Chief justice says ethics board sent him ‘letter of inquiry’

HARRISBURG, PA. » The chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court received an “informal letter of inquiry” on Wednesday from the board that investigates allegations of wrongdoing by judges, his office confirmed.

The probe apparently concerns allegations that Chief Justice Thomas Saylor may have improperly interfered in disciplinary matters involving former Justice Cynthia Baldwin.

Baldwin was recently reprimanded for her actions as Penn State’s top lawyer in representing university administrators nearly a decade ago before a grand jury that was investigating Jerry Sandusky.

Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts spokesperson Stacey Witalec said Saylor plans to respond to the letter from the Judicial Conduct Board “in due time.” No other details were disclosed.

Baldwin, who is Black, made public in late July a sworn affidavit that accused Saylor, who is white, of complaining to another judge in 2012 about Baldwin’s

supposed “minority agenda.”

The affidavit by former Northumberland County Judge Barry Feudale, who had managed the Sandusky grand jury, claims Saylor told him at a judicial conference in Hershey that a disciplinary complaint was in the works against Baldwin in connection with the Sandusky investigation.

Saylor told Feudale that Baldwin “caused us a lot of trouble when she was on the Supreme Court with her minority agenda,” Feudale claims in the affidavit.

Saylor has denied that allegation, describing it as false and offensive.

“If the affidavit is as sworn, it shows bias and vindictiveness” in the disciplinary process against her, Baldwin said last month.

Baldwin said she did not know of Feudale’s allegations against Saylor until her lawyers in the disciplinary matter received the affidavit from Feudale.

Baldwin, 75, a Democrat, served briefly as a justice in 2006-07 as an appointee of then-Gov. Ed Rendell.