There will be a new judge hearing Sen. Fumo’s corruption case come Oct. 20.Judge Ronald Buckwalter will replace the ailing Judge William Yohn. Though there are usually timing concerns with a change like this, Buckwalter told the Inquirer that the final round of jury selection will resume, as planned, in 20 days.

Inky:

Yesterday’s one-sentence court order putting Buckwalter in charge of the trial gave no reason for Yohn’s withdrawal. Yohn’s staff declined to comment.

The two judges are much alike. Both are in their early 70s and are serving as senior judges. Both were appointed to the federal bench by President George H.W. Bush almost two decades ago.

And both Buckwalter and Yohn began their public careers as Republican officeholders in the suburbs. Buckwalter was a Republican district attorney in Lancaster County; Yohn was a Republican member of the state House from Montgomery County.

A native of Lancaster, Buckwalter graduated from Franklin and Marshall College, and earned a law degree from the College of William and Mary. After serving as district attorney in the late 1970s, he was a Lancaster County Court judge for a decade.

Since you’ve all surely been starved of Fumo-trial related news these days, you can go ahead and read pretty uch the same story in the York Daily Record or on It’s Our City.

Here’s Buckwalter’s bio from the Federal Judicial Center:

Born 1936 in Lancaster, PA

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Nominated by George H.W. Bush on November 17, 1989, to a seat vacated by Charles R. Weiner; Confirmed by the Senate on March 9, 1990, and received commission on March 12, 1990. Assumed senior status on December 11, 2003.

Education:
Franklin and Marshall College, A.B., 1958

College of William and Mary School of Law, B.C.L., 1962

Professional Career:
Private practice, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 1963-1980
Legal aid attorney, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 1964-1966
Clerk, Hon. John Bowman and Hon. Anthony Appel, Court of Common Pleas, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1966-1970
Assistant district attorney, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1970-1978
District attorney, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1978-1980
Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1980-1990

Race or Ethnicity: White

Gender: Male

I’ll post things as they develop. Otherwise, keep hanging tight

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