I read the op-ed piece by James Gill the other day with some amusement. It was certainly a case of Mr. Gill trying to make the case for an apples vs. oranges comparison. But in this case, the subjects of his piece, former Judges Joan Benge and Hunter King, were both apples – bad ones.
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel has recommended that former Judge Joan Benge should be permanently disbarred as an attorney after she was removed as a judge in Jefferson Parish. Likewise, Hunter King was removed as a judge in Orleans Parish and was permanently disbarred. Benge’s dishonor came when she fixed a case for a lawyer who had a civil case in her court that had dubious merit. The attorney was a friend and campaign contributor. On the other hand, Hunter King required staff members to solicit campaign contributions for him, while working, then lied about it under oath.
How James Gill can find either of these former judge’s/lawyer’s conduct to be disparate is beyond me. In both instances, the judges used their position to corrupt the judicial system and obviously took the imperious view that they were above the law and would not be caught. Do we really want lawyers who admittedly cheat the system or lie to have the privilege of continuing to practice law among those who strive to stay within the bounds of the Rules of Professional Conduct and the law? I say “No.” Continue reading “The Office of Disciplinary Counsel is right to seek permanent disbarment for former Judge Benge: An Imaangry guest post”