Janine Orie, sister of and former secretary to Justice Joan Orie Melvin, was ordered to stand trial yesterday, after a three-hour hearing the Trib called “contentious.” During the hearing, Joan’s former clerk, Lisa Sasinoski, testified that Janine frequently ordered judicial staff to do political work, from writing speeches to working the polls. [Trib] Funny anecdote from the article: Sasinoski was asked how any judicial work got done in Justice Orie Melvin’s chambers with all the political campaign work being ordered, and she responded that the Justice came into work at 7:30 am every day. The Trib reporter heard Janine whisper “How would she know? She was never there.” I knew the Ories were Mean Girls! Sasinoski now works for the Justice who beat Orie Melvin in the election for which she was allegedly campaigning from her chambers.
Justice Orie Melvin has not been charged with any crime, but the allegations of misconduct are very troubling. Bruce Ledewitz of Duquesne University penned an editorial in today’s Post-Gazette urging the Justice to resign.