Judicial panel dismisses misconduct complaints against Brett Kavanaugh

A panel of federal judges dismissed ethics complaints against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Tuesday because they were filed under a federal law that does not apply to justices on the nation's highest court.

In a ten-page order, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Timothy Tymkovich wrote: "The allegations in the complaint are serious," but added that Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court "made the complaints no longer appropriate for consideration."

The complaints deal with statements Kavanaugh made during his confirmation hearings earlier this year. They were originally filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where Kavanaugh sat before President Trump nominated him to the high court. Chief Justice John Roberts took no action on the complaints while Kavanaugh's nomination on them was pending, then transferred them to judges who handle ethics complaints for the Tenth Circuit -- which handles cases in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Roberts received the first three of 15 eventual complaints on Sept. 20, a week before Kavanaugh's testimony angrily denying sexual assault allegations dating back to his days in high school and college.

Tymkovich wrote that the complaints "generally allege that Justice Kavanaugh made false statements during his nomination proceedings to the D.C. Circuit in 2004 and 2006 and to the Supreme Court in 2018; made inappropriate partisan statements that demonstrate bias and a lack of judicial temperament; and treated members of the Senate Judiciary Committee with disrespect." He also requested that the order be sent to "any relevant Congressional committees for their information."

Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Senate on Oct. 6 following a dramatic Senate vote.