Rep. Hank Johnson calls for investigation into ‘racist, bigoted conduct’ of federal law clerk

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia is leading the call for an investigation into why two federal judges would hire a law clerk with a documented history of “racist, bigoted conduct.”

In a letter to the Supreme Court and to the 11th Circuit in Atlanta, Johnson recounts several troubling but very public instances where the newly-hired clerk used racist and bigoted language. For example, when she worked for the right-wing group Turning Point USA, she’s alleged to have sent a text message to co-workers that said “I HATE BLACK PEOPLE. Like f[—] them all.”

WABE’s legal analyst Page Pate discussed the situation with “All Things Considered” host Jim Burress, and started by putting into perspective how important the relationship is between a clerk to a federal judge.