(Reuters) - Lawyers for the Boy Scouts of America (they define themselves as a Christian organization) are scrambling to mitigate potential damage they say was caused by an “inflammatory” email sent to thousands of men who say they were sexually abused by troop leaders ahead of a key deadline in the youth organization’s bankruptcy.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein in Delaware said during a virtual hearing on Friday that she thinks the email distributed by lawyers for the official committee representing survivors in the bankruptcy may constitute "a breach of professional ethics."

The email, authored by plaintiffs’ lawyer Tim Kosnoff, urged survivors to vote against the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) reorganization plan, which rests on a proposed settlement of more than 80,000 sex abuse claims. It also included what BSA described as attacks on other lawyers in the case and inaccurate statements about the plan.