Gov. Corbett appoints two new members of Judicial Conduct Board

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced last week that he has appointed an official from Philadelphia’s Temple University as one of the newest members of the state’s Judicial Conduct Board (JCB).

Corbett, a Republican, named Democrat Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr., Temple’s Senior Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs, as one of the two newest non-lawyer members of the board, which is tasked with investigating allegations of misconduct among the judiciary.

The other newest lay member of the 12-member board is fellow Democrat Thomas M. Tigue, a former state representative who served in the 118^th Legislative District from 1981 until his retirement in 2006.

Tigue, who resides in Hughestown Borough, Luzerne County, previously served as a United States Marine Corp. colonel and was awarded a Silver Star for his time in Vietnam, according to a biography.

Before joining Temple University, Lawrence, who resides in Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County, founded Public Affairs Strategies, which represented both corporate companies and nonprofit organizations.

Lawrence also handled community and media relations for Merck & Co. for five years, and previously worked as the public policy representative for the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, according to his own bio.

Lawrence obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Temple University and a Master’s degree in Governmental Administration from the Fels Center of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.

Tigue earned a degree in government from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and has pursued graduate studies at Marywood University.

Corbett made the two appointments on Sept. 3, but the JCB didn’t announce the news until Sept. 20.

In addition to his day job with Temple University, Lawrence is involved with various civic groups and other organizations, such as the Avenue of the Arts, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Committee of Seventy, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and the Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, his biography states.

Lawrence, whose term on the board will run until Aug. 16, 2014, was appointed to fill the unexpired term of former JCB member Francis Bianconi, a businessman from Northeastern Pennsylvania who died this past spring, according to the JCB.

Tigue, whose term will end on Sept. 3, 2017, was appointed to a vacancy created by the expiration of the term of former JCB member C. Eugene McLaughlin, a Montgomery County printing company executive, the board announced.

Board members are not allowed to serve more than four consecutive years on the JCB.

Members of the JCB investigate allegations of judicial misconduct, and, if a majority of members decide probable cause exists that a jurist engaged in improper behavior, the board could file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline.

The CJD has the authority to levy sanctions on judges.