A New York State judicial panel said Tuesday that an upstate town judge had resigned after it found that a Facebook post of a noose and a Trump campaign slogan showed political or racial bias.
Kyle Canning, a part-time judge in Altona, New York, posted the image in February 2018 of a noose and the words: "IF WE WANT TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE EVIL PEOPLE FEAR PUNISHMENT AGAIN," according to news reports.
But the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced that Canning failed "to maintain high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of the judiciary would be preserved."
He also failed to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety — and the commission said Canning "failed to respect and comply with the law and failed to act in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary."
Commission Administrator Robert Tembeckjian said: "The noose is an incendiary image with repugnant racial connotations. It is the very antithesis of law and justice.
"For a judge to use the image of the noose in making a political point undermines the integrity of the judiciary and public confidence in the courts."
Canning posted the image shortly before beginning his term, which otherwise would have ended in December 2021, according to reports.
The post was taken off Facebook in August 2018 after Canning received a letter from the commission because of a complaint.
Canning, who was formally served by the commission in May, apologized to his fellow Altona judge in his June resignation letter, adding: "I feel as though, due to my current financial situation and obligations to my family, I am being coerced into resigning."
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