It’s good to see the PM taking political and moral leadership in this very serious matter
Judge Farrugia Sacco with his son David, a Labour Party star candidate in the upcoming general election
timesofmalta.com reports now:
Impeachment motions against judges Ray Pace and Lino Farrugia Sacco will be presented in a few hours if the two fail to tender their resignation voluntarily, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said.
Speaking at the end of a two-day summit meeting in Brussels this afternoon, Dr Gonzi reiterated his call for the two judges to resign for the public to be assured of the highest level of conduct by the Maltese judiciary.
“The presentation of the impeachment motions is imminent,” the Prime Minister warned.
“If the judges’ resignation is not on my desk within a few hours I will move on the next step to present the impeachment motions.”
While underlining a clear distinction between the two cases, as Mr Justice Ray Pace was facing criminal charges, while Judge Farrugia Sacco was facing a public reprimand from the International Olympic Committee, Dr Gonzi said that through their conduct, both judges put the reputation of the judiciary in the balance.
Joseph Muscat has said he will back an impeachment motion against Judge Pace (but will he give his people a free vote or use the whip?).
He said also said that he does not think Judge Farrugia Sacco should resign, because he doesn’t think that what he has done is of concern. He failed to mention that Judge Farrugia Sacco’s son is one of his party’s ‘star candidates’, or that Judge Farrugia Sacco is well enmeshed in friendship with shadow justice minister Jose Herrera and his sister the magistrate.
Farrugia Sacco cannot be impeached without the Opposition’s cooperation. This would be the Opposition, remember, which thought it very, very important to vote against a couple of cabinet ministers and Malta’s permanent representative to the EU, but who will not vote against a really very sleazy judge embroiled on the front page of The Sunday Times (London) in a major Olympic ticketing scandal.
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Daphne, could you please enlighten us as to the votes needed for an impeachment motion to pass?
[Daphne – Two-thirds of the house.]
It’s good to see Joseph held by the balls.
Kemm hu gifa.
“If there is an opposition leader with balls, this is NOT the one.”
– A note in my diary.
“Even from that distance, and without my monocle, I could see a pair of large balls, so I made my way across the room and grabbed them before anyone else could. I do love katleti.”
– From my diary, recounting a reception at the Russian embassy
“This would be the Opposition, remember, which thought it very, very important to vote against a couple of cabinet ministers and Malta’s permanent representative to the EU,”
I have always thought that Dr Muscat’s style of leadership is incredibly selfish, immature and undemocratic in a way. Since he became leader of the opposition he has done nothing but dish up reasons to bring down the government, which have been more tactical and opportunistic rather than necessary.
From walking out of parliament and crying for the cameras to jumping on Franco Debono’s bang wagon to Looney Ville, his time in opposition has been spent trying to create as many chances to have an early election.
Surely if/when he is in government he would expect some sort of cooperation from the Opposition? And so he should, so anyone should. They would disagree on issues and come up with alternatives, but at the same time respect that they are, in fact, the ruling majority.
Muscat has done nothing but try to weaken the majority because he isn’t in government. Should he end up in opposition again I hope he won’t spend the time trying hard to have another early election called. Imagine another five years of Muscat’s version of a vetocracy.
How come all the genius political moves come from the PN?
That’s because Labour are not fit for purpose. This is more evidence in favour of this statement.
What about Judge Anton Depasquale?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121214/local/commission-for-the-administration-of-justice-accuses-ombudsman-of-breaking-the-law.449588
Doing something against the law is when the law specifically states that you CANNOT do that something, e.g. you cannot steal (to put it simply). The Commission for the Administration of Justice cannot distinguish between doing an act which is against the law and doing something outside one’s remit.
Malta Today has reported that Judge Pace will be resigning imminently.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Gonzi-plans-imminent-impeachment-of-Pace-and-Farrugia-Sacco-20121214
For the record, Jose Herrera this morning on TVAm said that the Pace and Farrugia Sacco cases are totally different. He then went to great lengths to describe Farrugia Sacco’s as something really minor comparable to a parking ticket.
By his metre, he probably thinks that his sister is the reincarnation of Mother Theresa.
TRŻ 007
The Commission for the Administration of Justice is so alert when it wants to. If it had done its duty and pronounced itself earlier, there would have been no reason for the Ombudsman to speak.
Commission for the Administration of Justice accuses Ombudsman of breaking the law – The Times
Joseph Muscat and his party have a real test here. The Maltese public is watching.
Have often wondered how Judge Farrugia Sacco manages his case load in the Courts. With such a time-consuming and important “job” as Chairman of the MOC with all its travelling abroad which it entails it must be difficult for him..
https://www.facebook.com/NazzjonalistiBiss
I created this facebook page for the PN core-voters. I appreciate if it is shared.
Oh, so it was on the front page of The SundayTimes of London was it?
How come it has not bothered those who pretended to be so scandalized by the remarks of the mayor of London regarding Arriva’s bendy buses?
The MLP cannot ever open it’s foul mouth about anything, there is always something similar but a hundred times worse if they take a long hard look at a mirror.