County Court Judge Ana Maria Pando is on the hot seat and being asked to recuse herself from a number of cases, due to misconduct and financial conflict of interest. She accepted large campaign donations from Florida Wellness & Rehabilitation and shortly after Judge Pando took extraordinary steps for the company in court, giving the appearance of corruption and bribery from the bench.
According to detailed reports, Judge Pando has refused to recuse herself from other similar cases with a conflict of interest present, infuriating litigants and their lawyers, who filed motions regarding her behavior. In 2005, Pando was publicly censured by the government, in a televised hearing, for violating the Judicial Code of Conduct. However, she was allowed to continue as a judge, but more allegations of misconduct have surfaced, as reported by Channel 7 this month, in a telecast viewed by many in South Florida.
Regrettably there are corrupt judges in the judiciary and they are doing an extraordinary amount of damage to the nation. Some are on a local level others are in the federal division and nationwide. All it takes is the right campaign donation or stock transfer and they will rule corruptly. There are even known cases, where presidents such as George W. Bush and Barack Obama have corruptly directed judges to rule in favor of their lawbreaking campaign donors and friends, on a federal level and all the way up to the Supreme Court. It is inappropriate, unethical and unconstitutional when one branch of the government decides to corruptly take over another.
STORY SOURCE
Carmel on the Case: Judge
Posted: 02/07/12 - The behavior of a South Florida judge is being questioned tonight. Investigative reporter Carmel Cafiero has this exclusive...County Court Judge Ana Maria Pando handles civil cases in her Hialeah courtroom. But now she is being asked to step down to rescue herself from some of those cases. So far, five attorneys have filed 16 motions charging Judge Pando violated the Code of Judicial Conduct, "As she lent the prestige of her judicial office to advance the private interests of Florida Wellness & Rehabilitation Center Inc."
Carmel Cafiero: "Florida Wellness has had a number of cases before Judge Pando. Late last year the company told the State the corporation was dissolving. That was apparently a mistake." An accountant for Florida Wellness accidentally sent the state paperwork the company was closing. Using her judicial stationary, Judge Pando wrote the state to help get the company's operating status returned. State records show the company was then reactivated by "court order."...
Bob Jarvis, Nova Southeastern University: "There's no reason why a judge should be writing on behalf of anybody to begin with, certainly not on her official stationary. But if this is a party that is regularly in her court, or that has even been in her court, I mean that just makes the appearance of impropriety even greater and really makes it inappropriate even more so for a judge to have done what she did."
Judge Pando is up for reelection but has no opposition. So far she has raised close to $70,000. Among the contributors- $2,000 from four Florida Wellness & Rehabilitation Centers, reported the month after the letter was sent. The judge turned down our request for an interview...
http://www.wsvn.com
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