Judge Alex Kozinski, Apologizing Amid Harassment Claims, Retires Immediately: Federal appeals judge Alex Kozinski, beset by allegations of sexual misconduct, on Monday announced his retirement effective immediately.
The DJ has posted his retirement statement, which includes the following:
I've always had a broad sense of humor and a candid way of speaking to both male and female law clerks alike. In doing so, I may not have been mindful enough of the special challenges and pressures that women face in the workplace. It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent.See With Kozinski's Departure, Calls for Transparency and a Ninth Circuit in Flux: Court watchers expect Kozinski's resignation won't be the end of the judiciary's #metoo moment.
For this I sincerely apologize.
A couple of years ago, as I reached the age when several of my colleagues had decided to take senior status or retire, I began considering whether the time had come for me to move on as well. Family and friends have urged me to stay on, at least long enough to defend myself. But I cannot be an effective judge and simultaneously fight this battle. Nor would such a battle be good for my beloved federal judiciary. And so I am making the decision to retire, effective immediately.
Kozinski’s departure leaves five current vacancies on the Ninth Circuit with a sixth set to come next year when N. Randy Smith, a George W. Bush appointee from Idaho, is set to retire. Trump has only made one Ninth Circuit nomination so far: He tapped federal prosecutor Ryan Bounds in September to fill the seat previously held by Diarmuid O’Scannlain.
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