Hillsborough Judge Nancy Jacobs to resign after panel recommends removal
TAMPA — Hillsborough Circuit Judge Nancy Jacobs will resign from the bench at the end of May, she announced Friday, weeks after a state disciplinary panel recommended she be removed from office.
The panel of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission found that Jacobs violated judicial canons — ethical rules that govern the conduct of judges and those running for the bench — in her bitterly contested 2022 campaign against Judge Jared Smith. The race, in which abortion rights became a major issue, featured hints of political partisanship, which is unusual for a Florida judicial contest.
The panel concluded that Jacobs' conduct made her unfit for office.
Her resignation, which is effective May 31, comes as the Florida Supreme Court weighed whether to adopt the panel's recommendations.
'I step aside with my integrity intact and my voice unwavering,' Jacobs said in a statement Friday. 'Serving as a judge has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life. I am not perfect but I have always strived to uphold the Constitution, ensure equal justice under law, and protect the rights of those who come before the court. I remain committed to the rule of law, to civil liberties, and to the idea that no person should be silenced for speaking out on matters of public concern. I thank the voters of Hillsborough County for allowing me to serve.'
This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Opinion - How long can America's colleges and universities survive Trump's ‘chaos tax'?
The House proposed tax on college endowments has drawn considerable attention. Critics have rightly noted that it would effectively tax student scholarships as well as undermine donor intent, and lacks a clear public policy rationale. While this tax targets only the wealthiest institutions, every college and university in the country is paying a different kind of price — what I call a 'chaos tax.' This refers to the unfunded time, energy and expense required to respond to the administration's attacks on higher education, along with its onslaught of confusing policy proposals and demands. That the federal government would so recklessly jeopardize the future of American colleges and universities is mind-boggling. When my organization surveyed and interviewed hundreds of college presidents two years ago, they reported that the issues that mattered the most to them were tied to improving the education offered to students. Among their top priorities: fostering a climate for free expression, strengthening the college-to-career pipeline, and integrating new technologies. This year, college presidents tell us that the bulk of their time is taken up with responding to executive orders, protecting the rights of students, and responding to negative perceptions of higher ed. In both the near past and the present, many were also focused on the financial stability of their institutions. But the current policy climate has made this an even more pressing worry. College presidents now express concern that their institutions face an existential threat. Each time the federal government issues a threat or demand, institutions must pause to parse and interpret it. Each time funding is withheld or a grant is cancelled, institutions have to realign their already stressed budgets and make difficult decisions. Many executive orders have been paused by judges due to their lack of clarity or their lack of alignment with federal law or the Constitution. But whether they stand or fall, the toll on campus leaders — and the students they serve — is intense. If our largest universities are struggling to respond, imagine what this season of attack is doing to the many smaller and leaner institutions. To give just one example, the recent threat to disenroll Harvard's international students — a threat currently on hold thanks to a judicial ruling — has sent shock waves throughout all of higher education. Nationally, more than a million college and university students are from countries outside the U.S. For decades, American colleges and universities have welcomed them, seeing opportunities for enhanced peer-to-peer global learning, a way to keep tuition down for domestic students, and a chance to share the good news about American democracy and freedom to learn. In the wake of unprecedented arrests, sudden cancelling of visas and now the threat of disenrollment, international student applications have dropped dramatically across the board. Current international students are panicked about their future and unsure if they will be able to return after the summer. For many years, American higher education has been the envy of the world and one of our most successful exports. The international students who flock here pay top dollar to receive a world-class education, globally lauded credentials, and a deeper appreciation for the American way of life. In this case, the balance of trade is widely in our favor. The loss of international students means a less effective and robust education for all American students. Without revenue from international students, American students will have to pay more. And international enrollment is but a single target of chaotic orders and policy. With more of their college leadership investing time in navigating the many unforced errors of the current administration, American students will see less time spent on meeting their educational needs and fewer opportunities to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and other important fields. That the federal government would recklessly endanger the future of so many American colleges and universities is vexing. What are our goals as a nation? Are we looking to create well-paying jobs and enhance American prosperity? Preserve the blessings of a free society? Improve health and life expectancy for more Americans? No country has been able to achieve these aims without significant investment. It is not just the elites that are bearing the burden of this chaos. The local religious college, the small comprehensive university that educates nurses and teachers, community colleges, the land grant public institution, the state branch campus — all of them are vulnerable to the same threatened withdrawal of federal support. Collectively, American higher education is being weakened and hollowed out. Our capacity for scientific innovation is being hobbled. Our pathways out of poverty are being pruned. Our future is being mortgaged. We need to insist on a sensible policy agenda for higher education — one that is preparing the country for the impact of AI and positioning our graduates to serve their communities and lead in their professions. Students, alumni and families who hope for a bright future for their children must join higher ed leaders and insist on an end to the chaos tax. Marjorie Hass, Ph.D., is president of the Council of Independent Colleges, an organization serving more than 600 independent colleges and universities, based in Washington, D.C. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
33 minutes ago
- Axios
Rep. Mary Miller faces bipartisan fury over "ignorant" Sikh comment
Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) is coming under fire from colleagues in both parties after misidentifying a Sikh man as Muslim and saying he should have "never been allowed" to deliver the House's morning prayer. Why it matters: Even some Republicans are expressing disgust at Miller, a right-wing hardliner who has cultivated a reputation for making inflammatory comments. "People should think before they talk or type," vented one House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts on a fellow Republican. Miller's office has not responded to a request for comment on her post. What happened: After Giani Singh, a Sikh Grandhi from Southern New Jersey, delivered the House of Representatives' daily prayer, Miller said in a now-deleted post on X that it was "deeply troubling a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives this morning." "This should have never been allowed to happen," she said, erroneously stating that the U.S. was "founded as a Christian nation" and that "our government should reflect that truth." Miller later edited the post to replace "Muslim" with "Sikh," then deleted it altogether. What they're saying: The House Republican who spoke to Axios said Miller's comments make her look "darn ignorant." Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) said in a post on X that "a Sikh prayer on the House floor ... doesn't violate the Constitution, offend my Catholic faith, or throttle my support for Israel," adding, "Live and let live." "I'm deeply disappointed by Rep. Mary Miller's comments," Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), who has previously sponsored Singh as a guest chaplain, said in a statement to Axios. The Congressional Asian Pacific Islander Caucus condemned"Rep. Miller's anti-Sikh and anti-Muslim bigotry," calling her post "disgraceful." Reality check: The U.S. was not founded as an explicitly Christian nation, and the the First Amendment to the Constitution protects freedom of religion. Zoom out: This is not the first time Miller has been embroiled in controversy.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Legal Experts File Complaint Against Pam Bondi, Citing 'Serious' Misconduct, Trump Bias
Roughly 70 law professors, attorneys and justices filed an ethics complaint against Attorney General Pam Bondi with the Florida Bar on Thursday, accusing her of 'serious professional misconduct' and political bias in favor of President Donald Trump. The complaint alleges that the former Florida attorney general has worked to weaponize the Department of Justice by threatening department lawyers with discipline or termination if they fail 'to zealously pursue the President's political objectives.' DOJ lawyers say Bondi and her staff have pressured them into 'violating their ethical obligations' and doing things they are 'ethically forbidden from doing.' This has resulted in 'serious professional misconduct that threatens the rule of law and the administration of justice,' states the complaint, obtained by HuffPost and first reported by the Miami Herald. Francisco Digon-Greer, counsel for the Florida Bar, dismissed the complaint in a letter on Friday, saying the institution does not 'investigate or prosecute sitting officers appointed under the U.S. Constitution while they are in office.' 'Such proceedings by The Florida Bar, as an arm of the Florida Supreme Court, could encroach on the authority of the federal government concerning these officials and the exercise of their duties,' his letter read. Dozens of legal experts, including retired Florida Supreme Court justices Barbara J. Pariente and Peggy A. Quince, had signed the complaint, which demanded an investigation and sanctions against Bondi. It was the third complaint the group has filed against Bondi, and the third denied due to her current employment status. Possibly anticipating another rejection, the complaint's authors said Thursday that states are responsible for overseeing who can practice law in their respective jurisdictions and disciplining them. 'The Rules not only require that lawyers who are public officials are accountable for their ethical conduct, but they specifically declare that lawyers who are public officials have a higher duty than other lawyers to maintain ethical standards,' they argued, citing the Florida Bar's rules of professional conduct. 'Nowhere in the Rules or Comments is there an exemption for lawyers who are federal public officials.' The complaint cites 'three glaring examples' as evidence of Bondi's alleged misconduct, including the April firing of immigration lawyer Erez Reuveni. Reuveni was terminated after telling a judge that the government's deportation of migrant Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to El Salvador was made in 'error.' He was ousted, the complaint states, 'for telling the truth.' It also cites the 'forced resignation' of federal prosecutor Denise Cheung in February after she declined Trump officials' request to open a criminal investigation into a government contractor 'because there was insufficient predication.' The third example is the DOJ's efforts to dismiss New York City Mayor Eric Adams' criminal indictment without prejudice. Nearly a dozen lawyers who objected to the DOJ's proposal, calling it an improper 'quid pro quo,' were either forced to resign or resigned after being placed on administrative leave, the complaint states. A DOJ official dismissed the complaint as meritless to HuffPost. 'The Florida Bar has twice rejected performative attempts by these out-of-state lawyers to weaponize the bar complaint process against AG Bondi,' DOJ chief of staff Chad Mizelle said in a statement. 'This third vexatious attempt will fail to do anything other than prove that the signatories have less intelligence — and independent thoughts — than sheep.' Bondi, a staunch Trump loyalist, served as a special adviser to the president during his first impeachment and supported his efforts to deny his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. During her confirmation hearing in January, she refused to acknowledge his defeat. Since her appointment as the nation's top attorney, Bondi has sided with Trump on every controversial and constitutionally questionable order and has publicly vowed to 'root out' anyone within the DOJ and FBI 'who despise Donald Trump.' Bondi presented herself as an independent prosecutor during her Jan. 15 Senate confirmation hearing, saying that 'politics will not play a part' in deciding whom to investigate and that she would exercise independent judgment. 'Politics has to be taken out of this system,' she said. 'This department has been weaponized for years and years and years, and it has to stop.' Trump on Wednesday ordered Bondi and other federal officials to investigate the Biden administration and his predecessor's health while in office. Pam Bondi Locks Bar Association Out Of Vetting Trump's Judicial Nominees 150 Former Judges Condemn Trump, Tell Pam Bondi They're Not 'Deranged' 'Daily Show' Unloads On Pam Bondi's 'Bulls**t' Trump Claim: 'You Sound High As F**k!' Pam Bondi Rolls Back Protections For Journalists In New DOJ Memo
