- Oct 17, 2011
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A federal judge in Alaska resigned from his lifetime appointment after an internal investigation concluded he created a hostile work environment for his law clerks and engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with one of them after her clerkship ended, according to a judicial conduct report released Monday.
Kindred encouraged his law clerks to rate people based on their sexual desirability, the report said, and belittled or ostracized clerks who tried to talk to him about his inappropriate behavior.
The 9th Circuit Judicial Council asked Kindred to resign after concluding that he violated the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act and the Code of Conduct for United States Judges. The council also referred the matter to the Judicial Conference of the United States, the policymaking body of the U.S. Courts, to consider impeachment.
On Wednesday, Kindred submitted his two-sentence resignation letter to President Biden, who will have the opportunity to nominate a successor.
“Based on the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit’s Order and Certification, it is more than appropriate that Mr. Kindred tendered his resignation,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), the senior senator from Alaska, said in a statement on X on Monday evening. “Judges need to be held to the highest of standards and Mr. Kindred fell well short of that mark. I will be working quickly to advance a replacement nominee for consideration.”
Kindred encouraged his law clerks to rate people based on their sexual desirability, the report said, and belittled or ostracized clerks who tried to talk to him about his inappropriate behavior.
The 9th Circuit Judicial Council asked Kindred to resign after concluding that he violated the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act and the Code of Conduct for United States Judges. The council also referred the matter to the Judicial Conference of the United States, the policymaking body of the U.S. Courts, to consider impeachment.
On Wednesday, Kindred submitted his two-sentence resignation letter to President Biden, who will have the opportunity to nominate a successor.
“Based on the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit’s Order and Certification, it is more than appropriate that Mr. Kindred tendered his resignation,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), the senior senator from Alaska, said in a statement on X on Monday evening. “Judges need to be held to the highest of standards and Mr. Kindred fell well short of that mark. I will be working quickly to advance a replacement nominee for consideration.”
