Washington County Voters Follow Infindorsement, Bench Melograne -- Steve Toprani Should Be Next

Gary Gilman rode the Infindorsement (everyone not named Melograne had the Infindorsement) to a nomination for Common Pleas judge in Washington County yesterday, and is destined to ride a more specific Infindorsement to victory in the general election.

Gilman defeated Phil Melograne, who had joined the bench with a shady appointment by Ed Rendell and will depart the bench after broadcasting advertisements in which the district attorney, Steve Toprani, asked voters to vote for Melograne because Toprani -- a partisan prosecutor who describes himself as a "political animal" -- had tired of watching judges exercise independent judgment with respect to criminal charges filed by Toprani.

Neither Toprani nor Melograne evinces a proper understanding of the relationship of prosecutor to judge. Voters have demonstrated a sound understanding of the appropriate relationship of Phil Melograne to the Washington County bench, however, and should similarly remove Toprani from office at the next opportunity.

Infytune: Judge Not, Bob Marley