9th Circuit's chief judge posted sexually explicit matter on his website

LA Times ^ | 6/11/2008 | Scott Glover

[Uncledave]

One of the highest-ranking federal judges in the United States, who is currently presiding over an obscenity trial in Los Angeles, has maintained a publicly accessible website featuring sexually explicit photos and videos.

Alex Kozinski, chief judge of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, acknowledged in an interview with The Times that he had posted the materials, which included a photo of naked women on all fours painted to look like cows and a video of a half-dressed man cavorting with a sexually aroused farm animal. Some of the material was inappropriate, he conceded, although he defended other sexually explicit content as "funny."

{snip}

Kozinski said he would delete some material from his site, including the photo depicting women as cows, which he said was "degrading . . . and just gross." He also said he planned to get rid of a graphic step-by-step pictorial in which a woman is seen shaving her pubic hair.

[pissant]

What an idiot.

[TLI]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You just can’t make this stuff up!

[Nervous Tick]

well, it /is/ the ninth...

[TexasCajun]

Just another Kalifornia Pervert!

[12Gauge687]

I guess some of us old guys ain’t hip and keep ourselves to ourselves. No Facebook or My Space, just clinging to my Holy Bible and my firearms.

[TLI]

[AmericaUnited]

Kozinski said he must have accidentally uploaded those images to his server while intending to upload AU: (them to his laptop) something else. "I would not keep those files intentionally," he said. The judge pointed out that he never used appeals court computers to maintain the site.

The sexually explicit material on Kozinski's site earlier this week was extensive, including images of masturbation, public sex and contortionist sex. There was a slide show striptease featuring a transsexual, and a folder that contained a series of photos of women's crotches as seen through snug fitting clothing or underwear. There were also themes of defecation and urination, though they are not presented in a sexual context.

[freedomlover]

Careful when you ask aloud who appointed him . . .
Which will then leave you surprised that it isn't in the first paragraph of the story.

[Paine in the Neck]

Back in the day, Lyndon Johnson’s Presidential Commission on Pornography published their report including all the explicit photos. Worst stuff I ever saw.

[EagleUSA]

This court should be abolished — it is nothing but a bunch of leftist liberal hacks, who exist to further the liberal radical agenda, and whose illegal and perverted decisions get overturned more than any court in the land.

Just fire them all.

[rumrunner]

Can the mods post this in breaking news? This guy is one of the most liberal judges on the 9th circuit.

"The sexually explicit material on Kozinski's site earlier this week was extensive, including images of masturbation, public sex and contortionist sex. There was a slide show striptease featuring a transsexual, and a folder that contained a series of photos of women's crotches as seen through snug fitting clothing or underwear. There were also themes of defecation and urination, though they are not presented in a sexual context."

[FMBass]

In any other profession he would be forced to resign.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

***CLICK THE LINK, AND READ THE ARTICLE***
You WILL be shocked!
“ He was appointed to the federal bench by then-President Ronald Reagan in 1985. He has a national reputation for a brilliant legal mind and has developed a reputation as a champion of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and expression. Several year ago, for example, after learning that appeals court administrators had placed filters on computers that denied access to pornography and other materials, Kozinski led a successful effort to have the filters removed.”

[NinoFan]

Kozinski is not one of the most liberal judges on the 9th Circuit. Not even close. He’s a libertarian in some areas, but he’s often lumped in with the conservatives by the left.

[Bon mots]

Kozinski, who was named chief judge of the 9th Circuit last year, is considered a judicial conservative on most issues. He was appointed to the federal bench by then-President Ronald Reagan in 1985.

:(

[Retired Chemist]

It’s the most Liberal Appeals Court. Why should we be surprised?

[Vineyard]

Not only is he a strong conservative/libertarian, he was often mentioned as a candidate for the Supreme Court during Bush(41) administration.

He is a brilliant writer, and regularly lampoons left-wing decisions that he feels have no Constitutional basis.

Sorry to see that he has some very nasty skeletons in his closet.

[Oldexpat]

The problem with the system is that the President takes suggestions for appointments from the District Senators.
So, GOP Presidents have appointed wingnuts to the bench.
This practice is fundamentally crazy.

[BruceysMom]

That’s just because you’re bitter<sarc

[NativeNewYorker]

[KoRn]

lol

[Dante3]

A pervert.

[Beelzebubba]

This is very unfortunate. Kozinski is an ardent defender of the second amendment. Some have wondered whether one of his recent dissents in the 9th circuit would have influence in the text of the upcoming Supreme Court opinion.

He should have kept his yap shut, instead of trying to justify why he saved his favorites.

[prairiebreeze]

Skeletons, you say?

From the little I’ve read (didn’t click the link), this man shouldn’t be judging ANYTHING OR ANYONE.

[Baron OBeef Dip]

This guy is one of the most liberal judges on the 9th circuit.

The guy is a libertarian who was appointed by Reagan.

Of all the justices on the Ninth Circuit it could have been....

[corkoman]

By the descriptions I am pretty sure I have seen those images before. One is of a hapless italian slob who thought it best to do a #2 out in a pasture by the road. As he tires to drop his pants a donkey gets "agitated" and the video is of this poor slob trying to fend off the amorous donkey. Pretty funny. The other reference to shaving is pretty tame and mostly inferred by the viewer - they are humorous not salacious. The difference is important.

But this sure a bunch of folk all twitterpated. Oh Nos!

[SE Mom]

Gotta love those 9th Circuit men in black:)

[SmithL]

Kozinski, Alex

Born 1950 in Bucharest, Romania

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Nominated by Ronald Reagan on June 5, 1985, to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333; Confirmed by the Senate on November 7, 1985, and received commission on November 7, 1985. Served as chief judge, 2007-present.

Chief judge, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 1982-1985

Education:
University of California, Los Angeles, A.B., 1972

University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1975

Professional Career:
Law clerk, Hon. Anthony Kennedy, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1975-1976
Law clerk, Chief Justice Warren Burger, Supreme Court of the United States, 1976-1977
Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1977-1979
Private practice, Washington, DC, 1979-1981
Deputy legal counsel, Office of the President-Elect, Washington, DC, 1980-1981
Assistant counsel, Office of Counsel to the President, Washington, DC, 1981
Special counsel, Merit Systems Protection Board, Washington, DC, 1981-1982

Race or Ethnicity: White

Gender: Male

[beltfed308]

Kozinski is an ardent defender of the second amendment.

And because of this I am skeptical of this story until there is more information.

Isn't this the guy who said something along the lines that the 2nd was the last line of defense that a free people only have one chance at?

[martin_fierro]

The judge to the right there raked me over the coals once in oral arguments -- but ultimately ruled in our favor.

< /boring warstories >

[traviskicks]

One of the highest-ranking federal judges in the United States, who is currently presiding over an obscenity trial in Los Angeles, has maintained a publicly accessible website featuring sexually explicit photos and videos.

Libertarian ping! To be added or removed freepmail me or post a message here.

[xsmommy]

she was haht for ya, probly, from the looks of her... ; )

[Paleo Conservative]

Sounds like the kind of judge Sen. Jim Webb could vote for.

[xsmommy]

alex kozinski abusing his discretion much as always ...

[TribalPrincess2U]

Doesn’t matter what or who he is politically. HE’S A PERVERT and needs to be HUNG out to dry! OFF THE BENCH! I’m tired of these useless POS’s who set on their high seats and judge everyone else. Grrrrr

[NeoCaveman]

That’s a shame, I always liked that guy.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

The sexually explicit material on Kozinski's site earlier this week was extensive, including images of masturbation, public sex and contortionist sex. There was a slide show striptease featuring a transsexual, and a folder that contained a series of photos of women's crotches as seen through snug fitting clothing or underwear. There were also themes of defecation and urination, though they are not presented in a sexual context.

This is not a good guy to be a chief judge of the court of appeals. He should resign or be impeached. There are good and decent judges out there that would deserve this honor...

[Dead Corpse]

I don't care what this guy does in his off time, but on government computers and the open internet, this is indefensible.

Impeach and ostracize.

[tacticalogic]

Impeach and ostracize.

You misspelled "osterize".

[Lurking Libertarian]

It’s the most Liberal Appeals Court. Why should we be surprised?

As a whole, it is. But not every judge on it is a liberal. Kozinski, a Reagan appointee, is generally considered the leader of the conservative bloc on the 9th Circuit.

[Dead Corpse]

Otra-

Oster-

Either would work, but I'm not big on initiation of force. The former only assumes that he starves to death of his own accord. I'm ok with that...

Curious though, I found at least one article claiming he's a "conservative" judge. Of course, on the 9th Circus this term is relative and meaningless outside of California's boundaries.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Curious though, I found at least one article claiming he's a "conservative" judge. Of course, on the 9th Circus this term is relative and meaningless outside of California's boundaries.

On any court in this country, Kozinski --himself a refugee from communism-- would be considered a conservatve, albeit of the libertarian/Goldwater school rather than the religious/ social conservative school.

[Dead Corpse]

I don’t know the guy from Adam. I do know that the article points out the guys cluelessness on technology. His sense of humor isn’t what I’d call “wholesome” either.

[Lurking Libertarian]

I am not defending what he posted on his website (though, judging from the press descriptions, it seems more crude and tasteless than really obscene or pornographic). I am only responding to people who think he’s not actually a conservative judge; he is.

[isom35]

I’m guessing the judge to the right is female, but hey, ya never know.

[isom35]

Martin, have you seen this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2029394/posts

[grjr21]

The judge pointed out that he never used appeals court computers to maintain the site.

Claims not to have used Government computers

[fr_freak]

I don't care what this guy does in his off time, but on government computers and the open internet, this is indefensible.

Impeach and ostracize.

From the article, the server where the files were kept was not a government computer. It was this judge's own web page, presumably hosted by a private ISP (the article doesn't explicitly state). In other words, this judge was doing this on his off time, and on privately-owned equipment. Furthermore, he did not have links on his website directly to these files, meaning that he obviously didn't intend to have the world see them. He was just too ignorant about how the WWW works to prevent them from seeing it (which is ignorant in itself, given the nature of politics). He simply placed the files in a directory which was set with public permissions.

Does the very possession of these types of files make him unfit for a judgeship? Perhaps. If this standard were applied to all public servants, I would say "Certainly!" However, if this standard is only going to be applied to non-left wing nutjobs, then I say to hell with it, let him stay a judge.

Some lines from the article, that you apparently missed:

"One of the highest-ranking federal judges in the United States, who is currently presiding over an obscenity trial in Los Angeles, has maintained his own publicly accessible website featuring sexually explicit photos and videos."
[This statement is actually very misleading. Later in the article, you find out that these files were not actually on the web page. They were merely in a directory which was accessible (but not easily visible) to the public]

"The judge pointed out that he never used appeals court computers to maintain the site."

Before the site was taken down, visitors to http://alex.kozinski.com were greeted with the message: "Ain't nothin' here. Y'all best be movin' on, compadre."

Only those who knew to type in the name of a subdirectory could see the content on the site, which also included some of Kozinski's essays and legal writings as well as music files and personal photos.

[Americanwolf]

Jezz the ninth circus is at it again....

this is the chief justice...

I would have hoped for higher standards.... or keeping you private proclivities out of public view... what is done behind chamber doors is his business. but when it reaches the public and damages the sanctity of the Judaical bench.... he needs to go...