MEDIA, PA – Michael Coll, a Judge in Delaware Country, PA went into a rant about Greeks during a child support hearing involving Gus Hartas, a Greek-American, NBC10, the network’s local affiliate reported.
According to court transcripts, NBC reported, Coll asked Hartas: “Are you of Greek background, sir?”
When Hartas replied “yes,” the judge went into a rant: “The Greeks never pay taxes,” he said. “That’s why their country is in bankruptcy.”
Hartas’ attorney objected, but Coll continued: ““So can I take judicial note of the fact that the Greeks are in bankruptcy as a nation and one of the reasons, the principal reason is because none of them ever pay taxes?”
“I object,” the attorney said. “I object to the statements that you’re making.”
“Well, these are simply statements of fact, right?” the judge asked.
Hartas told NBC10 that Coll’s comments about Greeks “just means that he’s a straight racist person. If he said that about us, you know he would’ve said that about anybody, blacks, Hispanics…”
Hartas also described how his mother, who was in court with him, had her head down and was crying when Coll made the remarks.
Through NBC10, Coll issued an apology: “My language does not accurately reflect my feelings about the Greek community. I regret the language I used during the hearing.”
Coll also vacated the child support order he had signed during the hearing, and ordered a new hearing with a different judge.
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