A retired Washington County judge involved in a ballot maneuver with his law clerk last summer is facing three complaints before the state Board of Judicial Standards -- two involving last fall's election and one alleging misconduct for breaching his own gag order in a 2009 sexual abuse case. The complaints were made public Tuesday.

Also, in a highly unusual move that was rebuffed, former Washington County District Judge Thomas A. Armstrong made a direct 85-page appeal to Lorie Gildea, chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, to intervene.

"I spent 31 years of my life in the United States Army, on active duty and later in the Reserves," Armstrong wrote in the letter denying all the allegations. "As a colonel, I have learned never to give up. I will 'soldier on' and struggle to protect my family. I will be forced to use every legal and political means I possess. I would rather go in peace."

Armstrong, whose 30-year tenure on the bench ended Jan. 1, is accused of violating the state's code of judicial conduct for dropping his name from the election ballot after his longtime clerk, Dawn Hennessy, had filed her election papers shortly before the 5 p.m. deadline. He then filed his retirement papers the next day.

With the deadline expired, that left Hennessy the only candidate on the ballot, with no opportunity for others to seek the judgeship. According to the complaint, Armstrong had revealed his plan to retire only to Hennessy and a court reporter.

The state secretary of state's office was forced to open a new filing period for candidates, triggering a scramble that left voters in the 10th Judicial District -- which encompasses eight counties north and east of the Twin Cities -- with 24 candidates from which to pick. Tad Jude won the election.

The second election-related complaint alleges that Armstrong tampered with a witness as the Board of Judicial Standards began its investigation into Armstrong's election conduct.

According to the complaint, Washington County Court Administrator Annette Fritz spoke to Hennessy and Armstrong on June 2. Hennessy told Fritz she had not considered running until Armstrong had told her of his retirement plans. And Armstrong told Fritz he was going to retire "now that I know someone is running."

When questioned by investigators in August, Armstrong was told of Fritz's statement. According to the complaint, he went to Fritz a few weeks later and discussed what she had told the investigators, telling Fritz, "That is not the way I remember it."

"A judge's contact with a witness in an ongoing disciplinary investigation into his conduct, for the purpose of discussing the investigation, does not promote public confidence into the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary," the complaint says.

The final allegation against Armstrong says he improperly disclosed information to state Sen. Don Betzold, DFL-Fridley, that Armstrong himself had ordered sealed in the sexual abuse case.

The civil case involved a 40-year-old woman engaging in sexual contact with a 16-year-old boy. After making his ruling in the case, Armstrong ordered details of the case sealed, common for cases involving juveniles.

When the boy's mother filed a separate misconduct complaint against Armstrong with the Board of Judicial Standards, however, Armstrong shared names and details in the case with Betzold, a member of the Judiciary Committee whom he described as "an old friend." He was seeking Betzold's help with the complaint.

Armstrong again claimed the accusations made by the mother were false and said that she had waived her right to confidentiality by filing a complaint against him.

Jim Anderson • 651-735-0999