Republican judge 'accepts responsibility' and resigns after ethics bust

New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald announced his resignation from the bench on Tuesday, effective immediately, after being accused of violating the state’s judicial code of conduct for his role in orchestrating a payout to a top ally last year, reports New Hampshire NPR.

“MacDonald’s departure marks a sudden and stunning end to his five-year tenure leading New Hampshire’s judicial branch. The 64-year-old has been out on medical leave since late July, with no explanation provided for his absence,” reports NPR’s Todd Bookman. “In a resignation letter released Tuesday morning, MacDonald said, ‘I believe this is in the best interests of the New Hampshire Judicial Branch. I accept responsibility and accountability for my conduct.’

News of MacDonald’s resignation came on the heels of an announcement from the New Hampshire Supreme Court that he had admitted to violating several sections of the state’s judicial code of conduct. An ethics probe centered on MacDonald’s handling of an “unusual personnel maneuver” last year in which Dianne Martin, a top judicial branch employee and longtime ally of MacDonald’s, was laid off and then immediately rehired into another position, allowing her to cash out nearly $50,000 in accrued benefits.

“According to records released Tuesday, the state Judicial Conduct Committee — an independent panel of judges and lawyers that investigates allegations of wrongdoing by state judges — determined that MacDonald failed to ‘promote public confidence’ in the judiciary, failed to perform his duties competently, and failed ‘to avoid favoritism with respect to the removal of Dianne Martin’ from her position,” reports Bookman. “Rather than challenge the committee’s ethics charges through a public trial, MacDonald chose to resign.”

NPR adds that MacDonald admitted to violating three sections of the state’s Code of Judicial Conduct, according to an order released by the New Hampshire Supreme Court Tuesday. The Judicial Conduct Committee, it said, wrote MacDonald “failed to act in a manner that promotes public confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary and failed to avoid the appearance of impropriety.”

The panel elevated it to an official complaint in March, but published its findings on Tuesday. MacDonald acknowledged the violations and did not contest them. He also agreed to resign as part of a settlement, according to the Judicial Conduct Committee, meaning a formal hearing will not be pursued.

In a letter to MacDonald in March 2026, the Judicial Conduct Committee accused the judge of "being upset with other justices’ decision to remove Martin from her position."

“You entered Justice Donovan’s chambers, reportedly slamming the office door. It is also reported that you yelled at Justice Donovan, using profane language in anger. Later that day you engaged in a similar behavior in a heated exchange with Justice Countway,” the letter states, according to NPR. “This was not the first time in your tenure that you yelled and used profanity in anger toward a judicial officer.”