► Fremont News-Messenger – 05/28/01 Complaint lodged against retired Sandusky County judge Print

Fremont News-Messenger – 05/28/01 Complaint lodged against retired Sandusky County judge

 
COLUMBUS – A retired Sandusky County Common Pleas judge faces a misdemeanor complaint for failing to report travel expenses – one of the latest charges filed against a judge by a self-proclaimed watchdog.
 
David Palmer of Powell filed a misdemeanor complaint in Franklin County Municipal Court Thursday against Judge Bruce Huffman for failing to report more than $100 in travel expenses on financial disclosure statements for the year 2000.
 
“In my mind, I thought that it wasn’t income, it was just reimbursement for expenses,” said Huffman, who lives just outside Fremont. “If necessary, I’ll file an amended return.”
 
Palmer, who faces a charge of practicing law without a license, has lodged felony complaints of theft against nine other retired visiting judges, claiming they double-billed and triple-billed the state for daily stipends, meals and lodging.
 
Retired visiting judges travel around the state to county courts that request them, often because the local judges have a conflict-of-interest in a case or face a large backlog.
 
Huffman described Palmer’s complaints as “totally spurious.” He claimed that Palmer’s misdemeanor charge against him was motivated by an unfavorable ruling in a civil case.
 
“I ruled against him in a hearing in Toledo,” he said.
 
Retorted Palmer: “His filing of false ethics disclosure statements is my fault? He fears the truth.”
 
Palmer claims Huffman – while disclosing travel reimbursements in 1999 =- failed to do so the next year.