Broward Courthouse Low! Judge Running For Election While Under Suspension
BY BUDDY NEVINS
This is sadly a new low for the scandal-scarred Broward County Courthouse: A judge running for election while suspended for wrongdoing.
There have been drunken Broward judges thrown off the bench. There have been lying judges thrown off the bench.
But Broward Circuit Judge Vegina “Gina” Hawkins may have outdone them all.
Hawkins is accused of choking a courthouse employee.
And she got caught on camera!
And she remains suspended for her conduct!
Vegina “Gina” Hawkins
Since the Broward Courthouse is an alternate universe, Hawkins apparently believe such conduct deserves to be rewarded…with her election in August.
This would be her first election, since Hawkins was appointed by former Gov. Rick Scott after the last General Election in 2018.
Here is what the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigated the incident, says Hawkins did:
“On the morning of June 11, 2019, you interrupted a court employee’s work in another courtroom and summoned him into a secure hallway. As the employee walked into the hallway, you placed your hands on or near his neck and shook him. Your actions were captured on a courthouse security camera.”
Why?
“The incident occurred because you were displeased over having not yet received the documentation to prepare for your afternoon docket,” according to the JQC.
On what planet is that the proper way to act anywhere, at any time, for any reason? Yet Hawkins believes this is the judicial decorum we need on the Broward bench.
So on July 19, 2019 the Florida Supreme Court suspended Hawkins while the JQC further investigated. The JQC filed its amended charges against her on March 27.
Last week — roughly three weeks after the JQC filed its amended charges — the suspended judge decided she deserved to be elected. The suspended judge jumped into a race against Linda A. Alley, a civil litigator who works on cases for wronged plaintiffs.
After coming up with the $6,427.52 needed to qualify, Hawkins filed her financial disclosure form.
The form appears flawed.
She claimed $160,000 in income as a judge during 2019. That’s the annual salary for a Circuit Court judge.
Yet she was suspended immediately without pay on July 19, 2019. So she presumably didn’t work the entire year and earn the full $160,000.
The salary figure for her 2019 earnings, which she swore and signed, is not accurate.
We can add that to what’s wrong with Hawkins: Her sworn oath appears to mean nothing.
Maybe the JQC should add that to the list of wrongdoing Hawkins has already been accused of doing.
When looking at the choking incident, the JQC said this about Hawkins:
“Your actions constitute inappropriate conduct that violate Canons 1, 2A, and 3B(4) of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct, and demonstrate a present unfitness to serve.”
Voters need to remember that sentence.
April 27th, 2020 at 1:33 pm
Another Rick Scott mistake in judgement. Of course electing her eoukd make us the laughing stock of the State n probsbly the nation. This is a SNL Skit in development.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:24 pm
To blame Rick Scott for this is ridiculous. She had plenty of support to get appointed; and, no one could reasonably have thought she would (1) choke someone while in her robe no less, (2) then say it was in jest, (3) then say she never did it, (4) then say the camera angle was bad. She now lies about her income.
She has done her colleagues a huge disservice which indicates she doesn’t care about how important the job is. On the day she was appointed, then Governor Scott appointed three minorities as judges, including her. Now, all three have opponents. So much for Broward’s BS of caring about minorities. But, the point is, the other two judges didn’t deserve opponents and they got them in part because of Hawkins’ brazen conduct.
There are many hard-working judges in Broward. They all get tarnished though when a judge like this can’t be the least bit remorseful or contrite. Imagine, as a litigant, appearing before a judge that has choked a subordinate employee, repeatedly lied about it, and also lied about money. It’s truly sad.
April 27th, 2020 at 5:19 pm
Why wasn’t she arrested? I think that was a crime of some sort?
April 28th, 2020 at 6:02 am
She should have been arrested for assault.I mean do u think.if I grab one of u ,in which this was reported I be jail. … I blame the chief judge … once informed allowed her to preside.So she is running again.God bless her….
April 28th, 2020 at 12:04 pm
#2 No blame Rick Scott for HIS appointments? He isnt reasonsible because ‘she had plenty of suppport”. FROM WHOM? Rick Scott came from a firm industry n lived in a neighbirhood n social circle WOTH NO BLACKS n certainly NO BLACK WOEM LAWYERS. Obviously this appointed was ‘farmed out’ to some ignorant flunky. YES I BLAME RICK SCOTT FOR HIS BAD APPOINTMENTS
April 28th, 2020 at 6:54 pm
You have no clue where Rick Scott grew up. He lived in section 8 housing and was raised by his mother because his father was an abusive alcoholic.
His judicial appointments were largely well received. As far as Black judges go, they are almost all appointed by Republicans. Only Judge Holmes was appointed by a Democrat.
Blame whoever you want, but get your facts straight. It’s not that hard to do. Your post suggests that people knew Hawkins would behave the way she did when she was appointed. That is a long non-sensical reach at best.
April 29th, 2020 at 11:07 am
Let’s not forget that Rick Scott also gave us Lynn Rosenthal. She turned out to be a beauty.
April 29th, 2020 at 2:30 pm
#6.All else fails blame Daddy.Huh.( where have I heard lame excuse).
April 29th, 2020 at 2:38 pm
…Rick Scott SINCE HE WAS A BUSINESS SUCCESS like Donald Trump had NO SOCIAL BUSINESS or FINANCIAL involvement with MINORITIES OR ANYONE BUT RICH NOT TOO BRIGHT or Philantropic Whites. In 100 years of shelling ouy money my parents n I sure as Hell know who gives and who is a Golf Club weasel.
April 30th, 2020 at 9:37 am
#8 and #9
What ever happened to the concept of personal responsibility?
Vegina Hawkins did the deed. Why blame anyone else? Stick to the topic.