Judge collects 175G salary while in jail
A New York judge is raking in $175,500-a-year in her state-taxpayer-funded salary — for sitting in jail.
Rochester City Court Judge Leticia Astacio has been locked up since June 5 for violating her parole for a DWI conviction.
“You’re ruining my f--king life,” Astacio reportedly whined to cops when they found her behind the wheel of her car on the side of the highway around 8:00 a.m. on Feb. 13, 2016.
She reeked of alcohol and refused a Breathalyzer, according to reports.
Still she got off with a $500 fine, a one-year conditional dis- charge and an interlock device on her car.
Then in May, the judge overseeing her probation ordered a random alcohol test after a high reading on the interlock device. Astacio wasn’t able to complete the test in a timely fashion because she was in Thailand.
“You’re doing everything to show that you don’t care what happens to your public trust,” Judge Stephen Aronson told his colleague before throwing her in jail for contempt earlier this month.
She’s due back in court in July for her sentencing on the contempt ruling.
Ironically state law protects Astacio despite her behavior.
The same law allows judges to take unlimited sick leave. The lax policy has benefited at least two severely overweight judges. Daniel J. McCullough of Queens was finally forced into retirement earlier this week after failing to show up to work for over three years because his morbid obesity kept him in the hospital and rehab center. All the while he was collecting a $193,000 salary and will still retire with a hefty pension.
Another judge, Elizabeth Shollenberger of suburban White Plains, landed a $175,500 seat— but her 400-pound weight prevented her from being able to climb the three steps to her courtroom bench. She’s on a fully paid, indefinite medical leave.
Shollenberger and Astacio can keep their salaries even though the Office of Court Administration has barred them from handling cases. Only the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct has the power to remove judges from their posts.
The commission does not comment on probes until and unless a judge is formally disciplined.
Nearly 2,000 people are clamoring for Astacio’s ouster.
“If regular citizens don’t get off easily, why should she?” fumed one person in an online petition.
Astacio was elected to her sixfigure post in 2014.
Her attorney did not return a message seeking comment.