Were the proceedings to remove Judge Lokuta tainted?  That is the real question here.  The Chairman of the Judicial Conduct Board was business partners in TWO businesses with the now indicted Judge Conahan.  Most of the 30 individuals that testified against Judge Lokuta worked directly for Conahan and Ciavarella and some of them have since also been indicted on corruption charges.  Upwards of 40 complaints had been filed against Conahan and Ciavarella prior to the Lokuta proceedings including specifics of case fixing and the “Kids for Cash” scandal.  All complaints were deemed to have no merit except for the above mentioned.  This specific complaint and investigation was tabled due to the Judge Lokuta action taking priority. It was tabled for years and NEVER investigated by the JCB. 

If the standards that were applied to the Judge Lokuta removal were applied to the entire PA Judiciary we would be short a lot of Judges.  I feel strongly that the above details clearly show that Judge Lokuta at the very least is entitled to a new, untainted trial.  The result may very well be the same but the last time I checked we are not Nazi Germany...  just yet.

The Times Leader - State Supreme Court upholds Lokuta's removal from bench 

The Legal Intelligencer - Justices Uphold Lokuta's Removal From Judicial Post

The following are the actual January 14, 2011 documents of the Supreme Court decisions:

OPINION

 CONCURRING OPINION OF JUSTICE BAER

DISSENTING OPINION OF JUSTICE SAYLOR