Traffic Court Judge Nominee in Hot Seat

May 20, 2007 (WPVI) -- Action News takes a hard look at a man who has just won a primary election for traffic court judge, but who it seems may be on the wrong side of the bar of justice.

Sources tell Action News he's been found guilty of reckless driving, driving without a license, careless driving, owes over eleven thousand dollars in fines, and there's a bench warrant out for his arrest.

These are the people traffic court is supposed to be working to get off the streets. So you have to wonder, how in the world did he just get nominated to be a judge himself over at traffic court?

"It's time to stop the silence and start speaking out and say you're not gonna do this in our community no more!" At age 26, traffic court nominee Willie Singletary has a persuasive way with words. "This is my community, so if I don't change, my daughters won't be able to go outside, they won't be able to go to school," Willie said at a rally as he appealed to bikers for their support.

The community activist recently ran a successful campaign as a nominee on the democratic ticket for traffic court judge.

Singletary told the crowd: "I'm running for Traffic Court Judge, right. And I need some money, I'm gonna tell y'all just like it is. I need some money. I got some stuff I gotta get - do. But If y'all could get $20 cause y'all gonna need me in traffic court, am I right about that?" But what most people did not know is that Singletary was aspiring to be traffic court judge, and judge other people over the very laws he is apparently notorious for breaking.

Records Action News obtained show his drivers license is revoked until 2011 for a slew of traffic convictions, including driving with no insurance, reckless driving, careless driving, running a red light, driving an unregistered vehicle, an entire laundry list of charges that has netted him $11,412 in fines and a warrant for his arrest.

Bernie Strain ran against Singletary for traffic court and lost, but he believes the outcome may have been different if the 45 thousand plus people who voted for Singletary knew about all this. Strain tells us, "This is a fraud that was perpetrated against the voters of Philadelphia in every way, shape and form. This is a ridiculous outcome.

In a video obtained by Action News Singletary addressed a crowd saying, "Everybody say Amen." CROWD: AMEN! "Hold up, don't move, I need you before you leave, come right here to the center and drop a donation in the black ... pocket now if y'all want me to get you, y'all gonna need my hook-up right?" CROWD: YEAH! "Right?" CROWD: Yeah!

Singletary's lawyer also declined to speak with us for this report. Privately, a number of court judges we spoke with are outraged saying this case makes a mockery of the judicial system.

Despite a number of conversations with Singletary, he refused to speak with us about this.

(Copyright 2007 by Action News and 6abc. All Rights Reserved.)

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