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Review Panel Drops Charges Against Retired Judge

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By STEVE ANDREWS sandrews@wfla.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 20, 2009

TAMPA - The agency that investigates judges announced Thursday it is dropping its ethics complaint against 2nd District Court of Appeal Judge Thomas E. Stringer.

The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission voluntarily dismissed misconduct charges against Stringer because of the judge's retirement last month. The judge was accused of helping a stripper hide money from creditors.

Michael L. Schneider, the group's general counsel, said there was no reason to proceed because Stringer had resigned and agreed neither to seek judicial office again nor serve as a senior judge.

"He's gone, left the bench, not going to sit as a senior judge, so our part is done," commission executive director Brooke Kennerly said.

The commission began looking at Stringer after a series of reports in March 2008 by News Channel 8 and The Tampa Tribune revealed that Stringer allowed New York stripper Christy Yamanaka to deposit tens of thousands of dollars into his bank accounts while she owed creditors more than $300,000.

In February, Stringer was to answer the panel's questions under oath. Three days before the planned deposition, the judge sent a letter informing the governor of his retirement.

Tribune reporter Tom Brennan contributed to this report.

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