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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The chief federal judge in Utah says she regrets donating money to Barack Obama's presidential campaign in violation of a judicial ethics rule.
U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell says she was not aware of the rule that prohibits federal judges from making political donations.
Campbell released a statement Friday to The Associated Press through her law clerk.
The judge says she mistakenly believed that she was prohibited only from participating in political campaigns.
The Judicial Code of Conduct prohibits that, too, but also says a federal judge "should not" make a contribution to a political candidate or organization.
Campbell made a $100 contribution to the Obama campaign in August 2007, FEC filings show. The Salt Lake Tribune reported Thursday that, together with previous donations, Campbell had given a total of $300 to the campaign.
She listed her occupation as a government lawyer and her mailing address as her courthouse chambers, according to filings at the Federal Election Commission.
"It certainly is no excuse but until approximately one year ago, I was not aware that a judge could not make private contributions to a political campaign," Campbell said in the statement.
"I mistakenly believed that the rule only precluded a judge from taking public action in support of a political candidate. I regret that my donations caused an appearance of impropriety."
Obama campaign spokeswoman Shannon Gilson told the AP on Friday that it plans to return the money to Campbell.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
