Here Comes the Judge!--Judge Arditti Returns to Bench Following Acquittal

Judge Regina Arditi (pic) returned to her West Texas courtroom following her acquittal on bribery and corruption charges.  This is the Associated Press account from the Houston Chronicle website: 

"A suspended judge expects to be back on the state district court bench in El Paso a day after her acquittal [on] corruption charges.  Regina Arditti returns to her judicial duties Thursday after El Paso County jurors acquitted her Wednesday of two bribery counts, two counts of [abuse] of official capacity and one of prohibition applicable to trading.

Prosecutors had accused the judge of agreeing to hire state District Judge Manuel Barraza's sister as court coordinator in return for Barraza agreeing to hire Arditti's son as a bailiff. Barraza also was charged in the case, but those charges were dropped when he was sentenced to five years in prison in July in a federal bribery case. [Judge Barraza] was reindicted [on state charges] and is scheduled for trial May 23[rd.]_____________________________
Bet this judge has a new outlook!  A wee bit more empathy for the criminally-accused, perhaps?

Nepotism

Nepotism is the practice by public officials of hiring their relatives by blood or marriage.  By the way, there are broader definitions but the definition I'm providing is a paraphrase of Black's Law Dictionary's entry for the term.  In light of my recent post on the Bread of Shame it's timely that a controversy surfaces in Ohio as reported at the Dayton Daily News, where 13 elected officials in the Montgomery County public offices have family members also hired and working for the county.  The picture of the attractive Judge and court reporter could be the family photo for next year's Christmas Card from the husband-wife Caprizzis.

The way it works in OurTown, corrupt politicians (most of whom seem to be under indictment or named in the current indictments of others), hire one another's relatives so that no specific officeholder employs his own direct relations.  In OurTown when you run into an incompetent governmental official, the question is:  who's this guy related to?

Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but the reason this is such a big problem is that young people get out of school with out an even chance at employment based on merit or academic achievement.  Because the children of pols get a leg up on part time and summer employment ultimate career hiring is biased and skewed in favor of the relatives because of their so-called "experience.".  It's ridiculous and discouraging. 

It's good to see that in some places in Ohio the local media is exposing the charade and travesty.