Philadelphia Traffic Court Judge Bob Mulgrew, charged with his wife and the chief of staff to state Rep. Bill Keller in a federal indictment Thursday, has been removed from the bench for now.
"The Supreme Court today issued an emergency order of suspension to [Common Pleas Court] Judge [Gary] Glazer in his capacity as the Administrative Judge of Traffic Court, directing Judge Glazer to suspend Judge Robert Mulgrew from all official duties and assignments in Philadelphia Traffic Court until further notice," emailed Frank Keel, spokesman for the First Judicial District.
Mulgrew's attorney on Thursday said he planned to continue working as a judge after being charged with misusing thousands of dollars in state grants to a community group he helped operate.
The Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board on Friday filed a petition for interim suspension without pay for Mulgrew, pending a trial on the federal criminal charges. The board has requested a hearing before the Court of Judicial Discipline.
Mulgrew faces 30 felony counts of mail fraud, one felony count of wire fraud, one felony count of tax evasion, five felony counts of filing false tax returns and one felony count of obstructing justice.
"The pending felony criminal charges against Judge Mulgrew undermine both public confidence in the judiciary and it's reputation," the chief counsel for the Judicial Conduct Board wrote in a petition submitted to the Court of Judicial Discipline.