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Montana federal judge who sent racist Obama email to retire

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

A federal judge in Montana who sent a racist e-mail about President Barack Obama will retire on May 3, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals announced on Tuesday.

Judge Richard Cebull admitted that he circulated the e-mail in February 2012. He apologized to Obama and his family but the Crow Tribe and others called for him to be removed from the bench or step down.

Cebull has apparently chosen to do the latter. The Judicial Council of the 9th Circuit completed an investigation into the matter but the results are confidential for now.

"At this time, Judge Cebull has submitted his retirement letter, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 371(a), effective May 3, 2013," Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the 9th Circuit said in a statement. "The Council will have no further statement on this matter until Judge Cebull's retirement is effective."

Cebull is a former judge for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. He was nominated for a seat on the U.S. District Court in Montana by former president George W. Bush in 2001. He became chief judge of the court in 2008.

Cebull has been presiding over Wandering Medicine v. McCulloch, an Indian voting rights case. He refused to order the state to provide satellite voting offices for members of the Crow Tribe, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and the Fort Belknap Indian Community.

The decision is being appealed to the 9th Circuit.

Get the Story:
Judge who sent racist email about Obama to fully retire May 3 (The Great Falls Tribune 4/3)
Judge Cebull to retire on May 3 (The Billings Gazette 4/3)