December 11, 2008
Justice Williams Out the Door
It's difficult not to suspect something other than a desire for a life change lying behind this:
Frank J. Williams, the chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, stunned the legal and political community today with his announcement that he is stepping down from the high court. ...He plans to continue his Lincoln scholarship, and looks forward to relinquishing the administrative duties of his job before the start of the new General Assembly session in January. ...
Williams, an Abraham Lincoln scholar who earns about $180,000 a year, will be eligible for 75 percent of his salary in retirement. Had he remained for two more years, he would have been able to collect his full salary.
Apparently absolutely nobody had any idea this was coming. That aspect of the report alone makes one wonder whether there's somebody out there who had advance warning, and who knows the reason... if you catch my drift.
"Williams, an Abraham Lincoln scholar who earns about $180,000 a year, will be eligible for 75 percent of his salary in retirement. Had he remained for two more years, he would have been able to collect his full salary."
Obviously, Frank Williams took retirement early in order to save the pension system that extra 25%. How selfless of him! ;)
Posted by: Will at December 11, 2008 6:49 PMJustin,
I think you're reading too much into this...
Willliams understands that come January, the Judiciary's current Pension Plan will be going away and he is willing to cut his losses…..
Anyone willing to wager that Montalbano shows up to replace him?
Montalbano?Why not go whole hog and put David Cicilline in?
Posted by: joe bernstein at December 11, 2008 8:35 PMI'm not sure what it is you suspect. I'm surprised at the short notice of a few weeks, but not surprised that he's retiring. If I recall correctly, he said some years ago that he didn't see himself serving on the court for a long time.
Posted by: Jon at December 11, 2008 10:46 PMI agree with Justin. Dude likes the cash (and the limelight), and to walk away two years short of a full pench...
Posted by: rhody at December 12, 2008 1:42 PMI agree with Justin. Something is somewhat fishy. I don't think Montalbano would be getting this, but it is RI after all. I have talked with some friends who have theories, one being that he is cutting his losses now regarding his pension because of the problems with the state. Another friend said if Corrente gets the spot, you know why things went the way they did in Operation Dollar Bill.
Posted by: kathy at December 12, 2008 5:21 PMFrank,
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
http://FrankWilliamsSucks.com
:)
Posted by: Citizen Critic at December 15, 2008 2:55 AM