Richard Cebull, Montana Federal Judge, Apologizes To Obama For Racist Email

Richard Cebull, Montana's chief federal judge, apologized to Obama after admitting he forwarded an email comparing African-Americans to dogs and implying that President Barack Obama's mother had sex with animals.

"I sincerely and profusely apologize to you and your family for the email I forwarded," said Cebull's apology letter, which was dated March 1. "I accept full responsibility; I have no one to blame but myself."

Cebull said he requested that the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit review the situation.

"Honestly, I don't know what else I can do," Cebull wrote.

Cebull admitted to sending the email on Wednesday. In an interview with the Great Falls Tribune -- the publication that obtained the email -- Cebull agreed the email was racist, but said he personally was not.

Cebull said he did not send the email because it was racist, but because it was 'anti-Obama.'

Read Cebull's full letter to Obama below:

Letter To Obama

Comments

[Philcat]

11:42 AM on 04/04/2013

Everyone - including here gets mass mailing of jokes -
it's not like he stood before the bench and quoted it.

Emails should be off limits as actual thought.
More than half of emails sent never get read anyway.

Not seeing the email - probably shows 100 others got the same one as it went around.

[jupiter1989]

04:53 PM on 04/09/2013

I actually pressed the "favourite" tab by mistake. You're forgetting that the judge forwarded the email to others "This should be close to your hearts as it is with mine."

He clearly believed in everything that was written in the that disgusting "joke."

[Philcat]

02:43 PM on 04/11/2013

I'm Sure God will reveal the True Joker in the End.

[Doris Castillo]

02:01 PM on 01/25/2013

if you don't have respect for the President of United States you can't have respect for the rest of the people who you represent, He represent the law and he need to be removed from his position, all his cases must be review he's a racist and he can put innocent people in Jail for the color of their skins.
Sorry for the good white people he doesn't represent them.

[Jill from NYC]

02:52 PM on 10/05/2012

You don't know what else you can do? You can resign, that's what.

[csmomo]

02:51 PM on 10/05/2012

This happened MONTHS AND MONTHS ago--why just now in the news pages?
That a person occupying a FEDERAL JUDGE seat should send such an email is
a good commentary on the caliber of judges appointed by some AH Republican president who shall remain nameless.

[bigstew]

10:29 AM on 10/05/2012

Speaking as a born and bred Montanan I find this conduct by a Federal Judge outrageous and disgusting. Non-partisan independent judges are the backbone of our judiciary to ensure fair non biased hearings and findings. This man should not be a judge at any level and he should resign and take his racist views with him. There is no place for people like this in Montana. We respect the laws and the rights of others. That is why Montana is the wonderful place it is.

[diamonds61]

11:24 AM on 03/28/2012

It seems that people in power like Judge Richard Cebull and others make horrific, racist, disrespectful remarks or comments whether in public, emails, letters, and other forms of the media about President Obama and his family; then they apologize and expect everything to be forgiven and forgotten. Enough is enough - they need to face serious consequences. Cebull needs to step down as a judge; he is supposed to be fair and impartial; It is obvious that he is neither. He is a racist and a bigot who has no place in dealing out judgement and punishment. He claims he doesn't know what else to do. He needs leave his post and keep walking!!

[tmdpny]

04:19 PM on 03/25/2012

If he is not a racist and received that email, he would have been OFFENDED like I would be and never even think of forwarding it to anyone.

[PNix68]

02:07 PM on 04/22/2012

I *have* read and forwarded emails that I found offensive or in bad taste but 1) never on someone else's computer and 2) whatever note I sent with the email would clearly construe that I was forwarding with a "Girl, can you believe this $&#%! here?" attitude and could not ever be misconceived as agreement or endorsement of the content. For instance, everyone wants to see what the message was that Richard All-bull forwarded. If I got that in an email you don't think I'd share it with friends and get into conversations about it? (And of course, if anyone forwarded it and removed my commentary, it might look as if I was passing it on in *support* of the nastiness but that would not be true.)

I agree with the majority here. If this were any of us we would likely be fired ON THE SPOT. Even take out the reference to the President. HOW CAN WE TRUST HIM TO BE A FAIR JUDGE when, even though we haven't seen what he forwarded, we read the pitiful, 3rd-grade-sounding apology he had the audacity to make. No GAVEL belongs in his hand.

God help all who have to come before this judge in the future and those that were unfortunate enough to have in the past. I don't think any of us would be the least bit surprised to find some apology-worthy surprises in his judgments there, too.

[csmomo]

02:53 PM on 10/05/2012

Probably got appointed by Little George--paragon of all virtues.

[PNix68]

02:12 PM on 04/22/2012

Oh, also, you can watch the video to hear the content of the message he forwarded.

[Roland Yeldell]

11:57 AM on 03/18/2012

You can resign, if you worked for the Huffington Post and sent out that letter about their CEO your butt would have been FIRED.

[strangervessell]

01:49 PM on 10/05/2012

.....if any one of us had cracked a joke like that in his presence we would be locked up for a year for contempt of court.......

[Eskishmo]

07:53 PM on 03/14/2012

Am I the only person who thinks this is completely, utterly and disproportionately ridiculous? I have two questions: Where's the joke? And can we read it please? It's absurd that paper, online and otherwise is dedicating column space to writing about whether or not the guy should resign and how this shows the true nature of the Republican party and they won't even print what they're writing about. In fact, scrap absurd. It's downright pathetic.

[mtn viking]

03:14 AM on 03/17/2012

Done on a taxpayer funded computer during time that was paid by taxpayers. That, in itself, is enough. Even ignoring the racist/misogynistic implications.

[kjlovesign]

03:54 PM on 03/19/2012

A little boy said to his mother, "Mommy, how come I'm am black and you are white?". His mother replied, "Don't even go there, Barrack! From what I can remember about that party, You're lucky you don't bark!" Federal Judge Richard Cebull forwarded the proceeding e-mail.

[cocolola]

08:26 AM on 03/08/2012

Apology not accepted.

[atexasdem]

03:23 AM on 10/05/2012

If a law breaker came before this judge and apologized for his crime would the judge say, that's good enough, all is forgiven? Somehow I doubt it.

[csmomo]

02:59 PM on 10/05/2012

No, but this is not a crime but an insult to the President and his family and the United States of America. He definitely should be removed from the Federal bench. In some countries he would be executed for such a message. In this country he will just be forever branded a fool.

[NoMoreWhiteH8]

06:21 PM on 04/03/2013

Was this pale dog judge executed?

[vidian6]

04:21 AM on 03/08/2012

How exactly did that apology go, "I'm sorry I said your mother had sex with a dog", are you kidding. This man is an idiot and shouldn't be sitting on the park bench, yet alone the Federal bench.

[strangervessell]

01:53 PM on 10/05/2012

..........calm down everybody......it's ok - he's only gonna be able to hear about 2/3 of his average cases now.......it's not gonna be so bad, geez.......

[NoMoreWhiteH8]

06:23 PM on 04/03/2013

you calmdowninbred KKKlansman

[she704]

09:37 PM on 03/07/2012

Honorable Richard Cebull, a man reaps what he sows.
Sincerely.

[Lois Kebe]

01:36 PM on 03/07/2012

What a Croc - the insincere apology from Federal Judge Richard Cebull not accepted. I do not understand why and how people get to ridicule, point their finger in his face and do things like calling the sitting President of the United States of America a Liar during a session in Congress is even possible. How do these people get away with it? I have never seen it happen with any other President, and I want it to stop - it is as Brian Smithen suggested on the Huffington Post site, Anti-American behavior. Regardless of whether you like the politics of our current Leader and Chief - there is a line of respect and dignity that correlates with President Obama’s Position of Power that must never be crossed. Are we still in the 50s and 60s? Grow up America; put your racism and hatred on the back burner.

[bg3]

11:48 AM on 03/07/2012

front page and 5000 comments, yet 2 black kids douse a white child with gasoline, yelling you get what you deserve white boy, and you have to dig and dig to find it

[vidian6]

04:22 AM on 03/08/2012

Seek help.

[bg3]

10:52 AM on 03/08/2012

seek help for pointing out a disgrace??? I dont think so

[cocolola]

08:38 AM on 03/08/2012

Those two black kids will be dealt with accordingly, but what does that incident have to do with this post? I thought that we were discussing a racist judge here.

[bg3]

10:51 AM on 03/08/2012

the fact that one is headlines and the other is buried. Which is worse to you?

[migosselin]

10:14 AM on 03/07/2012

of course he's a racist. No one wants to admit to it. Saying that he sent it only because it was anti-Obama is most likely a lie.

[strangervessell]

01:58 PM on 10/05/2012

......see, if he had just admitted he was a racist instead of sending that e-mail all would be ok.....he's a lifetime appointed judge and he can't be impeached unless he commits a high crime.....I think our founding fathers long ago turned off their televisions and laptops in heaven 'cause they were tired of what they were seeing on the news.....

[csmomo]

03:02 PM on 10/05/2012

The fool thought it was FUNNY. And he is a FEDERAL JUDGE!