News Release judges-gavel
For Immediate Release: October 28, 2014
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

McCaffery is Gone, But the Question Is Still Unanswered

(Harrisburg) — Yesterday PA Supreme Court Judge Seamus McCaffery sent his resignation letter to Governor Corbett without mentioning the email scandal involving more than 234 pornographic photos and videos, but instead said he was retiring “in light of my immediate intention to embark on other professional endeavors and paths.”    The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide pro-decency group, is still asking Attorney General Kathleen Kane to investigate whether the sexually explicit emails sent by McCaffery and the others involved were illegal obscenity.

“McCaffery’s resignation leaves unanswered the many accusations against him — were the emails obscenity, did he try to fix a traffic ticket for his wife, did he allow her to collect legal referral fees while serving as his chief legal clerk, did he attempt to exert influence in judicial court appointments. All these accusations need to be addressed, but we’ll zero in on the possible obscenity issue,” AFA of PA president, Diane Gramley stated.

With McCaffery’s resignation, the Judicial Conduct Board dropped its investigation on Monday also. Taxpayers and voters are ill-served by the suspension of the investigation.   McCaffery is in line to receive over $151,000 annually in pension. It is not fair to the taxpayers who will be paying for his pension not to know whether he has broken the law or not.

“Simply accepting a resignation and dropping an investigation sends the wrong message. PA courts have lost the respect of the people and this latest incident has not helped in regaining the confidence of Pennsylvanians. McCaffery must be held accountable for his actions,” concluded Gramley.

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