I speculated about it recently, and now the Post-Gazette confirms it: State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin IS a target of a criminal investigation.
Justice Joan Orie Melvin continues to sit on the state Supreme Court even after receiving a letter last month identifying her as the target of a criminal investigation.
Justice Melvin, a Republican, received the letter and subpoena to appear before the Allegheny County investigating grand jury on Dec. 15 -- the day before additional charges were filed against her sister Janine.
The justice received the letter and subpoena about a week before. She did not testify and has not been charged.
The paper goes on to cite Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille as saying Melvin would likely be suspended with pay if she's formally charged. Timing is everything, if Melvin is charged, that would leave the Supreme Court's makeup tied between Republicans and Democrats at a time when
the Court is likely to rule on the GOP's redistricting plan.
While I find the grand jury's timing interesting, let us not forget what Judge Melvin is alleged to have said to the Republican faithful while she was running for office. Let's check in via the wayback machine to October of 2009 with Gort 42:
In her previous visit to Wilkes-Barre in May she gave a long rambling speech to the local GOP faithful. In that speech she listed as one of her selling points was the upcoming redistricting after the 2010 Census telling the partisan crowd that they needed a Republican on the court to rule in favor of Republicans in any challenges to whatever plan emerges.
So much for Judges being above politics.
Payback?
If charges are brought, and I were in Melvin's shoes, I'd resign, thereby giving Governor Bought 'n' Paid For the ability to appoint a new justice pending a special election.