Posted on 04/26/2025 9:40:50 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
“This is not normal.” Those words from Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., are undeniably true after the arrest of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan. However, the reason it is not normal is far more debatable. Dugan is accused of becoming a lawbreaker in seeking to obstruct an effort to arrest a man wanted by federal authorities. If true, that is manifestly not “normal.”
As soon as the news of the arrest was reported, Democrats declared another constitutional crisis. Klobuchar added that the arrest “is a drastic move threatening the rule of law” and a “grave step and undermines our system of checks and balances.”
That is a curious claim unless Klobuchar believes that the officers are lying. If not, Klobuchar is suggesting that a judge should be allowed (or at least not held accountable) for actively shielding a wanted person and facilitating their evasion of law enforcement.
Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., also condemned Dugan’s arrest, stating, “If [FBI Director] Kash Patel and Donald Trump don’t like a judge, they think they can arrest them. This is stunning — we must stand up to this blatant power grab. Republicans: How is this not a red line for you?”
Yet, what is the “red line” for judges if the allegations are true? This judge is accused of conduct that has resulted in charges for other citizens. The judicial robe is not some form of invisibility cloak that allows judges to engage in alleged criminal acts.
The Wisconsin media is reporting:
Sources have told the Journal Sentinel that ICE officials arrived in Dugan’s courtroom on the morning of April 18. When they went to the chief judge’s office, Dugan directed the defendant and his attorney to a side door in the courtroom, directed them down a private hallway and into the public area on the 6th floor.
If true, that would be an active effort to help the suspect elude police who were carrying out a lawful function.
According to the criminal complaint, Flores-Ruiz allegedly attacked three individuals after an altercation with his roommate about playing loud music. Flores-Ruiz allegedly struck his roommate approximately 30 times with a closed fist and then attacked his girlfriend and a third person. Some of the injuries required hospital treatment.
The evasion of police at the courthouse required officers to chase down Ruiz, which could have resulted in a more serious confrontation on the street.
This is not the first time that a judge has been accused of participating in or directing such obstruction.
I previously wrote about the case of Massachusetts judge Shelley M. Richmond Joseph who was charged with allegedly helping an illegal immigrant evade ICE agents in April 2018. Joseph and court officer Wesley MacGregor were charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, aiding and abetting and obstruction of a federal proceeding.
I was critical of the handling of the case. While Joseph was suspended for three years, charges were dropped in 2022 during the Biden Administration.
The Dugan case occurred at the same time that a New Mexico judge was arrested for harboring an unlawful immigrant and an alleged TdA gang member.
Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife were arrested on Thursday. Notably, Cano reportedly admitted to officers that he smashed the phone of Cristhian Ortega-Lopez after the 23-year-old was arrested in a raid at the judge’s home.
As I said on Fox last night, I am perplexed by Democrats rushing to denounce the arrest of Dugan before we know whether these allegations are supported. If she escorted the suspect to a non-public door to facilitate his escape, that is conduct and would constitute a shocking abandonment of judicial ethics. She can certainly use her authority to address matters properly before her in the form of judicial orders, but actively assisting in an escape is well beyond the pale.
I have often criticized the reckless rhetoric directed against judges, including those who have ruled against the Trump Administration. We need to maintain our civility and respect as we work through these often difficult questions.
However, that works both ways. Judges have to reinforce respect for the judiciary in their own conduct. That includes showing restraint and respect in relation to the countervailing powers of the Executive Branch. It certainly includes avoiding actions that could be viewed as criminal or unethical in resisting this Administration.
That is also a “red line.”
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Jonathan Turley is the author of best-selling book “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
* * *
Jonathan. THEY ALL HAVE RULED AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
And aiding in the escape of a dangerous felon is normal?
If the judges were GOPers, the Dems would be calling for the death penalty!
The illegal alien entered the U.S. illegally, then was charged with a crime. The state court judge presiding over that trial then delayed proceedings before her and instructed him to leave the court house to evade arrest by federal authorities. It’s not normal for judges to violate the law, but when they do, they must be charged. As shocking as Leftists find it, judges are not above the law, and they don’t personify it either.
NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. NOT even the LAWYERS and JUDGES. Funny NONE of these judges cared that all these illegals came INTO our country without PROCESS or VETTING.
I say hire BOUNTY HUNTERS to go and hunt them down and get them OUT.
Dems are PAYING them with OUR TAX DOLLARS to vote dem in the next election. Get them out NOW do NOT wait for them to STALL the agenda.
Ancient Chinese proverb
Trump should tell demonicRATS to pound sand.
The leftists (Democrats) are not normal.
They’ve revealed themselves to be hate America terrorists.
It’s time to deal with them.
Flouting the law is bad unless we do it.
The Wisconsin media is reporting: Sources have told the Journal Sentinel that
ICE officials arrived in Judge Dugan’s courtroom on the morning of April 18.
Court was in session.
When they went to the chief judge’s office, tax-paid Judge Dugan directed the defendant and his attorney to a side door in the courtroom, directed them down judges’ private hallway and into the public area on the 6th floor........as a means to evade ICE.
_________________________________________________________
Turley: “If true, that would be an active effort to help the
suspect elude police who were carrying out a lawful function.”
The illegal’s domestic violence victim and the prosecutor were in Dugan’s courtroom at the time.
Call Congress: (202) 224-3121 U.S. House switchboard operator.
Shakeup Congress on social media.
copy to @potus, @realdonaldtrump @DonaldJTrumpJr @StevenCheung @TrumpWarRoom
Attach news clips, other relevant documents, links.
Her defenders have declared another constitutional crisis. adding that her arrest “is a drastic move threatening and undermines our system of checks and balances.”
Unless her defenders believe that the officers are lying they are suggesting that a judge should be allowed and not held accountable) for actively shielding a wanted person and aiding and abetting evasion of law enforcement.
Sounds like the attorney should be charged as well?
Isn’t she one of the judges who came down impossibly hard on the J6 defendants who had all their due process rights trampled on?
Or no?
Amy is right.
It is not normal when leftists... especially leftists in positions of power are arrested for breaking the laws, even egregiously like this ‘judge’ has.
But ya know what, Amy?
GET USED TO IT.
It is going to be the new normal.
I think they reacted before they knew ANY facts, like democrats always do
Not that they wouldn’t go ahead and blame Trump, but the public would know they were lying
Or hemp.
No, it was all about President Trump. As far as Democrats are concerned facts had nothing to do with it. You can give a Democrats facts until they are running out their ass. They could not care less. To them every thing President Trump does is wrong. And every thing he doesn’t do is wrong. Couple that to the facts that Democrats hate the United States of America and Democrats are wicked and evil. One has what we have today. But the voters love them because they keep electing and re electing the sons of bitches. I believe that the reason the voters that keep electing and re electing Democrats is because the voters hate the United States of America as much as the Democrats they elect and re elect do.
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