Stuart P. Slotnick Talks to Law360 about Mayor Bloomberg’s Comments Related to Federal Judge

New York Major Michael Bloomberg recently accused U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, who ruled against the city’s stop-and-frisk tactics, of bias, alleging she never intended to give the city a fair trial. The New York County Lawyer’s Association rebuked the mayor for his comments, and attorneys were divided about whether Bloomberg’s comments undermined confidence in the courts and whether it was fair for the judge to come under public scrutiny.

"I think New Yorkers want to hear what the mayor has to say about this," says Stuart P. Slotnick, managing shareholder of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney’s New York office. “The good thing about having federal judges is that they're appointed for life. That gives them protection against criticism from politicians and the press. The mayor's opinion is not going to affect the way this judge rules or how she handles this case.”

Slotnick also notes Bloomberg’s reputation for bombastic remarks and suggests his comments would have actually been more surprising if he had been not as fiery.

Read the full article (subscription required) – “Bloomberg Attack On Stop-and-Frisk Judge Riles Some Attys” (Law360, August 14, 2013)