Trump’s Sister Retires, Highlighting Judge Misconduct Loophole

Maryanne Trump Barry’s quiet retirement earlier this year from a federal appeals court short-circuited a judicial ethics investigation, allowing the president’s older sister to dodge potentially serious consequences such as loss of full retirement benefits.

The former Third Circuit judge faced the civil probe that was triggered by a New York Times report last year about whether she and her siblings, including her brother Donald, benefited from alleged tax schemes linked to her late father. Four complaints of judicial misconduct were filed in October of 2018. At the time, Barry, now 82, was semi-retired and not hearing cases.

The Judicial ...