I am concerned and disappointed by the recent (primary election) recommendations from the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention. While the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee has historically collaborated with the Bar Association in identifying quality judicial candidates, the Commission’s recent actions and ratings undermine the fairness and trustworthiness of its process.
I say Philadelphia Bar Association loosely, as it is deeply troubling that a significant percentage of the Judicial Commission members, including its chairman, reside outside the City of Philadelphia. The most basic qualification for a judge in Philadelphia is to live here. Individuals who abandon our City have no business dictating to its residents, or to the Governor, who should be appointed or elected to our judicial bench.
This fundamental disconnect explains why the Commission’s recent actions are so alarming. If “judges have enormous power,” and we believe a person should be judged by a jury of their peers, then those who evaluate and recommend judges should be deeply rooted in the community they serve. So should our judges.
A prime example of this failure is the “Recommended” rating inexplicably given to Michael Huff. It is deeply disappointing that the Commission recommended a candidate subsequently found by the Commonwealth Court to be constitutionally unqualified due to residency issues. Mr. Huff’s own Bar Commission Questionnaire indicated his recent “move” to Philadelphia while confirming his primary legal employment and presence were in Montgomery County. This readily available information was either missed or ignored, and despite its purported “investigation” the Commission granted him a “recommended” rating.
[Editor’s note: When a Common Pleas Court judge disqualified Huff from running, the Philadelphia Bar Association removed Huff’s “recommended” rating.]
This oversight is especially troublesome given the Commission’s Chair lives only blocks from Mr. Huff’s actual Bala Cynwyd home, where his family resides. Mr. Huff’s wife is even a Democratic Committee Person in the same district that elected the Commission Chair’s wife as a local judge. This clear conflict of interest raises serious questions about whether personal relationships trumped the Association’s public duty.
It is particularly concerning that the Commission comfortably recommended a White attorney from the Main Line, whom a Court found lacking credibility, while simultaneously dismissing two young Black attorneys — proud sons of Philadelphia — who were candid and forthcoming throughout the process.
The Democratic City Committee, composed of neighborhood-elected individuals, takes its responsibility for endorsing judges very seriously. We strive to ensure our bench is diverse in race, gender, and sexual orientation, among others. The Commission’s recent ratings have diminished its reliability and made this commitment more challenging. The Philadelphia Bar Association must take immediate corrective action, starting with mandating that all Judicial Commission members actually live in the City of Philadelphia.
The Democratic City Committee will continue vetting candidates, holding them accountable, and informing voters. We expect nothing less from the Bar Association. Should the Philadelphia Bar Association need help, attorney members of our Pro-Bono Committee stand ready to assist. Its credibility, and the public’s trust in the integrity of our courts, depend on it.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Brady
Robert A. Brady, a former U.S. Congressman, chairs the Philadelphia Democratic Party.
The Citizen welcomes guest commentary from community members who represent that it is their own work and their own opinion based on true facts that they know firsthand.
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