A Las Vegas judge has been accused of committing ethics violations after several “inappropriate” social media posts, including one where she talked about breasts while posing with public defenders in a hot tub.

A Las Vegas judge has been accused of committing ethics violations after several “inappropriate” social media posts, including one where she talked about breasts while posing with public defenders in a hot tub.

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline filed charges against Clark County District Court Judge Erika Ballou on Wednesday.

According to the formal statement of charges, Judge Ballou allegedly posted a photo on her Facebook page in April 2022 of herself in a hot tub with two public defenders – Shana Brouwers and Robson Hauser – with the caption: “Robson is surrounded by great t*ts.”

Ballou is accused of violating rules requiring a judge to “promote public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety,” according to the Daily Mail.

“According to court documents, Ballou shared a post that showed her in a hot tub with two members of the public defender’s office, including an inappropriate comment referring to ‘t*ts,'” KSNV reported.

The formal statement of charges also referred to a Facebook post from April 2022.

The complaint – filed by attorney Francis Flaherty – is a first step for possible disciplinary action against Ballou.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, “The complaint said Ballou’s posts violated several codes of conduct, including one that states judges should act in a way that promotes public trust, a rule that calls for her position take precedence over her ‘personal and extrajudicial activities,’ and a rule that prohibits conveying an impression that there’s somebody or an entity in a position of influence.”

Ballou has been criticized in the past for her extremely controversial opinions.

In 2016, Ballou refused to remove a Black Lives Matter pin after she was ordered to remove it by a judge.

In July 2022, the Las Vegas Police Protective Association demanded that Ballou resign after she made remarks that were deemed to be “anti-cop.”

Courtroom video shows Ballou telling a defendant, “You’re the one making the decisions not to walk away from cops. You’re a black man in America. You know you don’t want to be nowhere where cops are. You know you don’t want to be nowhere where cops are cause I know I don’t, and I’m a middle-aged, middle-class black woman. I don’t want to be around where the cops are because I don’t know if I’m going to walk away alive or not.”

After the controversy, Ballou claimed that she supported law enforcement by saying, “What the record shows, is that I communicate with those who appear before me in a manner that is straight-forward and understandable.”

Ballou was sworn in as a judge in January 2021.

KLAS-TV reported, “Before becoming a judge, Ballou was a public defender and social justice organizer. She was a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, which supported her run for judge.”

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