You think Don Imus screwed up, that’s nothing compared to what a court judge can get away with. To quote: (emphasis mine)

The Commission reprimanded a judge who
1) had had an ex parte meeting with a minor who was the subject of a proceeding over which the judge was presiding;

2) had stated to an attorney in open court and in front of a female court reporter and female clerk that the attorney looked like he had been “jacking off a bobcat in a phone booth;”

3) during the armed conflict with Iraq, said “nuke the sand niggers” in the presence of others in the clerk’s office coffee room in the courthouse;

4) had stated to two attorneys that a defendant in an old case “had gone crazy from sucking too many cocks,” which made one of the attorney concerned that the judge may be prejudiced against homosexuals; and

5) during sentencing of an indigent defendant, had stated that a lot of the clients at a food bank of which his wife is president “were too stupid to cook what they are given but nobody is starving.”

Taken from The Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct

What does this get you in our legal system? A verbal “reprimanding”. He was not fired, forced to step down, and as far as I can remember, did not even hit the news.

You have to ask yourself, why is a talk show host with an opinion show having such a rough time with his racial slur, yet a state judge gets off easier than I did for swiping a few beers as a teen.