Judge who wore Trump hat no longer Judging

T

tay

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Hamilton judge who wore a “Make America Great Again” hat to court the day after the U.S. election and declared his support for president-elect Donald Trump is no longer hearing cases.

Justice Bernd Zabel, appointed to the bench in 1990, stopped being assigned new cases on Dec. 21, 2016, a spokeswoman for the Ontario Court of Justice told the Star in a brief statement Thursday.

“I am not able to provide other details. The Chief Justice is not able to comment further on this matter,” said spokeswoman Kate Andrew.

As first reported by The Globe and Mail, Zabel showed up for court the morning after the Nov. 8 election wearing a red “Make America Great Again” ball cap. The Globe reported he then placed the hat on the bench in front of him. Critics said this showed a lack of impartiality, crucial to the role of a judge.

Almost a week later, Zabel apologized for wearing the hat, acknowledging in court that it was a “lapse in judgment” and “a breach of the principles of judicial office.” He said it was his attempt at humour.

“This gesture was not intended in any way as a political statement or endorsement of any political views, and, in particular, the views and comments of Donald Trump. I very much regret that it has been taken as such,” he said.

But the sincerity of his apology came into question when the Star obtained a transcript showing that Zabel explicitly said he supported Trump in court on Nov. 9.

“Brief appearance with the hat. Pissed off the rest of the judges because they all voted for Hillary, so. I was the only Trump supporter up there but that’s OK,” Zabel said just before court closed, according to the certified transcript.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...-court-is-no-longer-being-assigned-cases.html
 
C

Curious Cdn

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Feb 22, 2015
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He is welcome to pack his bags and move down to the new, emerging Utopia down there. It's gonna be GREAT!
 
Danbones

Danbones

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How could judges vote for a murdering dope dealing gun selling traitorous ol criminal ho like distHillery?
that you toe pia sure ain't here
our courts are run by the mob
 
T

tay

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Danbones said:
How could judges vote for a murdering dope dealing gun selling traitorous ol criminal ho like distHillery?
that you toe pia sure ain't here
our courts are run by the mob
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They're supposed to appear unbiased, and shall I say, non-judge mental. Of course this is a Canadian case as opposed to an American one where judges can display their feeling in the courtroom.......
 
pgs

pgs

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tay said:
They're supposed to appear unbiased, and shall I say, non-judge mental. Of course this is a Canadian case as opposed to an American one where judges can display their feeling in the courtroom.......
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Where is the bias ? He is still getting paid though . Good idea wear a Trump hat to work and get a free paid vacation .
 
Scooby

Scooby

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Mar 22, 2012
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I see the stain of rampant liberalism all over this.

Those who are in a position of protecting the people should not be social engineering robots, produced by a perverse ideology. We are in the midst of a complete lack of justice in this country, and impartiality should not measured like this. Political crapola...
 
darkbeaver

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
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RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia
Cannuck said:
Even the OCJ knows Trump supporters are stupid
Click to expand...
\

You don't support Trump but you're plainly stupid as your written testimony over the years clearly indicates.
 
MHz

MHz

Time Out
Mar 16, 2007
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How do Canadian Judges get to vote in US elections??

“Brief appearance with the hat. Pissed off the rest of the judges because they all voted for Hillary, so. I was the only Trump supporter up there but that’s OK,” Zabel said just before court closed, according to the certified transcript.
 
spaminator

spaminator

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Disciplinary hearing for Ontario judge who wore ‘Make America Great Again’ hat
THE CANADIAN PRESS
First posted: Wednesday, August 23, 2017 08:19 AM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, August 23, 2017 09:28 AM EDT
TORONTO - An Ontario judge who wore a hat in court bearing a slogan used by U.S. President Donald Trump is facing a disciplinary hearing Wednesday.
Justice Bernd Zabel is set to appear before an Ontario Judicial Council panel in Toronto to face allegations of judicial misconduct over the Nov. 2016 incident.
The council says it’s alleged Zabel wore a baseball cap with the slogan “Make America Great Again” in court on Nov. 9 — the day after Trump won the U.S. election — and made comments about the election, “his views and those of his judicial colleagues.”
Zabel later apologized publicly for his behaviour, calling it a “lapse in judgment,” but the council says it’s alleged his statement “was not consistent with comments he made in court” on the day of the incident.
The council says it received 81 complaints about Zabel’s behaviour on that day.
If Zabel is found guilty, the panel may impose a number of sanctions or recommend he lose his job.
The Ontario Court of Justice said in January that Zabel, who is based in Hamilton, was no longer being assigned cases.
A Hamilton city councillor, who said the incident raised concerns about Zabel’s impartiality in the courtroom, has called for the judge to step down or be removed from the bench.
Disciplinary hearing for Ontario judge who wore
 
lone wolf

lone wolf

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"Pissed off the rest of the judges because they all voted for Hillary, so. I was the only Trump supporter up there but that’s OK"

How does a Canadian - not a US citizen ... a point Trump has driven home at every opportunity - vote for either one?

Fake news?
 
spaminator

spaminator

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Hamilton judge suspended over Donald Trump hat in court
The Canadian Press
First posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2017 11:12 AM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, September 12, 2017 04:59 PM EDT
A Hamilton judge who wore a hat in court bearing Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan has been suspended without pay after an oversight body ruled his behaviour constituted a “single aberrant and inexplicable act of judicial misconduct.”
In a decision released Tuesday, the Ontario Judicial Council said it struggled to reconcile Justice Bernd Zabel’s actions with his stellar record as a judge, and found his conduct warranted the most serious reprimand possible short of removing him from the bench.
“Justice Zabel’s conduct that day gave rise to a perception by many that he was a Trump supporter and that he agreed with Trump’s views and policies. In doing so, he violated a fundamental principle of judicial ethics and, particularly in view of the controversy surrounding Trump’s campaign, engaged in serious misconduct,” the council panel wrote.
“His conduct on Nov. 9, 2016 was completely at odds with the exemplary judge he has been for the past 27 years. We are satisfied that Justice Zabel does not hold any of the discriminatory views that the complainants attribute to Donald Trump,” it said.
The council received 81 complaints about the incident, including several it said expressed concerns that people from vulnerable communities would fear they would not be treated fairly by a judge who supported Trump. This, because of the U.S. president’s “many well-publicized statements perceived to indicate misogynistic, racist, anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and homophobic views,” it said.
However, the council said, “we are satisfied that members of vulnerable groups need have no fear about the treatment they would receive from Justice Zabel.”
Zabel will be suspended for 30 days. The Ontario Court of Justice said in January that Zabel, who is based in Hamilton, was no longer being assigned cases.
At his hearing last month, Zabel said he meant to lighten the mood by wearing a baseball cap with the Trump slogan while walking into court on Nov. 9, 2016 — the day after Trump won the U.S. election.
He testified that it was only after his actions made headlines that he realized some believed he was showing support for the controversial American president and his policies.
Zabel wore the hat while walking into a courtroom and said it was “just in celebration of a historic night in the United States,” according to an agreed statement of facts. He then took it off and placed it on the dais until the break, when he took it back to his office, the document says.
When asked about the hat’s disappearance later, Zabel quipped that he had taken it off because it had angered other judges who “all voted for Hillary,” according to the agreed statement of facts. “I was the only Trump supporter up there, but that’s OK,” he said.
Zabel later apologized publicly for his behaviour, calling it a “lapse in judgment.”
The judge testified at his hearing that he meant to say he was marking an unprecedented historic event rather than celebrating Trump’s victory, and was simply “gloating” at having predicted the outcome of the election better than his colleagues.
Hamilton judge suspended over Donald Trump hat in court | Toronto & GTA | News |
 
Angstrom

Angstrom

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:laughing3: Making America great is officially offensive in Canada. Our country is fuked
 
Danbones

Danbones

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It's sad/funny how judges could support a murdering, drug dealing, traitorous, rape defending, lying wretch like hitlary...and fall on the judge that does not.
THAT IS SCARY!!!
 
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