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All Muck is Local: Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce (R) has a problem of saying one thing and doing another.
Here’s what Joyce, who was indicted Monday on nine counts of money laundering and mail fraud, has said. Back in 2001, he was in a car accident. The injury was so bad that he had to forgo almost all physical activity. According to the narrative he filed with his insurance company, he couldn’t golf. He didn’t renew his scuba license because he couldn’t swim. And though he had received a primary nomination to the state Supreme Court, now the pain from his injuries meant that he couldn’t even imagine running an election campaign.
The only problem is, that’s not true. Okay, so some of it is true. Joyce was involved in a fender-bender with another car (at speeds around 5 miles per hour). The bump was minor, so no police or medics were called to the scene. And it is true that a year later Joyce filed insurance claims with both his insurer and that of the other driver; he received settlements totaling $440,000. And to be fair, even low-speed accidents can produce chronic injuries.
What doesn’t seem to be true is the idea that Joyce was suffering very much. He said he couldn’t play golf. But he turned in sixteen completed scorecards between the accident and the filing (who wants to lose his golf handicap?). He said he had forgone his scuba license. But a December 2001 check to the Professional Association of Driving Instructors says otherwise, as does a June 2002 scuba trip to Jamaica. Joyce says he had to abandon his hopes of a Supreme Court campaign, despite the support of his party. But the grand jury indictment says he received no such endorsement or nomination, and his local Republicans have so far agreed. You can see the full indictment here.
In fact, Joyce even found time in 2002 to pick up a few new hobbies. When he wasn’t driving around on the motorcycle he bought with the first round of his insurance money, Joyce was enjoying another new hobby: flying. Between April and October, he piloted a plane over fifty times. And in order to pilot, he had to sign off saying he that he was not experiencing physical limitations or problems. He even put some of his insurance windfall towards a down payment on a private plane.
Joyce is set to fight the indictment in court, promising to mount a “a vigorous legal defense.” Then again, he also said last week that he had no plans to abandon his reelection campaign. But this week, he announced that he will retire after this term. So it remains to be seen if this is the time Michael Joyce actually does what he says.
Josh
Zachary
Are you kidding me?! If we are going to go all the way down to local judge and City Councilmen now, there's going to be plenty of DEMOCRATS on the list (and that's just Cook County, Illinois ; )
August 25, 2007 7:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jake D. >"...If we are going to go all the way down to local judge and City Councilmen now, there's going to be plenty of DEMOCRATS on the list..."
So who cares what party affiliation the guilty individuals have and why should anyone care ?
This IS about COMPLETELY cleaning house. Just be sure you don`t get in the way there mouthpiece.
"A conservative government is an organized hypocrisy" - Benjamin Disraeli
August 25, 2007 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't care one iota if this guy or any corrupt guy is Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green Party, or whatever political persuasion you have. If the guy is crooked, get him out of there.
August 25, 2007 11:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Graft is graft. Fraud is fraud. Whether there is a D or an R after his name. He is a crook. He has no place in a court of law, judging others.
sc: false. No kidding.
August 26, 2007 1:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Remember Don Siegelman. Write to Harpers magazine to thank them for the expose done by Scott Horton.
I wonder if Mr. Siegelman is still shackled and if he is allowed contact with his lawyers.
Someone said once bush starts arresting Congresspersons it's time to take to the streets. The treatment of democratic Governor Siegelman seems to quailify.
August 26, 2007 3:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
JakeD -- you are priceless. Policing TPM to make certain some one is here to yell: "But Democrats!!!" Thank you for your insights. Shocking that the posts so far indicate that it is integrity that matters, not party. You're the only one screaming party. Nice to hear from a conservative mouthpiece.
As a registered Republican, I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that lurid tales of unethical, crooked Democrats aren't clogging the blogosphere and taking all the time on Bill O's show. Must be that liberal media thing. Although there is former Governor Siegleman -- make sure to read Harper's thorough account of justice at work there.
Have a nice day. You might try checking with the Congressional pages to see if they can out some worthy D's. I was so sure Hastert would have launched a full investigation there while he had a chance before the '06 elections.
August 26, 2007 7:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, Jake, what are you doing over here? TP got you all figured out?
If you have a "list", then post it.
Here's the deal: Who touts tort reform, morality, and professional ethics as a planks of their platform?
You don't have to answer, as we all know.
The party affiliation distinction is one of hypocrisy added to criminality. Either one is bad enough, together they are a clear indication of complete and utter moral/ethical failure.
The Republicans have no room to wiggle after holding others to their "higher standard."
August 26, 2007 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Those blasted idiots at the country club cant keep their scorecards to themselves. This is an abomination.
August 26, 2007 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Give Jake a break. I'm addicted to TPM Muckraker, but it obviously leans left. A lot of the articles aren't even about muck, just criticisms of the Bush administration. I don't think that Muckraker pretends to be non-partisan, so there's no dishonesty in the reporting. But I do wish they would leave the partisan stuff on the TPM side and reserve Muckraker for pure muck with a greater emphasis on objectivity.
(Though I disagree with Jake in that I don't think that this article in particular demonstrates any bias. It's a juicy story, even if the guy is only a judge.)
August 26, 2007 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
All muck is local - Orlando muck,
In about 2 more days, I suspect this story will be as if it never happened. In the land of diapered astronauts, Anna Nicole and Chandra Levy, where the media selectively uses salacious details and innuendo to whip up a frenzy when it wants to, it seems remarkable to me that this story has been so sanitized...
A GOP strategist and campaign manager, Ralph Gonzalez, who had ties to several of the most corrupt GOP politicians and their staffs and their funders, incl. Jack Abramoff, Ralph Reed, Tom Feeney, et al, and who also had ties to election fraud and smear campaigns in 2000, 2004, & 2006, and who also had ties to a gay porn/escort murder scandal in Virginia, and who was apparently another member of the GOP's closeted gay mafia, has been found murdered in his Orlando home. Accident? Three-way murder-suicide? Lover's quarrel? Getting rid of a potential threat by eliminating someone who knows too much?
We'll never know. Local news only reports the murder of a local GOP strategist. National coverage is non-existant. Florida Today has already scrubbed their website, and any gay reference disappears faster than Jeff Gannon slipping in the back door of the West Wing.....
Nothing to see here, move along.
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4995
August 26, 2007 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bigger question: any one doing a review of his cases? If he felt the need to lie about his injuries for money, you can't help but wonder if he started taking a little something under the table to help speed cases along to a happy conclusion.
August 26, 2007 2:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
There has got to be a television show with this guy's name on it some where.
August 26, 2007 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
So he put a band-aid on but he didn't have a boo-boo, that by no means indicates he was a dishonest judge. Besides when Republicans see an opportunity to make a fast buck they grab the bull by the horns and run with it, what are you jealous or something. Why make such a big deal about ethical conduct ? If Bill or Hillery had the chance they would do it too, likely so would Carter. And if John Kennedy was not so rich - he would have stolen his grandmother's gold teeth too. Republicans can't be the only ones who exploit the system to the max and are the only unethical pigs, - or could they be ?
August 26, 2007 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
2turk, just because you are dishonest and jealous that others are getting away with it, does not mean that everyone is.
I'm sure you've convinced yourself that they are, because then it excuses you. But they are not, and that's also why we have laws.
August 27, 2007 12:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
It could only be a matter of time. A relatively minor Republican judge in Pennsylvania is indicteded for a truly inane attempt at insurance fraud and we hear, "but, but Clinton!!" with a Kennedy thrown for good measure. The Carter reference? Please.
The big deal is this "judge" stole over $400,000 by lying to his insurance company. The fact that he is also a jurist sworn to uphold the law compounds the crime because he chose to pursue a career and a public position that demands better behavior. Demands it. It really is that simple.
August 27, 2007 5:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
I bet if he retires before he is convicted of anything, he gets to keep all of his benefits?
August 27, 2007 9:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
He also leaves himself open to blackmail. Who wouldn't want a judge with something to hide?
August 27, 2007 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
If we must bring party affiliation into the mix, let's remember that during the Bush (mis)administration, the DOJ investigated SEVEN times as many democrats as republicans.
And the result?...
August 27, 2007 10:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
hey you all it is time to do away with presidential pardons before Bush lets this crook out....
Does this explain why Insurance premiums have gone up?
August 27, 2007 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
You guys are great..
I want to know the tax implications...Anyone out there know them...
August 27, 2007 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
You guys are great..
I want to know the tax implications...Anyone out there know them...
August 27, 2007 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
This guy was on an intermediate appellate court. He was not a trial court judge so his caseload was not his own but was the panels. He was also considering a run for retention and then for the Supreme Court. The worst part for me is that I understand he wrote the demand letters to the insurance companies asking for the settlements on his judicial letterhead.
August 27, 2007 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure the judge just had a few senior moments. I'm sure I wouldn't mind having my case adjudicated by this, this, this...It's so hard to name what he really is. Thief is good, ethically challeged another, maybe loose cannon is another. This dipshit needs to go directly to jail. Totally un-fucking believable.
August 27, 2007 11:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Will you guys never learn to ignore the trolls.
All they want is attention. They crave it like the class clown in JHS. And they grow up to be losers.
August 28, 2007 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Give me a break. What is it with you people. Are we to believe that the only thing a person needs after his name is Republican and he's above being a dirty money grabbing bastard.
Do you watch the damn news. What should we do, endorse this this fool for the Supreme Court. I see where he may fit right in with the last few that go in.
August 28, 2007 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm from Erie and although I don't know Judge Joyce I remember seeing him drunk one night at the Bel-Aire Hotel. I lost respect for the clown after that.
December 16, 2007 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink