What was richard cebull joke

Facebook Twitter Email. Former judge violated ethics rules, panel rules. Share your feedback to help improve our site! Legal ethics expert Stephen Gillers told NPR in an email that Cebull may have run afoul of the code of conduct for federal judges by allegedly giving the appearance of impropriety. Gillers, who teaches at the New York University Law School, said the judge did not make his comments during a case, or in the performance of his official duties, but he still may have triggered Canon 2 of the judicial code, which says a judge needs to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety "in all activities.

The judge told the newspaper that he was not racist, but "I am not a fan of our president I sent it out because it's anti-Obama. Bush in Earlier, he had worked as a magistrate judge and a medical malpractice lawyer in Montana.

The newspaper said the judge was "surprised the recipients of the email passed it along with his name still on it. Copyright NPR. Search Query Show Search. Bush in and became Montana's chief federal judge in The Great Falls Tribune first uncovered the Obama e-mail that Cebull had forwarded to a group of friends in February , with an introduction that said, "Hope it touches your heart like it did mine.

From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark. Cebull issued an apology after the newspaper reports and acknowledged the message was racist. He said he had forwarded it because "I am not a fan of our president. In its now-public report, the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council said a subsequent search of court computer tapes dating from found hundreds of disparaging e-mails sent by Cebull to "personal and professional contacts and court staff.

Many messages were political and expressed "disdain and disapproval for liberal political leaders" or commented on legislation on topics like gun control and civil rights, the report said. It said a significant number included jokes or commentary disparaging African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos - especially illegal immigrants - and women, and a few were antigay.