Dufficy, in a court declaration, took a swing at Winner's investigation as well. It is in fact a poorly written, incompetently investigated, and biased referral to child custody cases. In defense of his conduct, Dufficy has said he keeps a professional distance while socializing. His friendships, he says, come from practicing law in the same county for some 30-odd years. The pervasive allegations of favoritism are not the only charges against Dufficy.
Evidence shows that the judge also committed other ethical violations.
In particular, the judge's relationship with Richard Riede provides perhaps the clearest example of why Dufficy is now under investigation. Riede is one of the judge's best friends and was a regular at the Memorial Day parties. He performed the club's administrative work, signing all the club's correspondence and its applications to transfer stock, according to documents from the state's Department of Corporations. George Clooney, call your agent. All rights reserved.