First In His Class
The New York Commission on Judicial Conduct has censured a city court judge
Respondent, Corey E. Klein, a Judge of the Long Beach City Court, Nassau County, was served with a Formal Written Complaint (“Complaint”) dated February 20, 2025 containing two charges. Charge I of the Complaint alleged that on October 25, 2022, respondent contacted the City of Long Beach Police Department and attempted to influence officers to stop the placement of a mechanical boot on the vehicle of a professional acquaintance. Charge II alleged that on April 11, 2024, at a public meeting of a local School District’s Board of Education (“Board of Education”), respondent referenced his judicial office, repeatedly shouted and/or raised his voice and otherwise acted in a discourteous manner in an effort to challenge the Board of Education’s policy for selecting class valedictorians and to have his son named as a valedictorian.
Das boot
Respondent has been professionally acquainted with Ingrid Dodd, who works in public relations, since in or around 2013.
On October 20, 2022, respondent sent a text message to Ms. Dodd asking her to call him because he needed advice. The next day, respondent spoke with Ms. Dodd on the telephone about fundraising strategies to help his son construct an adaptable surfboard for disabled children.
On October 24, 2022, respondent sent a text message to Ms. Dodd asking if she was available to meet with him and his son that day. Ms. Dodd was unavailable, but they tentatively arranged for the three of them to meet the following weekend.
On October 25, 2022, at 10:24 AM, respondent was in his car when Ms. Dodd sent him the following text message: “I’m getting a boot on my car – I got tickets near the board walk doing news segments – never paid them[.] I can pay now.” Respondent replied, “Where are you[?]” and Ms. Dodd responded, “[I]’m at pod spa[.]”
Approximately two minutes later, respondent called the cell phone of Special Police Officer (“SPO”) Ingrid Rushing, who at the time was assigned to the first floor of Long Beach City Hall. She had previously worked as a clerk in the Long Beach City Court, located on the second floor of Long Beach City Hall, handling parking tickets.
When SPO Rushing answered her cell phone, respondent immediately said, in words or substance, “Stop the boot,” and that SPOs were “booting the car right now.” SPO Rushing walked to the desk of SPO Jamie Price while on the phone with respondent. She told SPO Price, in words or substance, that respondent said to stop booting the vehicle and that the vehicle’s owner was coming to court. SPO Rushing showed SPO Price that her cell phone displayed respondent’s name. SPO Price told SPO Rushing that she could not stop the boot because an event number had already been created and that respondent should call the desk. SPO Rushing then relayed this information to respondent.
After further interactions
Based on respondent’s statements, Sergeant Wiemann believed that respondent was acting in judicial capacity when he said not to boot the vehicle, and that respondent was at the Long Beach City Court preparing to adjudicate the vehicle’s unpaid tickets at the time of his call. As a result, Sergeant Wiemann told respondent that they were not booting the vehicle and instructed the dispatcher to notify the SPOs not to boot the vehicle.
Bored of education
Respondent continued his statement, saying that his son “got an A+ in every single class except back in eighth grade.” At that point, Mr. Grishman interjected and asked, “Mr. Powers, are we okay having this conversation?” Respondent said in a raised voice, “Of course you are” and “You know what, Mr. Grishman, don’t try to outlawyer me with the law. Don’t try to outlawyer me with the law.”
After further interaction and indentifying himself as a judge
Respondent resumed addressing the school Board and made the following statements to Mr. Grishman and the Board about Mr. Powers: A. B.
“And if I can have your attention, I’m sorry that your attorney needed to go at me. Okay. When all I wanted to do was come up here and politely address, okay, one simple question. Okay.” “The fact that I’d have the audacity, okay, because it’s the end of my kid’s career, to come up here and question a decision that you made, okay, so you try to sic your pit bull attorney on me. It’s beyond reproach that you don’t do something like that, okay.”
After he finished addressing the Board, respondent expressed contrition for his conduct toward Mr. Powers, stating, “Counsel, I just want to say I know you’re doing your job. I’ve sat in your chair for many years. I hold the most respect for you, okay, you’re doing your job well, okay. Unfortunately, I was going to get my say and so please don’t take any notion that your attorney didn’t try to shut me up quickly. Thank you very much.”
Sanction
In accepting the jointly recommended sanction of censure, we have taken into consideration that respondent has acknowledged that his conduct was improper and warrants public discipline. We trust that respondent has learned from this experience and in the future will act in strict accordance with his obligation to abide by all the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct.
(Mike Frisch)