Ex-Interior lawyer resigns from federal judgeship in Alaska

By Pamela King | 07/09/2024 04:37 PM EDT

Joshua Kindred, a Trump appointee, faces claims that he engaged in an “inappropriately sexualized relationship” with one of his clerks.

Joshua Kindred, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, during his confirmation hearing yesterday.

Former Judge Joshua Kindred during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing in 2019. Senate Judiciary Committee

A former Interior Department and energy industry attorney has stepped down from a federal court in Alaska amid allegations that he created a hostile work environment and made sexually explicit comments to his subordinates.

The Judicial Council of the 9th Circuit released the results of an investigation Monday concluding that Joshua Kindred had engaged in the misconduct and pursued an “inappropriately sexualized relationship” with one of his law clerks during her time in his office and later, after she became an assistant U.S. attorney.

“The Judiciary is entrusted to self-govern and, in doing so, must hold its federal judges to the highest standards of integrity and impartiality,” said Chief Judge Mary Murguia of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. “We take judicial misconduct complaints seriously.”

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Murguia said the Judicial Council had requested that Kindred step down voluntarily. Kindred submitted his resignation letter July 3, and his departure went into effect Monday.

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