The Pols Delivered For Judges

Posted: November 05, 1987

The Roofers Union scandal notwithstanding, Philadelphia voters did not rise up Tuesday and demand judicial reform. The only message that can be garnered

from the returns on the judicial races was that, once you get beyond the high- profile contests, Philadelphia is still a solid Democratic town.

That was good news for the Common Pleas Court candidates known as "Casey Five" - especially for Legrome D. Davis, John W. Herron and C. Darnell Jones 2d. Political upstarts appointed on merit alone, they had been denied Senate confirmation and had had to fight their way on to the Democratic ballot by narrowly defeating the party-backed candidates in the primary. On Tuesday, with the party machine added to their earlier base of support, they cruised to lopsided victories.

But it was also good news for three Philadelphia judges who have been suspended since February for accepting cash gifts from the Roofers Union. Thomas A. White, Michael E. Wallace and Joseph R. Glancey found out that months of bad publicity were more than countered by solid support from both political parties. They won retention by wide margins.

The fight for reform goes on. Gov. Casey's judicial reform commission is preparing to make specific recommendations later this month. The governor is committed to following through on the process that he began with the controversial nomination of the Casey Five. But organization pols, who tend to resist any measures that would diminish their role in filling judgeships, can rest a little easier this week. There may be heavy pressure from above for judicial reform, but there is no groundswell from the neighborhoods.

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