In recently submitted documents, the state Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) has charged Judge Moon with violating judicial canons by making contributions to political campaigns. These contributions were directed towards prominent Democratic figures, including Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, as well as ActBlue, the fundraising platform for the Democratic Party, as reported by NBC Miami.
The contributions, deemed unlawful under Florida’s judicial conduct regulations, amounted to $2,115. As reported by the Sun Sentinel, a proposed agreement between Judge Moon and the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) would lead to a public reprimand and a penalty equivalent to the total of her contributions.
“The commission is of the opinion that a public censure and financial penalty will adequately discourage similar misconduct by the respondent (Moon) in the future and will also serve as a cautionary note to prospective candidates for judicial positions, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining the integrity of judicial elections by avoiding inappropriate campaign practices and improper political donations,” stated one of the documents. This recent development occurs while Judge Moon awaits a decision from the Florida Supreme Court regarding a prior set of misconduct allegations.
In January, the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) advised a reprimand after uncovering her unprofessional conduct in two distinct instances: first, reminding an attorney in open court about his failure to return a phone call concerning her re-election campaign, and second, directly reaching out to a therapist involved in a case pending before her court.
The Florida Supreme Court is responsible for determining disciplinary measures against judges based on the investigations and recommendations provided by the JQC.
In 2024, Broward judge Moon received recognition from the Florida Bar press, which noted her nomination to serve a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society.
Judge Moon is currently under scrutiny for purportedly breaching regulations that forbid judges from participating in campaign activities while serving on the bench, as reported by NBC News.
This week, a state commission examining judicial misconduct publicly recommended to the Florida Supreme Court that Moon receive a public reprimand. Moon has consented to this punishment; however, the ultimate decision regarding the sanction rests with the state’s highest court.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission expressed significant concern when Moon inquired of an attorney in court regarding his failure to respond to her otherwise appropriate after-hours phone call in January, in which she sought his assistance for the campaign committee that ultimately contributed to her re-election.
It characterized the situation as highlighting ‘the inherently coercive nature of the interaction between a robed judge in court questioning an attorney who appears with a client about the attorney’s support or non-support of their campaign,’ as stated by the JQC.
Furthermore, it noted that her conduct ‘could reasonably raise questions about the judge’s integrity or impartiality.’ The attorney involved, Michael Jones, conveyed to NBC6 Investigates in May that the encounter left him ‘extremely uncomfortable,’ as he was backing Moon’s opponent, attorney Johnny Weekes.
Judges running for reelection, along with their challengers, must adhere to stringent regulations regarding the timing and methods of their campaigning, with courthouse facilities generally being prohibited for such activities.
Although judges and candidates cannot directly request contributions for their campaigns, they are allowed to establish a ‘committee of responsible individuals’ that can solicit donations, oversee spending, and collect public endorsements for the judge, in accordance with the Florida rules and canons that regulate judicial behavior.
