On Saturday, September 7, 2024, The Guardian reported that Kathleen Ryan, a probate judge from Oakland County, Michigan, has been suspended from her judicial duties following the emergence of recordings in which she made derogatory remarks about gay individuals and used racially charged language.
The suspension, effective August 27, was prompted by a whistleblower complaint from court administrator Edward Hutton, who secretly recorded their phone conversations.
In the recordings, Ryan is heard using an anti-gay slur aimed at David Coulter, the openly gay county executive, and making disparaging comments about Black Americans, labeling them as “lazy.” During the conversations, Ryan reportedly stated, “I’m not systemically racist. I’m a new racist,” a claim that has drawn significant public attention.
Hutton, who had been receiving calls from Ryan for several years, decided to share the recordings with various officials, including Coulter and Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement, in early August. Following this disclosure, Chief Probate Judge Linda Hallmark placed Ryan on paid suspension while an investigation by the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission is underway.
Ryan, who has served on the bench since her election in 2010, has not publicly commented on the allegations. However, her attorneys, Gerald Gleeson and Thomas Cranmer, expressed their intent to defend her in the appropriate legal setting, suggesting they believe she will be vindicated.
Source: The Guardian
