primarily based on this litany of unethical conduct, I firmly imagine former Chief Choose DiFiore must be disbarred,” Quirk stated.
Quirk stated DiFiore’s resignation doesn't absolve her from accountability for her “sample of unethical conduct” and “can't inoculate her from the foundations relevant to each lawyer licensed to apply in New York.”
“She must be held to the very best requirements of the occupation as a result of nobody is above the legislation,” Quirk stated. “Actually not the Chief Choose of the Court docket of Appeals.”
The Workplace of Court docket Administration suspended Quirk for 30 days final yr amid a dispute over the COVID-19 vaccine edict for courtroom staff. An OCA rep advised The Submit on the time that Quirk put DiFiore at “grave threat of demise” by posting her Westchester and Hamptons space addresses on Fb.
The Quirk criticism alleges DiFiore improperly put her thumb on the dimensions in his disciplinary case, by sending a letter to Phyllis Flug, the listening to officer in his case, on her official letterhead urging the officer to punish Quirk.
“It can't be disputed that former Chief Choose DiFiore was not permitted to submit such
a letter, not to mention have ex parte communications with a listening to officer,” Quirk wrote within the criticism.
He stated his suspension was “an try and stifle the voices of the 1,500 courtroom officers who guarantee the security of judges, attorneys, and litigants on daily basis.”
OCA spokesman Lucien Chalfen, responding on behalf of DiFiore and the judiciary, stated, “At this level what I'd say is that: I'm not going to dignify that letter with a response.”
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