Many readers may be familiar with the right Hon. Judge Kopf from the days of his own blog, "Hercules and the Umpire." After its demise, he has remained as a fairly regular commenter (and sometimes guest author) at Admiral Greenfield's "Simple Justice" blog.
Oft times, when commenting on ABA-related posts at Simple Justice, I have encouraged fellow readers to follow my 2016 example of dumping further association with, and any dues payment to, the ABA. Judge Kopf, a happy, 48-year member, would often note his intention to continue to support the ABA, for whatever good it might still do. I couldn't be too critical of that, as I was there once, and made excuses for ABA over far more decades than I should have.
Today, venturing into the Internet a bit late, I was surprised (but not displeased) to see that the draft judicial ethics opinion relating to membership by judges in political advocacy organizations had finally made the difference to Judge Kopf.
Reading the analysis in the committee draft, Judge Kopf could not escape the inexorable conclusion that the proposed exception for ABA could not be rationally supported, given what the organization has become. Hence, he resigned. From ABA, that is, and fortunately, not the federal bench.
Despite his considerable standing with the Nebraska Home Fleet (and Admiral Greenfield), His Honor has always been a modest chap, and does not see his resignation as having significance. In fact, it does. As I once did, Judge Kopf has done his very best to look the other way and to make excuses for the ABA, for nearly half a century. That he looks, and reasons and now cannot continue, is momentous. Maybe other judges will follow. Maybe none will. Yet, ABA has lost a true Defender of the Faith in this great, but humble, man. ABA is well past the end of its beginning, and now, it is also truly and well past the beginning of its end.
https://blog.simplejustice.us/2020/01/26/kopf-a-bomb-is-dropped-hitting-2-deserving-targets-but-missing-a-third/#more-42744
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