WASHINGTON – More than a dozen complaints filed against new Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh were transferred to a federal appeals court in Colorado on Wednesday.
The judicial misconduct grievances were originally filed at the federal appeals court in Washington, where Kavanaugh served previously. Chief Justice John Roberts transferred the complaints to a court in Denver so they could be handled by a court that hasn't worked with Kavanaugh.
The complaints pertain to public statements Kavanaugh made while he was a nominee for the Supreme Court and not of his conduct as a judge. It's unlikely the complaints will lead to any disciplinary action as Kavanaugh has already been sworn into the Supreme Court and is no longer on the D.C. Circuit.
Roberts wrote a letter to Chief Circuit Judge Timothy Tymkovich at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, transferring the 15 complaints to the Denver court.
"I have selected the Judicial Council of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit to accept the transfer and to exercise the powers of a judicial council with respect to the identified complaints and any pending or new complaints relating to the same subject matter," he wrote.
If Kavanaugh were have found to have committed misconduct, he could be disciplined or suspended. Only Congress can remove a judge from office, an unlikely possibility for Kavanaugh.
Meanwhile, Kavanaugh has already started his new job. His first day on the nation's highest court was Tuesday.
