Lower Merion Commissioners should pay attention to this example set by Montgomery County D.A. Bruce Castor. D.A. Castor is not only recusing himself but his subordinates as well in the cases involving Andy Reid's sons. Why you ask? Because Ross Weiss,is a lawyer at Cozen O'Connor - a firm which represents the Reid sons....HMMMM....and Mr. Weiss is D.A. Castor's treasurer for his county commissioner campaign. See that? Castor isn't receiving direct remuneration, but because a lawyer from the firm of opposing council works on his campaign, he is doing the proper thing. Bruce Castor is doing the right thing here...hopefully others will follow his lead....we can only hope...however, this is yet another reason why Lower Merion needs to review the advice of counsel it has received as a governing body and individuals within that governing body on this touchy subject of what is and isn't a conflict and when disclosure alone is not enough, but recusal is warranted. Like it or not, this is an opinion the public is entitled to, right?
D.A.'s ties mean Pa. will handle Reid cases
By Jeff Shields and Mari A. Schaefer
Inquirer Staff Writers

Pennsylvania's attorney general will handle the separate criminal investigations of Andy Reid's sons after the local district attorney bowed out to avoid a conflict.

Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. told Attorney General Tom Corbett on Wednesday that his office had a conflict of interest in the cases. Britt Reid, 21, was charged with drug and firearm counts after a Jan. 30 traffic confrontation, and authorities said Garrett Reid, 23, had admitted using heroin before a traffic accident later that day.

Corbett could not be reached for comment, but he has assigned a prosecutor, Castor's office said in a news release. Castor declined to be interviewed.

Garrett Reid has not been charged, but Castor sent Corbett a draft of possible charges prepared by Plymouth Township police. The draft was not released yesterday. According to sources familiar with the case, Garrett Reid's blood test detected heroin.

Castor previously stated that he was recusing himself because the treasurer for his campaign for county commissioner, Ross Weiss, is a lawyer at Cozen O'Connor, which represents the brothers. Weiss had asked him not to participate in the investigation, Castor wrote.

Castor turned the cases over to the state after The Inquirer asked whether his conflict should also exclude his subordinates from the case. Any prosecutions would still occur in Montgomery County courts.

"While I have complete faith in my staff and their ability to objectively handle these investigations and prosecution, I believe it is important to avoid even the appearance of impropriety," Castor wrote.

In addition, he has had discussions with Cozen O'Connor about joining the firm after leaving the District Attorney's Office this year.