Chief justice asks federal appeals court judges to handle ethics complaints against Kavanaugh

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is reportedly referring ethics complaints brought against Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Colorado.

The Associated Press reported that the complaints were filed in relation to Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings in September and were originally filed with his previous court, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Roberts reportedly made the request in a letter sent to the chief judge of the 10th Circuit, Timothy Tymkovich, who was also on the list of President Trump’s possible Supreme Court nominees, along with Kavanaugh and Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

{mosads}According to the news service, Roberts received three complaints on Sept. 20, just days before Kavanaugh’s combative testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, in which he vehemently denied allegations of sexual assault brought by Christine Blasey Ford and other accusers.

Roberts reportedly made no action on the complaints, which eventually totaled 15, while Kavanaugh’s confirmation was pending. 

Politico pointed out that Roberts’s decision could be partially related to Judge Merrick Garland. As chief judge of the D.C Circuit, Garland is tasked with handling such complaints.

Garland was nominated by former President Obama to serve on the Supreme Court but was blocked by the Republicans.