A judge puts his rights ahead of his career
James S. Robbins
Washington Times
5/6/2010
Can a sitting judge publicize a film that takes a satirical stab at President Obama? In the State of New Jersey the answer is no.
On Monday, the Supreme Court of New Jersey Advisory Committee on Extrajudicial Affairs advised New Jersey Municipal Court Judge Kenneth Del Vecchio that he “should not be interviewed, promote and participate in the press and publicity” accompanying the release of his new movie “O.B.A.M. Nude,” a political satire which Mr. Del Vecchio wrote, produced and starred in. In the film a college student makes a deal with the devil to become president. The plot is loosely based on the career of Barack Obama, a fact that Mr. Del Vecchio believes is the root of the dispute.
But rather than accept the committee’s ruling, Mr. Del Vecchio resigned. “They put me in an impossible position,” he said, “but my free speech rights are much more important to me than a judgeship.”
Read the rest of the article at the Washington Times.
