Mulgrew suspended
Traffic Court Judge Robert Mulgrew, who was indicted in federal court Thursday for allegedly spending public grant money on himself and on fridns, was suspended from his job Friday.
Updated at 4:12 p.m. Friday: The state court of Judicial Discipline has suspended Traffic Court Judge Robert Mulgrew with pay for now but will hear arguments at a later date on whether the interim suspension without should be with or without pay.
And here is the original item:
Traffic Court Judge Robert Mulgrew, who was indicted in federal court Thursday for allegedly spending public grant money on himself and on friends, was suspended from his job Friday.
Frank Keel, a spokesman for the first Judicial District, issued this statement:
"The Supreme Court today issued an emergency order of suspension to 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."
Mulgrew was not immediately available for comment. On Thursday, Mulgrew and Lorraine DiSpaldo, an aide to State Rep. William Keller, were charged with misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars in state grants, paying off friends, relatives, and themselves with money that was earmarked to revitalize a city neighborhood and support local police.
"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, the state panel that oversees judges' contact.
That brief also recommended that Mulgrew be suspended without pay, but no decision has been reached on that yet.
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