The former top administrative judge for New York City’s criminal courts agreed today to resign after an investigation found that he improperly engaged in political activity on behalf of disgraced former Brooklyn DA Charles J. Hynes while sitting on the bench.
Above: Barry M. Kamins
The New York Times reports:
The former top administrative judge for New York City’s criminal courts agreed to resign on Wednesday after an investigation found that he improperly engaged in political activity while sitting on the bench.
Barry M. Kamins, who had already stepped aside from his position as an administrative judge, agreed to step down from the judiciary by Dec. 1, and not seek or accept a judgeship in the future.
His decision, announced by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, came after a report by the New York City’s Department of Investigation found that Justice Kamins had breached the judicial code of conduct by offering political advice to Charles J. Hynes in a series of emails.
At the time, Mr. Hynes was the district attorney of Brooklyn and was getting ready to run for a seventh term.…
Kamins gave Hynes prolonged and detailed political coaching which was exposed when the city's Department of Investigations investigated Hynes' (allegedly) illegal use of hundreds of thousands of dollars in forfeiture funds to pay political hacks and cronies.
Hynes is currently the target of a federal criminal investigation.
[Hat Tip: MarkfromShortHills.]