City Judge Accused of Misconduct, Council Just Learns After a Year

[DowntownNow]

Posted in the Tulsa World...and with a Taylor adminstration connection no doubt.

City judge is accused of misconduct

by: P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
Thursday, May 14, 2009
5/14/2009 3:17:04 AM

The Tulsa City Council's investigative committee is probing allegations of nepotism and sexual harassment against Municipal Presiding Judge Dan Crawford.

One of the harassment allegations stems from an incident last year that was reported to city Human Resources Director Jeff Wilkie but not forwarded to the council. By state law, councilors are the supervising authority over the municipal judge.

Crawford said Wednesday that he was never told that anyone had complained that he displayed inappropriate sexual behavior.

The council received several anonymous complaints through the city's ethics hot line last week.

Two of the complaints alleged sexual harassment and nepotism, Council Chairman Jack Henderson and Vice Chairman Rick Westcott confirmed.

In the spring of 2008, city officials investigated the same allegation of sexual harassment after an employee assigned to Crawford's court complained about the judge's behavior.

The employee, who asked the Tulsa World not to identify her, no longer works for the city and said she did not call the ethics hot line.

In an interview with the World, she said she perceived flirting and certain comments from the judge to be sexually inappropriate.

The former employee, who was 23 at the time, said she told a superior about the judge's comments. She said she was then called in by Tulsa Municipal Court supervisors, who tape-recorded an interview with her about her claims.

She said she was later summoned by Wilkie for another interview. She subsequently was reassigned to another judge, and about a year later she left her job with the city, she said.

Henderson and Westcott, who are on the investigative committee, said they were shocked to learn about the complaint and probe a year after it happened.

Wilkie confirmed last week that he had interviewed the employee, Council Administrator Don Cannon said. City administration officials would not say what the woman alleged during the interview.

Henderson questioned why the administration didn't notify the council last year. Because the council supervises the judge, it might have wanted to investigate the matter itself, he said.

Mayoral Chief of Staff Amy Polonchek said policy was followed and that if no disciplinary action were required, a decision on whether to forward the complaint to the council would be up to Wilkie.

She also said that if a complaint is placed through the ethics hot line, it would go directly to the supervising authority, as those lodged last week did.

The nepotism allegation against Crawford stems from an eight-week, paid, high school internship program for the summer of 2008 that was developed by Municipal Court Administrator Tony Cellino.

One of the interns was Crawford's daughter, who the judge said worked part of the internship in his court but was supervised by Cellino. Crawford said she was one of many who applied and that he was not involved in the selection.

Polonchek said the administration was not aware of the program or that Crawford's daughter was employed. Technically, she said, Crawford wasn't supervising his daughter, so the city's nepotism policy wasn't violated.

Westcott and Henderson said they, Cannon and Council Attorney Drew Rees will investigate the merits of the complaints they received. If they find that the complaints are merited, they will take them to the full council in an executive session, they said.

Westcott said that because the council appoints municipal judges, the council could determine whether misconduct occurred and take action. State law allows the council to remove a municipal judge.

Crawford's name has also surfaced in connection with an article in the January issue of Tulsa Lawyer, the official publication of the Tulsa County Bar Association.

Earlier this week, the magazine issued a clarification about an article by Crawford that was published in the January issue. The clarification came after the Tulsa World questioned Crawford and Tulsa County Bar Association President Leonard Pataki about why more than half of the article was taken from published sources without attribution.

A review by the World of Crawford's article shows that it used lengthy verbatim passages that appear to have been taken from six different sources without attribution.

The clarification, which was e-mailed to the bar membership and to the World on Tuesday, says the magazine mistakenly published the article, "Courting the Homeless," by Crawford without the judge's knowledge or permission and that the judge did not submit it for publication.

Before the clarification was issued, Crawford said he and the city were trying to get funding for the program, so he wrote the paper and submitted it in an attempt to get a grant from the bar association.

"We're trying to start a homeless court," he said.

He said he "put together a cobbled story from all the information I could find. The next thing I know, I see it in the article. At that point, I see there is no issue there. It's over."

Milly Dunlap, who compiled the magazine for the bar association, said the article was submitted for publication by another attorney.

Crawford said Wednesday that he was not working with the city to get the program, and that he is a victim of the article's publication. He said he is satisfied with the clarification.

Polonchek said the city was not involved with the article or with seeking a grant.


Comments have been abuzz on the Tulsa World website regarding this new article.  

There are a few things here that bothered me based on the article and the resulting comments (miracle to most some of you Im sure, right?):

Numerous allegations of similar circumstances warrant an investigation, if nothing else, to clear the Judge's name if he is proven in the right.

The other issue here is the Taylor administration's involvement in this matter. Jeff Wilkie is a Taylor at-will hire.  He is Taylor's Director of Organizational Development and Performance.  He does not select municipal judges nor is he or the adminstration the recognized 'supervising authority' under State law.

Amy Polancheck is also a Taylor at-will employee as her chief of staff. She states that 'technically' procedures were followed...sorry, but 'technically' and according to State law, this should have been reported to the City Council for investigation, not Jeff Wilkie or the Mayor's adminstration.

That is why this system is set up, to provide openness and transparency and not to allow even a sense of impropriety in the process.  

Now, unfortunately, you have actions that have cast doubt on the process and the transparency regarding the initial investigation a year ago.  

My disappointment in this adminstration is its often times blatant and continued lack of adherence to established laws and procedures.  There has to be something better than the "do it now, ask forgiveness later" mentality.  

[Conan71]

I just KNEW there would be a "Mayor's fault" dig in there.

In the first sentence of the OP, no less.  Congrats DowntownNever.

[cannon_fodder]

Isn't this one of those "there might be an issue" articles?

The judge had a niece who applied for an internship program and ended up getting assigned part of the time with the court.  So?  Not necessarily an issue.

Apparently sexual allegations were handled according to policy. It might be a bad policy, but I bet it isn't new to Mayor Taylor.

And the article was lazy writing and not professional if it was indeed plagiarized.   If he did not submit it for publication or otherwise claim it as his own writing, it is only poor taste. If he attempted to pass it off as his own work it is an ethics matter.  If he attempted to have it published it is really unprofessional (and that the Bar didn't catch it!).

I don't know this judge and have never done anything in muni, the article points to smoke but as of yet there isn't the raging fire you hint at.  Let alone a long fuse leading to City Hall.

But good to see some positive comments thrown in there too . . .

[guido911]

I just KNEW there would be a "Mayor's fault" dig in there.

In the first sentence of the OP, no less.  Congrats DowntownNever.

It's Bush's fault.

[waterboy]

It's Bush's fault.

Don't be silly. Cheney most likely with Rush directing him.

[Conan71]

It's Bush's fault.

Olbermann spooner.

[PonderInc]

Well, at least this judge wasn't shaving or pumping anything...

[guido911]

Don't be silly. Cheney most likely with Rush directing him.

Thanks for correcting me. 

[mr.jaynes]

Olbermann spooner.

I'm actually surprised by Olbermann's versatility- before he was commenting on the day's events, he was one of the more analytical sports anchors in the field!