Posted on 11/15/2004 12:42:28 PM PST by minus_273
John Morganelli, District Attorney for Northampton County, Pa., probably had no idea what he was in for last week when his office appeared before Judge Leonard Zito for the conviction and sentencing of 27 individuals accused of using false and stolen social security numbers.
Morganelli’s investigators had worked for months to prosecute the group, 14 of which had not simply used false social security numbers, but had stolen and used the social security numbers of law-abiding people.
But although every one of the defendants pleaded guilty, Judge Zito refused to impose any period of incarceration, nor did he fine the defendants. Zito based his decision on the fact that the defendants were all illegal aliens, remarking that they should never have been arrested in the first place because the men committed the crimes “strictly for the purpose of working.”
Zito’s decision not to administer the law not only demonstrates how politicized the bench has become in recent years, but is another example of a wave of judicial activism in which judges have used their positions not just to interpret and apply existing law, but, according to many critics, to legislate from the bench. The most high profile example of this has been the Massachusetts Supreme Court rulings on gay marriage, which in effect legalized unions the legislature had not.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Just imagine the reaction if some "judicial activist" declared the income tax illegal!
Hey, if it doesn't explicitly say I CAN'T pay may taxes in monopoly money, then does that mean I CAN?
What the h*ll is the matter with these people? Must be the ridiculous education system. I dunno. I haven't looked at a high school text book recently, but I shudder to think what's in it. Probably the same thing in college. And what are they doing, handing out law degrees in Cracker Jack boxes?
Sorry for the rant, but when emotion takes over I'm not all that eloquent.
We need to get this to the attention of Bill OReiley, he loves beating up on Judges.
We vote on whether or not to retain judges in florida. Do they not have this in PA?
Need to add a new word to our vocabulary .... I-M-P-E-A-C-H-M-E-N-T ..... and APPLY IT!!!!
It was quite successful when Rose Bird got ridden out of the CA court ....
...course, that was back when dinosaurs roamed and hope was allowed ;)
Just damn...
ping
This has got to stop. Certain members of the judical branch are just plain renegades. There must be a way to fix this, but how?
There, now I feel better.
I don't think we should confuse criminally negligent behavior with judicial activism.
What this judge did is not "activism" - it's imperialism.
He has created a dictatorship!
This merits impeachment if anything does.
Bump
But although every one of the defendants pleaded guilty, Judge Zito refused to impose any period of incarceration, nor did he fine the defendants. Zito based his decision on the fact that the defendants were all illegal aliens, remarking that they should never have been arrested in the first place because the men committed the crimes “strictly for the purpose of working.”bump!
Someone posted this again?
Looks like it's striking a coupla nerves....
From what I recall of earlier posts, the (dis)Honorable Judge Zito is filling a temporary vacancy.
Just goes to show you how very important it is to have seats filled with the right people.
Those are E-5 through E-8, right?
In the Army, it is Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, and either Master Sergeant or First Sergeant depending on position.
Ah ..... I must have missed it before. Thanks.
Thanks for the ping!
Active poll:
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/
Do you believe the federal government needs to better enforce the laws against hiring illegal aliens?
Yes 94% 3898 votes
No 6% 248 votes
Total: 4146 votes
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