Massachusetts Judges dole out $2M in hush money...and it’s your taxes!

The Boston Herald reports:

State trial court officials - already under investigation over their handling of tens of millions of dollars - doled out nearly $2 million in secret payments since 2002 to settle legal claims, including allegations of workplace discrimination and federal civil rights violations, state records show.
Among those who have obtained taxpayer-funded settlements is a Framingham District Court clerk whose male boss in 2000 hit her with his cane, pulled her hair, dropped paper clips down her shirt, squirted her with water and once choked her “like a rag doll,” court records show.


Others include a payment to the current chief of the state’s probation office, who sued after he was locked up in 2002 by a Brighton District Court judge for contempt of court, and a Roxbury District Court worker who was paid $15,000 to settle a discrimination claim against the court’s then-presiding justice, records show.
The 51 settlements include a number of other claims for discrimination, raising questions about how carefully trial court officials are paying attention to those types of complaints lodged by workers.
“The issue is the trial court successfully and properly monitoring employees so they don’t have to pay out these kinds of figures,” said Boston employment attorney Kevin G. Powers, who has litigated cases against the trial court. “Any amount of money paid out for discrimination claims is a waste of taxpayer money because discrimination shouldn’t happen.”

There seems to be no checks and balances on the government.Maybe handing governments officials more money and power isn't such a good idea.