Digest:  A judge should not be part of a delegation greeting the President of the United States upon his arrival at the airport, where the sole purpose of the presidential visit is political fund-raising.
 

Rule:  22 NYCRR 100.5(A).
 
 

Opinion:

            The President of the United States will be coming to the inquiring judge's community for a political fund-raising event. The inquirer asks whether he/she may be part of the "greeting delegation" when the President arrives at the airport.

            In our opinion, the judge should not be part of the delegation greeting the President at the airport, notwithstanding that the fund-raising event is not being held at the airport. The visit by the President is not an official civic or public event involving the performance of presidential duties. It is strictly a partisan political occurrence, and the judge's involvement, in our view, would constitute prohibited political activity. 22 NYCRR 100.5(A).