NY Judge Steps Down Forever to End Misconduct Probe
A New York judge voluntarily agreed to step away from ever serving again on the bench to keep a lid on allegations that he made abusive demands of his staff.
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ethics
Panel Bolsters Case for Removing Judge Over Sex Comments
A three-judge panel has agreed with New Jersey’s Supreme Court that a judge who suggested a woman should “close her legs” to prevent a sexual assault should be removed from the bench.
Read moreLaw Firms
LawHQ and Thomas Alvord sued the Offices of Chief Disciplinary Counsel in Texas, New York and Nebraska federal courts, claiming their rule that prohibits law firms from advertising using trade names violates the First Amendment and serves no valid purpose.
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Harvard Prof Says Epstein Clickbait in the Times Defamed Him
A Harvard professor who opined on the ethics of accepting money from convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein brought a federal defamation complaint Monday against The New York Times.
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Big Win for ‘Ethical Vegans’ in UK Work Tribunal
British workers who practice “ethical veganism” to protect animals secured a big win in an employment tribunal when a judge ruled Friday that they are entitled to legal protection from job discrimination.
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China Sentences Gene-Editing Baby Doctor to Prison
A Chinese scientist who set off an ethical debate with claims that he had made the world’s first genetically edited babies was sentenced Monday to three years in prison because of his research, state media said.
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Ethics Panel Rebukes Rep. McMorris Rodgers for Misused Funds
The House Ethics Committee has rebuked Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state for misusing taxpayer money and ordered her to reimburse more than $7,500 to the U.S. Treasury.
Read moreKellyanne Conway
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sued the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in federal court, to compel it to perform its nondiscretionary duty to file a complaint in the Merit Systems Protection Board against Kellyanne Conway based on its determination that she repeatedly violated the Hatch Act, warranting her removal from federal service.
Read moreJudge Delays Decision on Removing Texas Baby’s Life Support
A judge newly assigned to decide if a Texas hospital can remove a 10-month-old girl from life support against her mother’s wishes said Thursday she was allowing more time for a facility to be found that would take Tinslee Lewis, even as a doctor said the most basic activity “causes pain.”
Read moreLaw in Louisiana
Attorney Richard Ducote and a client sued the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana in federal court, challenging as unconstitutional a Louisiana Supreme Court rule that prohibits people who file complaints against judges from disclosing it, its nature, and the commission’s response.
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United Auto Workers Tries to Reform
The United Auto Workers union will tighten financial controls, ban contributions from employers and vendors to charities run by its officers, and hire an ethics officer in the wake of a federal corruption investigation.
Read moreDemocratic Rep. Katie Hill Resigns Amid Ethics Probe
Freshman Rep. Katie Hill, a rising Democratic star in the House, announced her resignation Sunday amid an ethics probe, saying explicit private photos of her with a campaign staffer had been “weaponized” by her abusive husband and political operatives.
Read moreScandal Brings Election Risk for Rising Democratic Star
California U.S. Rep. Katie Hill has apologized to friends and supporters for engaging in an affair with a campaign staffer, but Susan Slates still feels let down by the 32-year-old Democrat who arrived in Congress just this year.
Read moreJustice Department Opens Criminal Probe Into Russia Investigation
The Justice Department is shifting its review of the Russia investigation into a criminal probe, a move likely to raise ethical questions about the president’s use of law enforcement to look into his opponents.
Read moreTexas House Speaker Won’t Face Charges in Tape Scandal
A district attorney declined Thursday to criminally charge the speaker of the Texas House over a secret recording that revealed he offered a conservative activist press credentials in exchange for attacks on fellow Republican lawmakers he deemed too moderate.
Read moreFederal Judges Would See New Checks in Warren White House
Releasing her third policy proposal in the last six days, Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren said Monday she plans to flush out corruption and unethical conduct among federally appointed judges.
Read moreBaltimore Prosecutor Wants 790 ‘Tainted’ Convictions Erased
Baltimore’s top prosecutor has begun asking judges to throw out nearly 800 convictions that she said were tainted by officers linked to a corruption scandal.
Read moreUS Gives Court No Assurances on Records Preservation
An attorney representing the White House refused Tuesday to guarantee a federal judge that communications between President Donald Trump and foreign leaders will be preserved.
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Dirty Tricks Don’t Change Illinois Election Result
Evidence supports a rival candidate’s claim that Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan planted sham candidates on the ballot to dilute the Latino vote in his district, a federal judge ruled, but voters were aware of his conduct and voted for him anyway.
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