Posted: Wednesday, 13 May 2009 12:03PM
You Can Run, But You Can't Hide
Steve Corbett Reporting
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Jim Tierney wants to be a judge.
So he entered the race with a grand reputation as a super lawyer and a dream of wielding power from the bench in a newly created seat in Lackawanna County.
Tierney is one of four candidates in a hotly-contested race.
And he’s the worst of the lot.
Tierney is bashful about who he is and what he stands for. Tierney doesn’t want to talk about his friendships and his professional relationships. Tierney wants us to vote for him simply because he believes he’s entitled to the job.
But real justice isn’t supposed to work that way.
Tierney was very visible on the campaign trail until recently.
But last Sunday a front page story in the Scranton Times raised serious questions about a multi-million dollar monetary award he received as the result of a bus accident in which he was injured.
The story detailed Tierney’s relationship with Lackawanna County President Judge Chester Harhut, who appointed the neutral arbitrator in Tierney’s case.
Harhut once served as a mentor to Tierney, who served as Harhut’s law clerk. Harhut also is the godfather to one of Tierney’s children.
Harhut appointed attorney Larry Moran as the neutral arbitrator in the case. Moran also has connections to Tierney, according to the newspaper article. Moran’s son is Tierney’s campaign manager in Tierney’s bid for the judge’s job.
Although Tierney refused to answer detailed questions for the article and his lawyer sent a threatening letter to the newspaper, Tierney still has a lot of explaining to do.
The story has been circulating for months.
After hearing the rumors for weeks but before the newspaper article appeared, I called Tierney and we spoke briefly about the accident and his bid for judicial office. He didn’t want to get into the dollar amount of the award and seemed very vague about other details.
But he said that nothing in the case had been inappropriate and that the insurance company that paid the award is not contesting the award. That insurance company is even picking up the bill for future additional surgery, Tierney said. If anything is wrong with the way the case was handled, why wouldn’t the insurance company file a complaint?
But after reading the newspaper article, I had further questions and wanted to talk more with Tierney. I also figured that he might want to offer a full explanation to voters. So I called his Scranton law office to invite him on the show.
Tierney wasn’t in, but I obtained his cell phone number. When I called and a man answered, I identified myself. The line went dead. I quickly called back and got Tierney’s voice mail. So I left a message.
Then I called Philadelphia and left a message for Tierney’s lawyer, who had threatened legal action against the Scranton Times.
Yesterday, after neither man had extended me the courtesy of a return phone call, I again called Tierney’s cell phone and left another detailed message.
But I have yet to receive a return call.
Timid Jim Tierney is in hiding.
Bashfulness is not an appealing attribute for an aspiring judge. With only one week remaining until Primary Election Day, this is no time for any candidate to be coy. Tierney’s sheepish pose will not help his cause nor will it make the facts go away.
The bench in Northeastern Pennsylvania is under more scrutiny than ever. As two former Luzerne County president judges prepare for federal prison after pleading guilty to taking kickbacks, no judicial candidate should further insult voters with a disappearing act.
If Tierney continues to hole up and refuse to further discuss his case, he should not be surprised if voters reject his candidacy. If Tierney is truly trustworthy, as good judges must be, he will come into the sunlight and answer some very troubling questions.
Harhut also is not immune to scrutiny. I spoke briefly with Harhut last week and asked about a rumor that he received a target letter from the U.S. Justice Department.
“Jesus Christ,” he said.
Harhut said he had not received a target letter and that he has not been interviewed by FBI agents.
“It makes your knees weak,” Harhut said of the rumors.
Harhut and Tierney need to start talking.
Judges, as well as aspiring judges, must live by the highest standards.
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