Philly Judge Faces Ethics Issue Over Wife’s Cheesesteak Shop | EUROtoday

A Philadelphia decide’s function in a cheesesteak store owned by his spouse has prompted a panel to allege he’s violated the state’s ethics guidelines.

The Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board on Tuesday filed a criticism towards Common Pleas Judge Scott DiClaudio over Shay’s Steaks, a high-end cheesesteak restaurant that opened greater than a yr in the past a number of blocks from metropolis corridor. He’s accused of utilizing his standing as a decide to advertise the enterprise.

“This complaint is such a farce,” DiClaudio, who’s performing as his personal lawyer, stated in a cellphone interview Tuesday night. “People do not come to Shay’s because a judge may make their cheesesteak.”

“I have a support role, which I’m permitted to have,” he stated. In a podcast interview cited by the board, DiClaudio mentioned choices about pricing, elements, wage ranges for workers and competing eating places.

“I don’t mind charging $19, because I’m giving you a better quality steak,” DiClaudio stated on the podcast.

Lately, he stated, well being points and the calls for of getting a younger baby have restricted his time within the enterprise. As a prison court docket decide, his focus lately is on court docket actions filed by defendants after they’ve been convicted.

The Judicial Conduct Board investigates and prosecutes doable cases of decide misconduct in Pennsylvania. The case shall be heard by the Court of Judicial Discipline.

The board criticism notes that information protection of the restaurant in Philadelphia, the place cheesesteaks are the topic of perpetual public curiosity, has famous he’s a decide. One story referred to him as “whiz honor” — a reference to using Cheez Whiz on some cheesesteaks.

If something, DiClaudio stated, his function within the restaurant could also be enhancing the picture of judges within the minds of his fellow Philadelphians, giving them “confidence in the judiciary — that we’re not all robots.”

Shay’s Steaks is known as for his late mom and the luncheonette his dad and mom ran for greater than twenty years in South Philly.

The criticism references a number of information tales concerning the restaurant that describe him as a decide.

“I had no idea what they were going to write,” DiClaudio stated. “I had no say in the editing process until I saw it myself.”

He famous an indication on the restaurant states Jackee DiClaudio is the proprietor — the couple lives in the identical constructing because the restaurant. He stated Shay’s Steaks has by no means used a picture of him in judicial robes or described him as a decide in promoting supplies. He says he’s by no means been paid for his work there, and that the earnings go to his spouse.

DiClaudio is accused of falling in need of a requirement that judges at all times act in a method that promotes public confidence within the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. Another allegation is that he violated a rule that judges “not abuse the prestige of judicial office to advance the personal or economic interests of the judge or others, or allow others to do so.”

County judges reminiscent of DiClaudio could not produce other employment that might in any method intervene with their judicial duties and duties, stated Sam Stretton, a distinguished judicial ethics lawyer. He has represented DiClaudio prior to now, and should once more within the present matter.

“He’s very proud of his wife and what she’s doing there,” Stretton stated. “Sure, he gives input but I don’t see that as being prohibited. The issue he’s got to deal with is: Is there self-promotion here?”

Complicating the case is that DiClaudio is at present on probation underneath a choice by the Court of Judicial Discipline that concerned tax liens and an unpaid invoice. He was discovered to haven’t acknowledged debt on his monetary disclosure types and didn’t obey court docket orders, resulting in repeated contempt citations towards him, the court docket stated.

He was suspended with out pay for 2 weeks, so so as to qualify for a pension and retiree well being care he must serve two extra weeks after his time period expires in January 2026. A Democrat, he’s in search of retention to a different 10-year time period. If he wins retention he says he’s contemplating retiring early subsequent yr.