Federal Judges' Columbia Law Clerk Boycott Cleared

A federal judicial panel has dismissed a misconduct complaint against U.S. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Branch and U.S. District Judge Tilman Self III, who signed a letter stating they would not hire law clerks from Columbia University due to the institution's handling of student protests linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The letter, signed by 13 judges, labeled Columbia as 'an incubator of bigotry' and accused it of failing to uphold diversity of viewpoints, citing disruptions and antisemitism on campus. Chief Judge William Pryor emphasized that judges have the discretion to consider educational backgrounds in hiring decisions and found no basis for misconduct allegations. This ruling follows a similar dismissal by the 5th Circuit regarding judges in that jurisdiction. Critics of the judges argue that their actions reflect a partisan political stance that undermines judicial integrity, yet the panel maintained that no ethical violations occurred. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding academic freedom and political expression in legal education.