Former Newcastle mayor, Jeff McCloy, has failed in his NSW Supreme Court bid to force ICAC commissioner Megan Latham to step down from the Operation Spicer inquiry.
Mr McCloy had sought an order from the court to stop Ms Latham from handing down her report, on the basis of fairness.
The property developer argued that she may not have approached the investigation with an open mind.
But Justice Robert McDougall today dismissed Mr McCloy’s claim, finding that “he was treated with scrupulous fairness by the commissioner, and given every opportunity by her to state his position”.
The ex-mayor infamously told an ICAC inquiry he sometimes felt like a “walking ATM” as he admitted handing cash to Hunter Liberal candidates.
The completion and release of the Spicer report has been delayed due to a number of court cases.
