US judge removed from ‘judicial duties’ over racist comments against Arabs

A US judge accused of making racist remarks and “witness interference and tampering” has been removed from his judicial duties in Cook County, Illinois.

Attorney Matthew Fakhoury said in a recent lawsuit that Judge William Hooks made inappropriate and racist comments about Arab-American men in a meeting with prosecutors in January.

Fakhoury added that the judge also contacted the prosecutors who were at the meeting, a step Fakhoury described as “tampering”.

On Thursday, the “Cook County Circuit Court executive committee responded with a special order authorizing an investigation by the court system’s Judicial Inquiry Board and assigning Judge Hooks to restricted duties or duties other than judicial duties,” according to ABC News.

Records show that Hooks is accused of various remarks, including speaking “stereotypically” about people accused of domestic violence. According to Fakhoury, Hooks said at the January meeting, “Middle Eastern men are also controlling and abusive.”

“I would shoot and kill men like that from Middle Eastern countries,” Hooks added, referring to his time in the military, the motion stated.

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