Federal Judge Suddenly Retires After Being Accused Of Sexual Harassment
Alex Kozinski Image by Getty
By Ari Feldman December 19, 2017
A prominent federal appeals circuit judge is retiring after being investigated for sexual harassment, the New York Times reported.
Alex Kozinski announced his retirement after 9th Circuit Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas asked for a formal investigation into the allegations against Kozinski last week.
“I cannot be an effective judge and simultaneously fight this battle,” he said in the statement. “Nor would such a battle be good for my beloved federal judiciary. And so I am making the decision to retire, effective immediately.”
At least 15 women have accused Kozinski of unwanted touching, groping and sexual harassment. Several worked for him as clerks, while others he met at private events.
“It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent,” he said. “For this I sincerely apologize.”
Contact Ari Feldman at feldman@forward.com or on Twitter @aefeldman
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
