By Erika Icon
YNOT – Illinois taxpayers can rest easier now, knowing their tax dollars no longer will be used to purchase porn — at least by one public servant. Will County Judge Joseph Polito admitted to using the computer in his courthouse office to view internet porn and reportedly is seeking professional help to deal with what he calls an addiction.
In August 2011, the Chicago Sun-Times accused Polito of repeatedly using his office computer to access hardcore pornography. Among the sites he allegedly accessed were Club.com, PortOfDebauchery.com and TeenageSexTape.com. After the newspaper article appeared in July, the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board brought disciplinary action. Polito refused to discuss the matter until last week, when the Naperville Sun reported that he filed a response with the Illinois Courts Commission.
In the papers he filed last week, Polito admitted he frequently visited adult sites during work hours, specifically before he took the bench in the morning and after he completed afternoon court. He also admitted he knew about a state policy prohibiting porn-viewing at work. Polito also acknowledged he violated a state code requiring judges to “conduct [themselves] in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.”
Polito promised to make a concerted effort to make amends. He voluntarily entered treatment for “porn addiction,” and according to his attorney “has been treated by two licensed professionals on a regular basis and has participated in two separate support groups.”
Questions remain about Polito’s future on the bench. He still faces the possibility of a formal reprimand and dismissal when a disciplinary hearing proceeds before the Illinois Courts Commission.
