No recusal because defendant and judge aided same charity

A magistrate judge in Indiana has refused to recuse himself from hearing a civil suit where the defendant helped a charity and possibly made contributions when the judge had been an ex officio director of the group.

Bennie Kennedy sued Schneider Electric in the Northern District of Indiana.  The case was assigned to Magistrate Judge Joseph Kolar.  Kennedy sought to disqualify Kolar from hearing the case.