District judge sent hundreds of bigoted emails

HELENA, Mont. — A federal judicial panel investigating former U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull over a racist email involving President Barack Obama found the judge sent hundreds of other inappropriate messages.

The Judicial Council of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found emails that showed disdain for blacks, Indians, Hispanics, women, religious faiths and some with inappropriate jokes about sexual orientation.

The council’s March 2013 order reprimanding Cebull was released for the first time Friday by the Judicial Conference of the United States. Cebull retired May 2 before the order was enforced.

The 9th Circuit council condemned Cebull’s email practices and ordered he issue a second public apology. It says concerned parties may ask him to recuse himself.

Two council members said they would go further and ask Cebull to retire.