The judge in Florida stands in front of abortion comments -judge scandal

In a top -class ethics case, the Abortion comments Judge ScandalThe Florida Judicial qualifications commission recommended the removal of the judge of the Hillsborough County Circuit Nancy L. Jacobs, citing serious violations of justice behavior during her electoral campaign 2022.

A six-member body of the Commission gave a 55-page report in which the use of inflammatory rhetoric by judge Jacobs-a single campaign messages of abortions and personal attacks on their opponent, the former judge Jared Smith. While Jacobs recognized her misconceptions against investigators, the committee said that she could not prove remorse during her official certificate and had contributed to the decision to recommend her distance.

The scandal is based on the Jacobs campaign strategy, which is defeated by Smith's controversial judgment, in which a 17-year-old reversal-one decision later reversed. Jacobs' campaign used this to question Smith's qualifications and the impression of justice. The panel found that it exceeded ethical lines when her campaign side explained: “Send Smith back to private practice, where its hard anti -start -up views can damage less.”

Further ethical violations were cited in their private accusations of anti -Semitism, their criticism of Smith's religious affiliations and their public questioning of his belief in the separation of church and state. Although Jacobs claimed the protection of the first change for her comments, the Commission decided that it had knowingly presented facts incorrectly and that the dignity and impartiality that was expected by a candidate for justice did not maintain.

“The statements of judge Jacobs during her campaign and her behavior eroded the public's trust in the integrity of the judiciary,” said the committee and added that her lack of repentance before the body was “particularly worrying”.

The Commission's recommendation is not final and is checked by the Supreme Court of Florida.

Judge Jacobs is represented by lawyers Ryan D. Barack and Michelle Erin Nadeau von Kwall Barack Nadeau Pllc. The Commission is represented by Henry M. Coxe III by Bedell Dittmar Devault Pillans & Coxe PA.