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R/74/7n1QI Itch iirrinp MinhaAl Kwan RI isnpnripri fnr Ilnnalri Triimn r.ritinismA Utah judge made critical comments of Donald Trump.Now he's suspended six months without payKristin Lam, USA TODAY Published 6:02 p.m. ET May 26, 2019 I Updated 2:07 p.m. ET May 27, 2019In this May 25, 2010, file photo, Judge Michael Kwan talks with a defendant during drug court in Taylorsville, Utah. Kwan, a longtime Utah judge has been suspended without pay for six months for comments he made online and In court criticizing President Donald Trump that the state's supreme court determined violated the judicial code of conduct. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, AP)A Utah judge has been suspended without pay for six months after making critical comments — online and in court — about President Donald Trump (/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2019/05/23/photo-trump-notes-white-house-news-conference/12036650010.The state supreme court ruled Judge Michael Kwan (httpa://(document/411358945/Utah-Supreme-Court-s-decision-on-Judge-Michael-Kwan#from_embed) violated the judicial code of conduct several times and diminished "the reputation of our entire judiciary," according to an opinion filed last week.As a municipal judge in the Salt Lake City suburb of Taylorsville since 1998, Kwan deals with misdemeanor cases, violations of ordinances and small claims.His lawyer, Greg Skordas, said Kwan accepted that he would face some punishment but is disappointed by the severity. In an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune, Skordas compared the case with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Vstory/news/politics/2018/10106/brett-kavanaugh-brilliant-legal-superstar-political-apparatchik/15364320020's confirmation hearings. Last September, Kavanaugh denied sexual assault allegations and blamed Bill and Hillary Clinton and "left-wing opposition groups" (/story/news/pelitics/n18/09/27/brett-Icavanaugh-testifies-after-christine-fords-assault-allegations/1442782002i) for publicizing the accusations.nups://istoryinewsinationfzu 9/uoizevutan-juage-micnaei-kwan-suspenaea-aonaia-trumpilz4bbu(utriiI/3/94/9111 qI Dahl ii drip Minhapl Kwan cliqnpnripri fnr nnnalri Tnimn nritinism'Calculated political hit': Brett Kavanaugh says accusations rooted in anger over Trump (istoryJnewstpolltics2018/09/27/brettkaven2ttgh- estifies-after-christine-fords-assauit.allegations/1442762002/)Brett Kavanaugh: Legal whiz kid or partisan hack? Mentor to women or beer-loving frat boy? (lstoly/news/politics/2018/10106Thrett-kavanaugh-brilliant-legal-superstar-polltical-apparatchik/1536432002/)"It does strike me as troubling that one man ... sexually assaults a woman in college, publicly blasts the Clintons in front of a worldwide audience and is confirmed to the United States Supreme Court," Skordas said (), "while a city justice court judge outwardly supports his own Asian community, makes a joke about money being wasted on a wall in front of the six people in his courtroom and then is suspended without pay for six months."A January 2017 exchange between Kwan and a defendant, the state supreme court ruled, accounted for one violation because he demeaned the defendant while commenting on Trump's tax and immigration policies. The defendant said they planned to use a tax refund to pay fines court documents say ($945/Utah-Supreme-Court-s-decision-on-Judge-Michael-KwanItfrom_ombed). "Prayer might be the answer," Kwan replied. "'Cause, he just signed an order to start building the wall and he has no money to do that, and so if you think you are going to get taxes back this year, uh-yeah, maybe, maybe not."NewslettersGet the News Alerts newsletter in your inbox.Get alerted to the latest stories to stay on top of the news. Delivery: VariesYour Email-31334770456882500U.S.-Mexico border: Federal judge =Lally halts Trump border wall tinting, blocks $1 billion (tstory/news/pontics/2019/05/24/tederal-judge-pxitial y_ halts-trump-border-wall-funding/12311510011)IRS: What was the ave age tax refund this year? (/storyimoney/2019/04i25ftax-refunds-2019-more-but-checks-smaller/3578 20002/)Kwan also posted comments critical of Trump on Facebook and Linkedln, beginning in 2016, the state supreme court said. His Facebook account was private, but friends could have shared his posts.In February 2017, Kwan wrote: "Welcome to the beginning of the fascist takeover.... We need to be diligent in questioning Congressional Republicans if they are going to be the American Reichstag and refuse to stand up for the Constitution."As an Asian American, Kwan was part of the 8% of non-white judges in Utah in 2010, according to the American Bar Association (). At the time, seven of 83 judges in the state were people of color.Kwan's political affiliation is unknown ( type=U) because he chooses to keep his voter registration private, an option available to any state voter, said Justin Lee, Utah director of elections."Judge Kwan's behavior denigrates his reputation as an impartial, independent, dignified and courteous jurist who takes no advantage of the office in which he serves," Utah State Supreme Court Justice John A. Pearce wrote in the opiaim( ou rt-s-decision-on-Judge-Michael-Kwanlgrom_embed).Kwan isn't the first city judge to be reprimanded for political opinions. A municipal judge in Akron, Ohio, came under fire in 2016 after she attended a rally for Trump and stood behind him while holding one of his campaign signs.Contributing: The Associated Pressnttps://istoryinewsinationizul iubizoiutan-juage-micnaei-Kwan-suspenaea-aonaia-trump/i z4b1OUIUU"1 /L/.51 ri/94/7I1 Q DiG DEEPER You may also be interested in'fah inrinp MinhaAl Kwan si isnAnriAri fnr nnnalri Tnimn nritirism4 'Pilots are losing their basic flying skills,' some fear after Boeing 737 Max crashes ( ion-pilots-skills-flying-hours-safety/1219147001/? utm source=oernbed&utm medium=onsite&utm campaign=storylines&utm content=news&utm term=3738752002)4 51 attorneys general call on Betsy DeVos to cancel up to 42,000 disabled veterans' student debts ( isabled-vets/1235996001 /?utm source=oernbed&utm medium=onsite&utm campaign=storylines&utm content=news&utm term=3738752002)4 'Jeopardy!': Did pro gambler Holzhauer almost lose $35K over a wrong answer about Vegas? ( nal-jeopardy-wrong - answer-vegas/1230670001/?utm source=oembed&utm medium=onsite&utm campaign=storylines&utm content=news&utm term=3738752002).4 Sorry, but you're grilling your burgers wrong, and it could kill you( sourcemoembed&utm mecliuM=Onsite&utm carnpaign=storylines&utm content=news&utm term=3738752002).4 Like what you see? Download the USAIODAY app (? redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.u_otoday.c m%2Fmobile-apps%2F? utm source=ciembed&utm medium=onsite&utm campaign=storylines&utm content=news&utm term=3738752002)Read or Share this story: ................
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