SAN JOSE — Conrad Rushing, the powerful state appellate court justice who presided for 15 years over a sprawling district including San Jose, was facing allegations of bigotry, sexual harassment and discrimination against women when he retired earlier this week, according to sources and an internal report obtained by this news organization.
The confidential five-page report commissioned by the state Judicial Council painted a devastating picture of the 80-year-old Sixth District Court of Appeal justice’s conduct over the past decade, concluding that he:
- Engaged in sexual conduct at work, including looking at nude images of women in his chambers
- Made overly personal comments about female employee’s appearance, attire and bodies, including on the length of a female attorney’s legs
- Remarked in a derogatory manner about Portuguese-Americans and other groups on the basis of their ethnicity, national origin or religion
- Asked employees to perform personal errands for him
- Treated male lawyers who worked for the court more favorably than female attorneys