Wow. From the AP:
Former state Supreme Court Chief Justice William Sullivan apologized Wednesday for delaying the release of a court ruling to help a potential successor win confirmation and acknowledged that his actions led to Justice Peter Zarella’s appointment being derailed.“No doubt he would be chief justice today except for this matter,” Sullivan told members of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee…
“I deeply regret that outcome and I take full responsibility for it and for all my acts,” said Sullivan. (AP)
A remarkable statement. Sullivan still denies that he ever tried to help Zarella in particular by withholding the release of a controversial decision.
Source
“Former chief justice apologizes for withholding decision.” Associated Press 21 February, 2007.
23 responses so far ↓
The bench this guy belongs on is in a park.
Leaving aside the impropriety of Justice Boren’s actions (see my blog) this whole issue was never ever a big deal. People who think it was a big deal (1) have absolutely no perspective on how courts function — opinions are held up all the time for various reasons — and (2) have not followed the much more troubling behavior in other state high courts, notably the Michigan Supreme Court (see here: http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/189472-fighting-continues-among-michigan-justices ) but also the NY Court of Appeals — NY’s high court — where the Chief Judge actually went to prison (see http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070221/NEWS05/702210348/1021 ).
I do think that we have a below-average state judiciary but that is another matter. (There has not been a focus by either the legislature or the executive on excellence in the judiciary and, unlike other states, there just does not seem to be legal heavyweights on our high court.)
OK! There is still nothing new, and I doubt there will be. Sullivan goofed, Zarella paid. Don’t these legislators have anything better to do?
paul…why do say that??? it always makes me laugh when people speak about a topic and give generalizations about which they have absolute zero knowledge of…and genghis your headline is very misleading, but that is to be expected from the media
Genghis–Sullivan made pretty much the same statement during the JRC hearings. I’ve listened to most of the judiciary committee hearing today and so far nothing new is being said. Lawlor and McDonald could just as easily have read through transcripts of the previous hearings to get this info.
And Conncon–Really? Borden, Zarella, and Katz, at least, don’t strike you as legal heavyweights?
conconn…do some research, ct courts, in the last 10 years have some impressive accolades given nationally…please, fellas, do some research before you spout off…its so amusing
Fresh: Ironically, in your attempt to respond to me you don’t cite any specifics to support your sweeping assertions about “accolades.” Here’s some examples that prove my point. Our state court has been mocked nationally for its two most recent decisions: Kelo (resulting in a national backlash) and Sheff (resulting in hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars of unwarranted expenditures). Want more? What about the fact that a sitting member of the court — Justice Norcott — was suspended for 30 days as a result of having had an affair with an attorney that later appeared before the court? Also, when was the last time anyone from our state supreme court ascended to a higher (appellate) federal court? (There is arguably no greater measure of the abilities of a court.) By all objective measures it is a VERY average court.
conncon…well, im listening to justice sullivans recollection of how great the court was (as symbolized by national recognition) i many areas…the resume of our court system under sullivan with the help of many people speaks for itself….and no, he wasnt singing his own tune he was prompted to answer a question by kissell…just because every good deed dosnt end up in the newspapers doenst mean it isnt happening…and we all know, the hartford courant and other anti-judicial branch newspapers wouldnt write about the good stuff only ficticious scnadals…and by the way, sullivan voted against eminent domain, rogers on the other hand didnt….and as far as judges getting suspended, please, you have zero idea how thingsg come about, zero idea….
please, federal appointees are all political as much as that may make you cry..if gore won, you better believe lieberman would have got a ct judge a federal judgeship…and by the way, sitting on a state supreme court, in some eyes, is more prestigious than sitting on a federal bench…
..sheff was a liberal decision, you should love that, liberal judges….
..ill go toe to toe with you over ct’s courts
again, could someone please answer me this question—if sullivan didnt break any rule or law why is he bing put through the ringer???
oh yeah—politics and jealousy
Fresh, (referring to your first post #4)
Laugh alll you want. Rell simultaneouly annonces Sullivans retirement and Zarella’s nomination and then pressures the legislature to act quickly. All the while Sullivan is sitting on the decsion he thinks is harmful to Zarella. You think they would have thought about how this would look. Whatever you think about Sullivan as a judge, the fact is he’s pissed away his legacy due to petty arrogance and disrespect for openess and the separation of powers. He can go back to Waterbury and feed the crumbs of his carrer to the pigeons.
paul…your ignorance on this topic is disgusting…first, the judiciary committee was never going to take up a public hearing concerning zarella, which was completely political (at the time mcdonald was a big part of malloys campaign, figure out the rest). secondly, the past 4 chief justices had a hearing within 2 weeks, but not here (figure that out)…and as far as pissing away his legacy, well, and i mean this, i would wager to say that 95 out of a 100 people feel the exact opposite of your feelings…matter of fact, in many circles they are calling him a martyr who was caught up in a ficticious scandal purported by the media, jealous justices and liberal co-chairs of the judiciary committee…and as far as openness, go archive new york times articles under his name and there are a couple of stories about sullivan OPENING up ct files back in 02-03…see paul, it is clearly obvious you a bitter man who probably despises anyone in a uniform (cops, judges, co,s) but you attempt to say “see i told you so, they are all corrupt” rings so hollow when faced with facts…
as far as his legacy, this guy, by all accounts, has touched so many lives militarily, professionally, and socially that its breathtaking…and yes, hes probably fed some hungary pigeons too its just his nature from what i got out him duirng these proceedings.
If Sullivan is such a great legal mind, why was he so stupid???
stupid is subjective but the facts didnt merit what happened…simple concept, there is no law or statue that prohibits a judge from using discretionary judgement…numerous times this has been for a variety of reasons, so sullivan, knowing he wasnt breaking any rules or laws or statutes, acted in that capacity..
you say he was stupid, i say the judiciary committe is stupid for hearing such a case.
…what if…you were arrested for doing something that wasnt on the books????/ this state would be up in arms crying….
fellas, you beleive what you want to believe, and disregard the facts but not all scandals are real…
It’s a shame Sullivan, the former CJ of the CT Supremes, needs a law to know everything that would be right and wrong. I didn’t know that Sullivan had been arrested for his machinations to help Zarrella. Interesting!!!!
Look, look, look, lookee here:Judge Decries Court Secrecy
Orders Disclosure Of Super-Sealed Cases
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-secretcases0222.artfeb22,0,2725129.story?coll=hc-headlines-home
“I didn’t know that Sullivan had been arrested for his machinations to help Zarrella. Interesting!!!! ”
..what does this mean???
…oh, now he is supposed to be he-man….if its been done before, there is no rule against it then how can hebe in trouble….he said he didnt even give it a thought because it was discretionary…on the same site, people are bellowing and crying their little eyes out over a person being arrersted for taking a picture of the governor….there is no law that prohibits that and that is everyones basis for that injustice…double standard…and until you could differentiate the two, youhave no credibility
Where did you study law, fresh????
answer my previous question???
he said he didnt even give it a thought because it was discretionary Interesting, if it was discretionary you’d think he gave it some thought….Your defending the indefensible, fresh, with your convoluted logic but that’s what I guess partisanship can do to you. The state can be glad Sullivan is gone and the legislature needs to make some rules for these guys who too often think they are above it all. And the state can look forward to Rell’s clean and articulate nominee, Chase Rogers, who sounds like she can cut through the BS and stay above politics. You gotta scroll down a couple of articles but there’s a nice piece on some of the toughies she’s dealt with here:
http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/
he said he didnt even give it a thought because it was discretionary Interesting, if it was discretionary you’d think he gave it some thought”
well after 40 or years of law, and i assume basically seeing everything, discretionary action is second nature….”Your defending the indefensible”…what have i stated that is wrong?
and again, please answer my previous question?? or if you cant, then your credibility remains at zero on this topic
His decision to fight the subpoena was discretioanry – meaning it was his choice – so why’s he crying?? Still, he said that defending himself before the Judicial Review Council and against the General Assembly’s subpoena was expensive. “I have to pay the legal bills off,” he said.
“I acknowledge that I made a mistake in placing a hold on that decision,” Sullivan said. “I apologize to the General Assembly for that error in judgment and to the Judiciary for the problems I may have caused.” i.e. he admitted he was wrong,
http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_5277128
P.S fresh, the one thing I’ll give you is that the tone of the hearings from the legislature side was a little over the top but then Tacco had flaunted and dismissed them as irrelevant for months until he came out of denial – so he brought whatever shame he might have felt on himself. Tough nuggies. Rogers will be a breath of fresh air!!!!!!
“…..in many circles they are calling him a martyr who was caught up in a ficticious scandal purported by the media….”.
Gee, I can’t wait to see Sullivan’s statue in Waterbury’s Hall of Martyrs alongside of Rowland’s, Bergenn’s etc.
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