Judge Rebuked for Watching Porn

[gonzo]

Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court Judge Brandt C. Downey III appeared before the Florida Supreme Court last week to receive a public reprimand for viewing pornography in his chambers from 2002 through 2005. He will be retiring at the end of the year and during the remaining months that he is on the bench, Downey’s Internet and e-mail access will be restricted.

It’s hard to imagine that a judge had the audacity to surf porn sites on his office laptop for three years. Kudos to the technicians who discovered the inappropriate activity and reported it. Officials said the judge repeatedly infected his computer, as well as the computer system for the entire courthouse. The viruses exposed other courthouse personnel to unwelcome pornographic images. What could be worse?

Despite such egregious behavior, the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission did not remove Downey from the bench. Then the Florida Supreme Court upheld that determination, agreeing that Downey could remain in office until the end of his term, if he agreed never to seek judicial office again. Talk about a deal with the devil. He should have been removed from office immediately.

At least 61-year-old Downey had the decency to make a public apology, saying that his actions harmed the "public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary." That’s an understatement.

The Center for Moral Clarity has taken a firm stand against pornography, but it’s a difficult battle to win. Pornography is a $10-billion business, larger than the NFL, the NBA and Major League Baseball combined. It’s estimated that 60 percent of all Web sites are sexual in nature. This case illustrates that the people clicking on the lustful images aren’t just deranged pedophiles.

Can you tell that this was written by The Center For Moral Clairty?