Richard F. Cebull, Chief U.S. District Judge,
who used public computers to send a
vile racist joke from his chambers about
the President of the United States
Richard F. Cebull is racist and a fool. He's also the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana -- for now. Our own Young Montana Voter has a good reclist diary up about this
here. If I may, I'd like to collect and share my own thoughts.
The story was broken this afternoon by the Great Falls Tribune. It seems that on February 20, 2012, someone sent Cebull an email "joke". Cebull thought this joke was so funny that using his taxpayer-paid computer, and apparently while his rump was parked in his taxpayer-paid chair, in his tax-payer paid office, forwarded the "joke" which eventually became public knowledge.
And here is the "joke" which Cebull thought was so funny, along with a cover text, apparently written by Cebull himself.
Normally I don't send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was a bit touching. I want all of my friends to feel what I felt when I read this. Hope it touches your heart like it did mine.
"A little boy said to his mother; 'Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white?'" the email joke reads. "His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!"
Is it just me, or are other people troubled by the fact that somebody apparently knew Cebull well enough to send a racist joke to his official judicial email?
Recommendations below the squiggle of doom.
Cebull has a life time appointment "during good behaviour". He can only be removed by impeachment, which I would argue is appropriate considering that he was using federal resources. But that isn't going to happen.
Instead he must be shamed into resigning Here's what needs to happen:
1. The president of the Montana Bar Association, and all the other leaders of local government need to send a letter tomorrow to urge Cebull to resign.
2. The other judges of the U.S. District Court need to relieve him from his position as Chief Judge, as that is not a lifetime appointment.
3. Local members of the African-American community, and all civil rights organizations need to picket the court house every day. I recommend the silent protest that worked so well in Virginia and at U.S. Davis following the pepper spray incident.
4. Every African-American, every Democrat, and every person who is married or has a significant relationship with a person of another race needs to file an affidavit of prejudice against Cebull so that he can't rule on their case.
The reality is that Cebull, despite his office, is helpless and cannot function unless he has respect. He's forfeited that now. He's got no business conducting the public's business.
Now, let me say one thing personally about this. If he were a young person there would be consequences, and some forgiveness would be given at least I would hope. We all need forgiveness at some time or the other, and God knows I've needed a lot.
But Cebull's not a young person, he's a person with considerable power. He has damaged the system he was supposed to uphold. The only way he can repair the damage is that he must resign. Let him collect his pension, but he can no longer be a judge.
He needs to leave tomorrow.