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Federal judge facing sexual misconduct accusations resigns

By Ed Adamczyk

Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Federal Judge Alex Kozinski, embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations, announced his immediate retirement on Monday.

Kozinski, 67, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, faced a judicial investigation over allegations that he subjected female clerks on his staff to inappropriate sexual behavior.

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Fifteen women have accused Kozinski of making inappropriate sexual comments, and four say he touched them inappropriately.

After the first allegation, Judge Sidney Thomas, the 9th Circuit's chief judge, initiated a review of Kozinski's conduct. On Friday, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts transferred Thomas' complaint to the Judicial Council of the Second Circuit -- an indication of the severity of the accusations.

The 2nd Circuit would have presided over a misconduct investigation.

In his retirement statement, Kozinski referred to "a broad sense of humor and a candid way of speaking."

He added, "It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent. For this I sincerely apologize."

Kozinski's statement also mentioned that he arrived in the United States from Romania when he was 12 as "a refugee from Communism."

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