Florida Bulldog: Second South Florida judge who favored Trump in libel ruling is steps away from lifetime post on federal court
Issues
This excerpt is from a piece that originally ran on May 10, 2026.
When Coons asked why he didn’t disqualify himself, Kuntz said he obeyed Florida Supreme Court ethics rules.
In fact, though, Canon 3 E(1) of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct states unequivocally that a judge “shall disqualify himself or herself in a proceeding in which the judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” The Alliance for Justice referred to Kuntz’s apparent violation of that rule when it rated him “unfit and unqualified” for a federal judgeship.
Judge Ed Artau, another member of the 4th DCA panel that advanced the libel suit, argued more forcefully for Trump than Kuntz did and was promoted to federal court first. The left-leaning Alliance for Justice, a nonprofit coalition of progressive groups that vets judicial candidates – much like the right-leaning Federalist Society – also opposed Artau’s confirmation.
Still, the Senate voted 50 to 43 on Sept. 8 to confirm Artau for the Southern District of Florida, where Kuntz will probably join him.
Kuntz’s confirmation vote isn’t scheduled yet but the outcome is predictable, according to Christine Zinner, an Alliance director in Washington, D.C. “Unfortunately, we saw how this movie ended with Judge Artau,” she said.
West Palm Beach U.S. District Judge Ed ArtauHer group maintains that judges who show blatant pro-Trump bias can’t be trusted to rule fairly. “Is it right for a litigant to have to wonder: Will Kuntz be committed to upholding the rule of law and the Constitution, or will his loyalties lie with Trump?” Zinner said.
“As we’re seeing so many of the lower courts holding the line on Trump’s unauthorized power grabs, it’s more important than ever for our judiciary to remain independent,” she said.