From the Washington Post:
A former administrative law judge has been sentenced to four years in prison for taking bribes from a Kentucky lawyer in a $600 million Social Security fraud case.
Eighty-one-year-old David B. Daugherty of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in May to taking more than $600,000 in bribes in cases involving clients of Eric C. Conn, who is now a fugitive and was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison. ...
4 comments:
The thing I find funny about some ALJs that have been brought on board since Huntington happened is how guarded they are around attorneys. There also seems to be an attitude of mistrust towards attorneys at the agency that is creeping its way down into hearing offices based on Huntington. Those of this mindset should be mindful of the fact that in the Huntington case, it was the ALJ that initiated the pay to play scheme, not the attorney. Daugherty admitted that it was he who approached Conn about paying him off. The way the agency and many of its judges act, you would think it was vice versa.
One judge I appear before has the attorney and claimant brought back into the hearing room before he comes in, then has the hearing reporter call his office to tell him the attorney and claimant are in the hearing room. He then opens the door and barks "on the record". Other judges refuse to speak with an attorney off the record. Even "hello" is frowned upon. It's as though they think we will somehow use our Rasputin like, Svengali charm to ingratiate ourselves with them and somehow change them from being 25% granters (the type who are usually like this generally have lower than average approval rates) to rubber stamping our claims.
I have also heard from ALJ's that I do speak with that ever since Huntington, basically any form of human interaction with attorneys is frowned upon. In state court, judges and attorneys who practice before said judges regularly meet outside of court for golf games, charitable events, cocktail hours, bar events, etc. I don't think making small talk about the weather or local sports means you are one step away from rubber stamping cases and accepting bribes. Our local bar's Social Security section attempted to get some of the local ALJs to speak at one of our events and the agency shot us down.
Was thinking ALJ Daugherty was the only 1 of the 3 involved who has taken his medicine.
Conn obviously was a coward cutting off his ankle bracelet. Instead of 12 years in prison, he now could get life. Great job Conn.
The psychologist Adkins tried to commit suicide after being sentenced. Easy way out.
This ALJ committed a horrible crime especially considering he was a judge, someone who should be above this. Unless I am mistaken, it does not seem like Daugherty tried to claim innocence.
America usually prefers criminals to admit their mistakes. Was thinking about how in sports people forgave Andy Pettitte for using PEDs but vilifies those who lied like Bonds, Palmeiro, Clemens, etc. Then, it seems more fair to meter out punishment. It's not usually the crime but the coverup.
Hope Daugherty learns something in those 4 years.
All judges and attorneys cut deals off the record when they are not at the Christmas party...the watering hole ..the golf course...or the annual black tie event. Some of them have been been buds for decades. I had an old school attorney tell me all about it one day...They are always cutting deals.
Both you and your "old-school attorney" friend are idiot, conspiracy-theorists. Grow up.
Post a Comment