Linked Out

A censure has been imposed on a town court justice by the New York Commission on Judicial Conduct on agreed facts

Charge I of the Complaint alleged that from September 2020 through July 2021, on his LinkedIn profile which identified him as a judge, respondent liked, shared and/or commented on publicly-visible LinkedIn posts that cast doubt on his ability to be impartial in matters involving law enforcement; related to partisan politics; commented on matters of public controversy; constituted public comment about a pending or impending proceeding in another court within the United States; and appeared to lend the prestige of his judicial office to advance a private fundraising appeal. Charge II of the Complaint alleged that from 2012 until April 2022, when he received the Complaint in this matter, respondent cast doubt on his ability to act impartially in matters involving law enforcement by serving as a “peer support member” of the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office’s Critical Incident Stress Management (“CISM”) Team.

The stipulation sets out his Back the Blue views.

In November 2021, respondent promptly removed the LinkedIn posts after receiving a letter from the Commission inquiring into the matters herein…

Respondent avers that during the time he liked, shared and/or commented upon the LinkedIn posts, he was inexperienced with LinkedIn’s privacy settings. He further avers that he did not, at the time, realize or consider how others could perceive his activities as casting doubt on his ability to be impartial as a judge. He now recognizes the appearance of impropriety created by his actions and regrets having ever participated in it.

(Mike Frisch)