The State of Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board filed a complaint Friday in response to a Chicago Sun-Times investigation that reported 243 incidents where pornographic material was accessed with Will County Judge Joseph C. Polito's computer account over a six-month period.
The newspaper reported that all recorded attempts to access pornographic websites were blocked by software "designed to stop county employees wasting taxpayer time," but was told by the county's technology chief that it is possible other attempts were successful.
Attempted visits to websites including chubbyparade.com, hugeheavybreasts.com, bigbras-club.com, portofdebauchery.com and teenagesextape.com were logged from inside the Joliet courthouse.
The Inquiry Board's complaint alleges that if Judge Polito did access the pornographic sites from the computer in his chambers, he knowingly violated the Code of Judicial Conduct and brought "disrepute" to the judicial office, justifying disciplinary action, NBC Chicago reports.
Polito will face a hearing and have the opportunity to defend himself, CBS Chicago reports. The judge was reassigned from divorce court after the initial Sun-Times investigation was released, but disciplinary action could ultimately include termination.
Polito reportedly sought treatment voluntarily after the newspaper's findings were published.