Should judge step down?

Sandusky County Common Pleas Court Judge John Ickes released a report this week of an investigation into sexual harassment complaints filed against him by employees in his office. He assured the public he is abiding by its recommendations. The law firm the court hired to conduct the investigation didn't list any recommendations in its two-page report, but did mention that the judge's language and behavior toward subordinates was inappropriate. Ickes So here's a list of recommendations we would suggest the judge follow, given the nature of the complaints: • Stop using offensive language, sexually suggestive language, crude and vulgar language in front of staff • Consider the impact of your conduct, as an elected official with a staff serving under you • Stop rubbing lotion on a part of your body while looking at women in the office and making sexually suggestive movements with his mouth — that's something an employee accused him of doing. • Act like a mature adult, both on the bench and behind closed doors at the courthouse The law firm said one of the women who complained was a willing participant, at times, but that's no excuse for the judge's behavior. We would expect better manners in every workplace, and certainly a court of law is no place for this kind of misogynist nonsense. The public has a right to expect better behavior from a sitting judge and should be appalled that rather than hold up the integrity of the job he acts like a crass, hormone-fueled teenager with no manners and an aggressive attitude toward women. Ickes should seriously consider if he can correct the behavior, or whether he should step down. In a courthouse rocked by a similar scandal just a few years — when the elected county prosecutor was accused of harassing women and worse — disrespect for subordinates is unacceptable. There should be an absolute zero tolerance policy for the courthouse, and Ickes should explain to the public why he should not resign.