Lucas: Will Healey show for judge’s hearing? She should

Gov Maura Healey ought to come to the aid of District Court Judge Shelley Joseph She could do so by testifying on her behalf before the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct June So could former Gov Charlie Baker Baker appointed her Healey supports her The hearing is over Joseph s alleged willful judicial misconduct which stems from her allowing a required illegal immigrant to flee out the back door of the Newton District Court In to avoid ICE agents waiting out front to scoop him up Healey along with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu supported Joseph s action Joseph a Democrat was appointed to the bench by Republican Gov Charlie Baker So maybe he could come to the hearing too The occurrence against Joseph was pursued by then U S Attorney Andrew Lelling a Trump appointee who had her indicted on federal charges It is like the new scenario of Milwaukee Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan a Democrat like Joseph who also allowed a longed illegal immigrant to sneak out the courthouse back door to elude waiting ICE agents The difference is that after Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the federal charges against Joseph were dropped Lelling resigned Now that Trump is back Dugan already suspended faces six years in prison if convicted Had Trump been around Joseph would have faced the same fate as well It is a perfect example how no one is above the law except selected people Now with no criminal charges against her the commission can only recommend to the Supreme Judicial Court that Joseph be censored or disciplined It cannot remove her Nor can the SJC The nine-member commission is made up of three appointees of the governor and three each by the chief justices of the SJC and the Superior Court The governor appoints all the judges including the seven members of the SJC Under Massachusetts law as quoted by the commission Neither the Commission nor the Supreme Judicial Court has the power to remove a judge from the bench That power rests with the Democrat-controlled Legislature in coordination with the Democrat -controlled Governor s Council and the governor who happens to be Healey a Joseph supporter Upon Joseph s indictment on federal conspiracy charges Healey then attorney general and the state s chief law enforcement officer called the indictment a radical and politically motivated attack on our state and the independence of our courts While neither Healey nor Baker are expected to show up at the hearing and testify on Joseph s behalf you can see which way the wind is blowing The timing of the hearing though could not come at the worst time considering the increased activity in Massachusetts and elsewhere by ICE Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents rounding up criminal illegal immigrants A matter in point was the near riot of protestors in Worcester last week when demonstrators attempted to physically halt ICE agents attempting to detain an illegal immigrant accused of assaulting her pregnant -year-old daughter Another example is the attempt by New Jersey politicians rioting to break into an ICE detention facility holding illegal criminal immigrant murders and rapists to allegedly check on their condition Whoever thought we would reach a point in the country where Democrat politicians are fighting to break into prison rather than fighting to stay out They were no doubt counting on a Democrat judge to let them out the backdoor No one is above the law except connected people who are Veteran political journalist can be reached at peter lucas bostonherald com Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan leaves the federal courthouse after a hearing last Thursday in Milwaukee AP Photo Andy Manis