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NORTH HUDSON---A town justice in southern Essex County has learned that politics and judicial office don't mix.
John C. King Sr., North Hudson town justice, has been admonished by the state Commission of Judicial Conduct after the panel found that King had engaged in prohibited political activity while he was a candidate for town justice in 2005. The commission said that King violated the ethical rules by continuing to serve as chairman of the North Hudson Republican Party while he was a judicial candidate, attending a political meeting and publicly endorsing other candidates. The ethical rules generally prohibit judicial candidates from engaging in political activity except in connection with their own campaigns for judicial office.
King's defense was the standard ignorance of the law, stating that he was unaware of the rules restricting the political activities of judicial candidates. The commission said he had an obligation to learn about the rules.
He is not an attorney.
The Commission stated that the ethical standards, which have been upheld by the courts, are "fair and necessary to 'preserve the impartiality and independence of our State judiciary and maintain public confidence in New York State's court system.'"
The decision to admonish King was unanimous but commission member Richard D. Emery filed a concurring opinion stating that the ethical rules restricting political activity by judges and judicial candidates are unconstitutional. He said that there was "an absurd scheme of political regulation" which permits some forms of "blatant and aggressive politicking" while prohibiting others.
http://www.scjc.state.ny.us/Determinations/K/king,_john.htm 3-05-07
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© 2007 North
Country Gazette
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