Ohio State Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) is calling for the “immediate resignation” of Cincinnati Judge Ted Berry over his “shocking and completely unacceptable” posts celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, citing the judge’s violation of rules listed in the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct.
“The statements, which celebrated the death with vitriolic, racially charged, and political language, represent a serious violation of the ethical standards required of every judge in Ohio,” Rep. Mathews’ office said in a Friday statement, declaring “I am unsure how any person could be confident in fairness before his court.”
The Ohio State Rep. added, “A judge must be a pillar of fairness and impartiality in our community,” before citing Judge Berry’s posts, which read, “Rest in Hatred & Division!”, “How’s he feel about gun violence & gun control in Hell, now?”, and “So, a white guy killed him! Color it KARMA!”
Rep. Mathews declared the Hamilton County judge’s remarks “shocking and completely unacceptable,” adding, “This is not the conduct of a neutral arbiter of the law; it is the behavior of a political activist who has abandoned the core principles of his office.”
The Ohio lawmaker went on to cite the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct, which he pointed out “sets forth strict requirements for a judge’s behavior, both on and off the bench.”
Canon 1 requires that a judge “uphold and promote the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety,” Rep. Mathews noted.
Rule 1.2 of this canon, meanwhile, specifically mandates that a judge “shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary,” he added.
“Judge Berry’s statements do the opposite, actively eroding the very public confidence he is sworn to uphold,” the Ohio State Rep.’s office declared.
Furthermore, the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct “dictates that a judge must perform their duties impartially,” Rep. Mathews said, adding that Berry’s remarks, “particularly celebrating the killer’s race by saying ‘Color it KARMA!’, are a flagrant violation of Rule 2.3.”
Notably, Rule 2.3 explicitly prohibits a judge from manifesting “bias or prejudice… based upon race.”
“This public display of racial bias, combined with his politically charged statements on gun control, also calls into question his adherence to Rule 2.4, which prohibits a judge from allowing personal or political interests to ‘influence the judge’s judicial conduct or judgment,'” Rep. Mathews said.
Therefore, Judge Berry “has demonstrated a clear inability to remain impartial,” the Ohio State Rep. asserted, adding, “I am unsure how any person could be confident in fairness before his court.”
Rep. Mathews reiterated that Judge Berry’s comments “display a clear ‘personal bias or prejudice’ that would require his disqualification under Rule 2.11, which includes public statements.”
“More importantly, this conduct casts a dark shadow of doubt over his impartiality in all future cases that will come before his court,” he added.
Judge Berry, who has been endorsed by the Hamilton County Democrat Party, was first elected municipal judge in 2005, Cincinnati.com reported.
Rep. Mathews added that if Berry refuses to resign, he will file a formal grievance with the Ohio Supreme Court or look for other actions to remove the Hamilton County judge.
“Should Judge Berry choose not to resign, I am prepared to file a formal grievance with the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel or take other actions towards removal to ensure that the integrity of our judiciary is protected,” the Ohio lawmaker revealed.
As Breitbart News reported, Judge Berry has already been fired from the advisory board of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s charitable foundation, The Joe Burrow Foundation, for his shocking and hateful online rhetoric regarding Charlie Kirk.
“We have terminated an advisory board member who made inappropriate remarks in light of recent events, and they are no longer associated with the Foundation,” the group’s statement read. “Their comments do not reflect our values or our mission.”
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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