March 24, 2025 Story by: Editor
A U.S. judge has been cleared of any misconduct allegations after appearing on CNN to address threats against the judiciary and respond to Donald Trump’s remarks about the daughter of the judge who oversaw the New York case in which Trump was convicted last year.
The 3rd Circuit Judicial Council, based in Philadelphia, dismissed two ethics complaints against Senior U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton of Washington. The council determined that Walton did not discuss the legal merits of any case but instead commented on Trump’s social media posts about Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over Trump’s New York trial, and his family.
Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Michael Chagares stated that Walton cautioned about the “unintended consequences” of public statements like Trump’s and stressed the importance of judicial independence in upholding the rule of law.
“These comments do not amount to judicial misconduct,” Chagares wrote in the ruling.
Ethics Complaints Dismissed
The ruling followed two ethics complaints filed against Walton after his rare televised interview with CNN in March 2024. One of the complaints was lodged by Mike Davis, founder of the Article III Project and a Trump ally. The identity of the second complainant remains unknown.
The complaints alleged that Walton violated judicial ethics by commenting on a pending case, which they claimed could influence jury pools in Trump’s four ongoing criminal cases. The allegations also accused Walton of implying that Trump made violent threats against Merchan. At the time, Trump was not serving as president.
The complaints were reviewed and consolidated by the 3rd Circuit Judicial Council, which issued a decision on January 31. The ruling, made public this week, found that Walton had not breached judicial ethics rules.
Response to the Decision
The decision did not mention Walton by name, but the judge, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush, confirmed to Reuters that he was the subject of the complaints. He declined to comment further.
The ruling also included statements from Davis, who insisted that Walton had violated judicial ethics.
“Naturally, the judiciary protects its own, and this is why Congress must step forward with legislation imposing an independent ethics body for the federal judiciary,” Davis said.
Judicial Security Concerns Amid Political Attacks
The decision comes amid growing concerns over judicial security, particularly as Trump, his billionaire adviser Elon Musk, and other administration officials have intensified their criticism of judges who rule against the president’s policies.
Trump has publicly called for the impeachment of a judge who ruled on a deportation case and labeled him a “Radical Left Lunatic.”
Walton’s CNN appearance came after Trump began attacking Merchan and his daughter ahead of his criminal trial concerning hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Trump referred to Merchan’s daughter as a “Rabid Trump Hater” in a social media post.
During the CNN interview, Walton expressed concern over such statements, saying it was “very disconcerting to have someone making comments about a judge.” He warned that remarks from influential figures could “resonate with others” and potentially incite violence.
In January, Merchan sentenced Trump, who was preparing for his second term in office, to an unconditional discharge with no prison time. The jury had found him guilty of falsifying records to conceal the hush money payment. Source: Reuters
