Broward County Circuit Judge Stefanie Moon is facing probable penalty for making political contributions, which adds to other misconduct charges for which she has already been referred for possible punishment by Florida’s Supreme Court.
In newly filed documents, the state Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) accused Judge Moon of breaking judicial canons by contributing to political campaigns.
Contributions were made to high-profile Democratic politicians such as Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, as well as ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s fundraising platform, according to an NBC Miami report.
The donations, which are illegal under Florida’s judicial behavior regulations, totaled $2,115. According to the Sun Sentinel, a suggested deal between Judge Moon and the JQC would result in a public censure and a punishment equal to the value of her donations.
“The commission believes that a public reprimand and fine will be sufficient to deter similar misconduct by the respondent (Moon) in the future and will also serve as a reminder to future candidates for judicial office that they must protect the integrity of judicial elections by refraining from inappropriate campaign activity and improper political contributions,” according to one of the files.
This current development comes while Judge Moon is already waiting for a ruling from the Florida Supreme Court on a previous set of misconduct claims.
In January, the JQC recommended a reprimand after discovering that she acted unprofessionally in two separate incidents: reminding an attorney in open court that he had not returned a phone call relating to her re-election campaign, and directly contacting a therapist involved in a case before her court.
The Florida Supreme Court determines disciplinary action against judges based on JQC investigations and recommendations.
Broward judge Moon was acknowledged in 2024 by the Florida Bar press, which highlighted her nomination to the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society Board of Trustees for a three-year term.
Judge Moon is also facing possible punishment for allegedly violating rules that prohibit judges from engaging in campaign activities while on the bench, NBC News reported.
This week, a state commission investigating judge misconduct made public its recommendation to the Florida Supreme Court that Moon undergo a public reprimand, a punishment Moon has agreed to, but the final sanction will be up to the state’s top court.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission was “quite disturbed” when Moon asked an attorney in court why he did not return her otherwise proper, after-hours phone call in January, asking him to assist on the campaign committee that ultimately helped her be re-elected.
It defined “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,” the JQC said. It added that her actions “could reasonably raise questions about the judge’s integrity or impartiality.”
The lawyer in question, Michael Jones, told NBC6 Investigates in May that the meeting made him “extremely uncomfortable,” because he was supporting Moon’s opponent, attorney Johnny Weekes.
Judges seeking reelection and their opponents are subject to very strict rules about when and how they can campaign, and courthouse facilities are typically off-limits.
While judges and candidates are not permitted to solicit contributions directly to their campaigns, they may form a “committee of responsible persons” whose members may seek donations, manage expenditures, and gather public statements of support for the judge, according to the Florida rules and canons that govern judicial conduct.
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