Replies

Knepp before the DeMoloch Party Judicial Inquisition:
11. Have you had any contact with anyone at the Federalist Society about your possible
nomination to any federal court? If so, please identify when, who was involved, and what
was discussed.

I have discussed my interest in being nominated as a District Judge with many
individuals, including some I understand to be members of the Federalist Society. I was
introduced by friend of a friend to Dean Reuter, whom I understood to be General
Counsel of the Federalist Society, in late 2019. Although I do not recall specifics, my
general recollection is that we discussed my qualifications and experience and he offered
some general advice about the nomination process.

12. On your Senate Judiciary Questionnaire, you state that you have been a member of the
National Rifle Association (NRA) in since 2013.

a. Are you currently a member of the NRA?

Yes

b. If confirmed to the District Court, will you remain a member or renew
your membership with the NRA?

I am a life member and have no present plans to resign.

c. Do you commit to recusing yourself from any cases that come before you
that present legal issues upon which the NRA has taken a position? If not,
why not?

As I have done during the decade in which I have served as a United States
Magistrate Judge, I commit to faithfully follow the recusal statute, 28 U.S.C. §
455, and to obtain ethics guidance from the Committee on Codes of Conduct or
Committee Counsel at the Administrative Office of the United States Courts
where appropriate.

d. Can you cite any issue areas where you disagree with the NRA’s publicly
stated positions?

I am not aware of all of the publicly stated positions of the NRA. Moreover, as
a sitting Magistrate Judge and District Judge nominee, I am precluded by the
Code of Conduct for United States Judges from expressing my opinions about
matters pending or impending in any court or about political matters. See
Canons 3A(6) and 5 of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges.