Backpage: Appeals Court Rejects Judge Recusal Over Husband's Activism

Backpage: Appeals Court Rejects Judge Recusal Over Husband's Activism

PHOENIX — The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected yesterday a petition by the defense of the former owners of Backpage.com that they order a recusal of Judge Susan Brnovich over a conflict of interest concerning her husband, Arizona Attorney General and anti-sex work activist Mark Brnovich.

In yesterday’s ruling, a three-judge Ninth Circuit panel ruled against the defense of Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin, and refused to recognize the “appearance of partiality” stemming from Mark Brnovich’s repeated statements and publications — some including demonstrable falsehoods and exaggerations — tying Backpage to “human trafficking.”

Yesterday’s development was first reported by news site FrontPageConfidential.com, which is published by Lacey and Larkin and edited by Stephen Lemons, and is the last journalistic remnant of their once-powerful company, Village Voice Media.

An 'Anti-Trafficking' Crusader

Last September, as XBIZ reported, the defense requested that Judge Susan Brnovich recuse herself over public statements made by her husband, including a lurid pamphlet published by his office.

A month later, Judge Brnovich issued a ruling detailing her refusal to recuse herself from the case, denying the defendants' contention that evidence of her husband’s explicit activism against them as part of a crusade alleging “human trafficking” resulted in a conflict of interest and cast doubts on her impartiality.

Brnovich has argued that the prejudicial comments made by her husband about Backpage were not grounds for her to recuse herself over the conflict of interest.

“This case is not about Backpage,” she reportedly said during one of the hearings, although the federal complaint mentions Backpage more than 600 times.

Lacey and Larkin’s defense have produced copies of AG Mark Brnovich’s tawdry “anti-trafficking” pamphlet “Human Trafficking: Arizona’s Not Buying It,” which features a cover portraying a stock photo of a very young woman wearing a skimpy top and leaning into the window of a car.

The sensationalistic 2017 pamphlet, still available as a government publication, wildly exaggerates the prevalence of what it calls “human trafficking” in Arizona, illustrates it with stock photography of young cis white women in peril that do not match any known statistics about actual human trafficking and repeatedly mentions Backpage — at the time of publication not yet shuttered by the FBI — as engaging in and central to “human trafficking.”

The pamphlet is presented as the thoughts of AG Brnovich and it even begins with an introduction titled “Letter From Mark” (sic) where the public servant — and husband of the federal judge in charge of Backpage’s prosecution — takes full ownership of the alarmist statements that follow.

The Ninth Circuit's Ruling

“Without delving into the petition’s underlying issues,” Front Page Confidential’s Stephen Lemon reported, “the Ninth ruled that the defense’s request for a ‘writ of mandamus’ ordering Judge Brnovich’s removal from the case did not meet the high standard set for immediate relief.”

“Quoting previous Ninth Circuit decisions, the panel referred to mandamus (Latin for ‘we order’) as a ‘drastic and extraordinary remedy.’ It pointed out that petitioners must demonstrate their right to mandamus is clear and indisputable and that the lower court committed ‘a clear error as a matter of law.’”

The panel ruled yesterday that Judge Brnovich had “committed no clear error.”

The trial is now scheduled to begin August 23.

For more of XBIZ's coverage of the Backpage trial, click here.

Main Image: The Brnovichs, Arizona's legal power couple.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Nerdgasm: A Look at the Naughty Side of Pop Culture Geekdom

From “Call of Duty” to cosplay, from tabletop dice rolls to dungeon-inspired dirty talk, the worlds of geek fandom and fantasy are no longer confined to the basement. They’ve kicked down the door, shed the “Firefly” tee and gone full frontal.

Kyrgyzstan Parliament Moves to Outlaw Internet Pornography

A parliamentary committee of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday approved a measure to outlaw online adult content in the country.

Sweden Bans Purchase of 'Remote' Sexual Services

The Riksdag, Sweden’s parliament, has approved a proposal to criminalize purchasing sexual services performed remotely by streamers and custom content creators.

Asa Akira to Deliver XBIZ Talk at Miami Conference

XBIZ is pleased to announce that decorated performer, Pornhub brand ambassador, and author Asa Akira is set to deliver an exclusive talk at XBIZ Miami.

JustFor.fans Launches 'Fentanyl Test Strip' Initiative

JustFor.fans (JFF) has launched a test strip initiative to combat the nationwide fentanyl crisis.

2025 XBIZ Miami Speaker Lineup Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the release of the full speaker lineup for XBIZ Miami, the latest edition of the adult industry’s premier summer conference, set to take place May 19-22 at the Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach hotel in South Beach.

AV Bulletin: Arizona's About-Face, What New Laws Mean for Adult

Industry stakeholders and free speech advocates have anxiously been awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which could significantly impact state age verification laws around the United States. In the meantime, state legislatures continue to weigh and pass AV bills, the U.K. and the EU are moving ahead with their own AV mandates and strategies, and legal challenges continue to play out in U.S. courts — with some cases on hold pending the SCOTUS ruling in Paxton.

Million Billion Media Launches New Website

Management and PR agency Million Billion Media (MBM) has launched a new website.

'Neon Nightswim' Party Returns to XBIZ Miami

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the annual Neon Nightswim Pool Party will once again illuminate XBIZ Miami on Tuesday, May 20.

FSC Addresses UK Age Verification Guidelines

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published an article offering guidance on the U.K.'s Online Safety Act and the various guidelines put forward by the country's telecommunications regulator Ofcom.The article follows:

Show More