As a nation, particularly in trouble times like these, we desperately need our best young people to see public service as a worthy goal. The media has a particular obligation in that regard. Unfortunately, nowadays, when a so-called “scandal” erupts, the media tendency is to go into a feeding-frenzy mode and to savage public servants accused of anything as if they were totally craven and had done nothing good with their lives.
That dynamic is once again playing itself out in the coverage of Justice William Sullivan. Justice Sullivan has devoted virtually his entire public life to public service and, prior to the recent controversy, was one of the most respected judges in Connecticut. In the twilight of his career, he’s become a pawn in a political struggle.
