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Federal judge acknowledges his civics presentations to politically affiliated club violated ethics code

By Debra Cassens Weiss

January 7, 2025, 8:47 am CST

The judicial council of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Denver has tossed an ethics complaint against a federal judge who took corrective action after he was accused of giving presentations to a politically affiliated group.

The unnamed federal judge acknowledged that his civics-related presentations to the group violated the ban on making speeches to a political organization in the judicial conduct code, according to a June decision published last month by 10th Circuit Chief Judge Jerome A. Holmes.

The judge “voluntarily acknowledged his mistake, ensured the removal of his presentations from the club’s YouTube channel, and notified the club that he would not present at future club meetings,” Holmes wrote.

Reuters and Colorado Politics have coverage.

The judge said he made the presentations because he wanted to represent the federal judiciary and the role that law plays in society. Political activity was not the “sole, or really even the predominate, focus” of the club, the judge had stated.

The ethics complaint had been filed by a pro se litigant who said the judge demonstrated his lack of partiality by his educational presentations to the club. The litigant also claimed that the judge made inappropriate comments during the presentations and discriminated against the litigant while presiding in his civil matter.

Those claims “are dismissed because they are completely unsupported,” Holmes said.