On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) announced that it has requested records from the Department of Justice (DOJ) related to the misconduct investigation of former Alaska Judge Joshua Kindred. The request follows findings from the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit, which revealed serious ethical violations by Kindred, culminating in his resignation from the federal bench earlier this year.
The allegations against Kindred include maintaining an inappropriate sexual relationship with a former law clerk during her tenure, and after she became an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in Anchorage. Additionally, he reportedly exchanged sexually explicit messages with another senior AUSA in Alaska. These actions prompted the Judicial Council to unanimously call for Kindred’s resignation, which he submitted in July 2024.
CREW’s records request focuses on any actions the DOJ may have taken in response to the conflicts of interest arising from Kindred’s conduct. The organization is particularly interested in whether there were failures to recuse from cases that could have been compromised due to these relationships, as well as any ethical breaches by the AUSAs involved. This inquiry seeks to uncover if the DOJ conducted an investigation into the conduct of its prosecutors related to the matter.
According to the Judicial Council, Kindred also misled the Council during its investigation, further compounding his misconduct. Federal judges are held to high standards of integrity and impartiality, and the Council’s findings indicated that Kindred violated these essential principles.
CREW emphasizes the importance of transparency in this case, given the potential ramifications of Kindred’s actions on cases he oversaw. The organization argues that the public deserves to know the extent of the DOJ’s knowledge regarding Kindred’s misconduct and the measures taken to address any ensuing conflicts of interest.
The request for records is part of CREW’s ongoing effort to ensure accountability within the federal judiciary and related agencies. The organization highlights the need for the DOJ to investigate and discipline any unethical conduct by its prosecutors that may have resulted from Kindred’s inappropriate behavior.
Source: CREW
