“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) in actively shielding a wanted person and facilitating his 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.”
Jonathan Turley is the author of best-selling book “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
As soon as the news of the arrest was reported, Democrats declared another constitutional crisis.
===================
“The Sky is Falling,…THE SKY IS FALLING!!!”
Sorry, they have played this soap opera drama queen line out, way out. Out past the left field fence. It is “Game Over” on the “Sky is Falling” rhetoric. THIS rhetoric is what ELECTED TRUMP (IMO anyway)! I swear to it… Pelosi et al got Trump elected by their extreme “Sky is Falling” rhetoric. The rhetoric may seem like a great idea to the far left wingnuts, because their strong built in bias warps their ability to think in a logical and valid manner, and that warped mindset actually back fires (does the opposite of the intended purpose). Think Nancy Pelosi and the 2nd “Impeachment” of Trump, after Trump had already lost the election to Biden and was leaving office in 14 days. WHY did Pelosi make such a boneheaded move? Because it was a political move, not a move that would benefit the entire country as a whole. Pelosi thought it would knock Trump so far off the posts that he would not even consider another Presidential run (and possible win). To Pelosi this was a golden political move, because she is so far lost in her far left wingnut political rhetoric that she cannot see the damage such moves make to the moderate, non-wingnut, middle class voters, of BOTH parties. The exact same people that decide Presidential elections. Swing voters who are moderates. These moderates viewed Pelosi’s “Sky is Falling” BS as a political stunt intended to FORCE a Presidential candidate out of a race. A candidate that THEY, the moderate swing voters, have the right to decide on their own, not Pelosi. Same with the “January 6 Congressional Hearings”. That was as laughable as the 2nd Trump Impeachment. Most, if not ALL, moderate voters viewed that as a political stunt. Nothing more. A political stunt intended to FORCE a candidate, Trump, out of the Presidential election by smear allegations. I honestly believe that those extreme left, wingnut political attacks were what actually elected Trump. It was not so much that Trump was hands down the best, it was instead a message to Pelosi: “Pelosi, you’re not going to FORCE on us, moderate voters, YOUR candidate, by using extreme left wingnut smear allegations”. If not for those far left, wingnut smears, I think Trump had, at best, a 50/50 chance at getting re-elected. Once Pelosi tried to rig the election by her political “Sky is Falling” extreme left wingnut smears, then the deal was sealed: Trump was going to win. Why? Simple, because an extreme left wingnut politician, like Pelosi, is NOT going to FORCE their candidate on the moderate swing voters. Don’t agree? Then tell me why.
I thought Mama Fratelli had passed away, I had no idea she was on the bench.
The Federalist points directly at the true threat to the reputation of the judiciary: The Supreme Court.
https://thefederalist.com/2025/04/25/scotuss-refusal-to-end-leftists-judicial-coup-is-damaging-its-credibility-more-than-the-media-ever-could
“The longer a majority on the high court allows this circus to continue, the more faith citizens will lose in its ability to operate as a capable branch of government.”
The Left spent years attacking the legitimacy of the Court. Now Robert’s shy girl routine is costing the respect of the rest of the nation.
This will get fixed.
It is best fixed quickly by SCOTUS. The executive of congress acting is only necescary of SCOTUS does not.
C’mon.
If she was really smart, she would have held the man in contempt… had the bailiff hold him in his cell for a couple of hours and then released him.
That way ICE would have had to camp out at the jail to get him while her actions would have been legal.
Here she knew they had a warrant for his arrest so their presence was legal.
So now she’s tossed her career away.
There’s another judge who’s saying she won’t convene court until the justices are told what they can and cannot do or rather how to proceed in situations like this.
Its simple. Once the person is outside of your court room, the judge’s authority is gone and they can arrest them.
This is not the issue to die on your own sword.
-G
#. The Pope’s funeral today was nice. It was humble. God was there. He goes to all big funerals. He’ll like Francis.
Congress established the federal court system structure. Perhaps it’s time for that branch to put on its “big boy/girl pants” and address the burgeoning problem of judicial overreach.
#. Yep, Hakeem and the squad will get right to that. Right after they’ve defended the police.
It is blatantly clear the Judicial Branch of the United States has become a rouge unlawful cabalb. This all falls on the shoulder of one CJ Roberts!
Roberts has nothing to do with this.
As to the obstructionist rulings and orders… that is on him.
Here you have a judge acting on her own, outside of the law.
There is no air cover.
With the other judges… it will take a ruling from SCOTUS to b slap them.
With this one… she broke the law.
-G
Unless FBI special agent and many witnesses and DEA and ICE agents all lied. Maybe they planted evidence. Maybe they planted Ruiz.
One thing that should be seen clearly is that if Trump and his very talented cabinet allow the rogue judges to continue as they have done, then it is the end of his presidency and, maybe, the end of the country.
I don’t think they have endured what they have to let that happen. Nor have the majority of Americans who voted for this President.
As I was saying. Apparently many more are noticing the fundamental problem:
https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2025/04/26/maybe-trump-does-deserve-a-third-term-n4939263
The end of Trump’s term (hopefully sooner rather than later) would be a rebirth for America and the world.
Millions of us did not vote for the convicted felon infesting the Oval Office.
“Talented cabinent”?! You must mean besides frat boy Hegseth, who is a danger to national defense.
The next 4 years are going to be a nightmare for you. Enjoy the party pal.
OBVIOUSLY the dems are guilty of RICO , treason. Someone just get to it. Drip drip drip
#. Step back for a minute, countrymen, these gangs are deadly and organized. Cano may actually be grateful to be in custody. Judges are murdered by gangs. Let’s wait to hear canoe story as he began it after he was mirandized with destruction of cell phone.
Dugan may be terrorized , as well.
Consider the death threats from these deadly gangs ICE, police, judges, prosecutors, witnesses and citizens are facing with the millions of unknown people who’ve entered the US under Biden. It’s a national emergency. Take a note from El salvador with gangs that ultimately controlled its government, that bled into Mexico and the US.
DJT may actually need the military to clean it up and station permanent military at all borders.
Best advice to dems is shut your mouths.
^^^ ain’t globalization fun? No one asked me if I wanted that. You?
^^^^ I was just making sh!t up.
Article 3, Section 1
THE JUDICIAL POWER OF THE UNITED STATES, SHALL BE VESTED IN ONE SUPREME COURT
(and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish).
________________________________________________________________________________________________
John Roberts, the Supreme Court, and Congress are responsible for and guilty of dereliction, negligence, inaction and perpetrating a monumental “ASYLUM” FRAUD against America and for allowing rogue judges around the country to impede enforcement of laws that preclude and oppose it.
A massive invasion of America has been allowed by anti-Constitutional, anti-American communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats, RINOs, AINOs).
The claim that not 1, not 100, not 1,000 but 15 million illegal alien invaders need “ASYLUM” from their own governments is an absurd and preposterous “Big Lie” as a Big Ruse.
Nearly entire populations of foreign countries have made the false “ASYLUM” claim.
This massive “FRAUD” on America has been perpetrated and facilitated by foreigners and their treasonous allies in this country.
It is a sin to covet, to bear false witness, and to steal a country, America.
Here is a Congressman who sees the danger from rogue judges and is working to do something about it. We can only hope there are enough like him to do something besides talk.
https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2025/04/26/exclusive-rep-derrick-van-orden-were-rapidly-closing-in-on-a-very-serious-constitutional-crisis-as-courts-block-p
I doubt that Trump will ignore these judges until the Supreme Court weighs in. If Roberts and his witches coven dither, delay or do something stupid–all of which they are capable of doing as we have seen–then Trump will have no choice but to act. Andy Jackson comes to mind. Trump is more creative and unpredictable, but just as determined to save the country, and that should worry the scoundrels.
I will tell you what is “not normal”. That is the comment section for a blog that claims to be respectable and nonpartisan in which comments that are reasonable, on-topic, and contain no profanity or personal attacks on anyone are routinely removed. If yo look thought the comments to this column, you will find compelling accusations that this is happening. I have just confirmed that by posting the text that was claimed to trigger the removal in about a dozen different places: each time, I received a comment posted confirmation; none of those comments appeared. I am going to stop wasting my time and effort here and abandon this sinking ship. I strongly urge you to consider doing the same. Good bye, and good luck.
So says “ANONYMOUS.”
Talk about having the courage of one’s convictions.
You duh man, Aninny!
Hmmm,
You are also ANONYMOUS !!!!
I didn’t disparage this blog, its host, and its resident commenters concerning a minor human error secluded somewhere in the bowels of WordPress.
#. Nah, I read them. They’re in another article. Have another cup of coffee.
The incompetence of Pam Blondie, Patel and the DOJ is becoming increasingly apparent.
No competent prosecutor would act on the Criminal Complaint as sworn by the ICE agent.
The statement gives an absolutely absurd account of how two agents observed the defendant walk down a public hallway and enter an elevator.
One of the agents entered the elevator with the defendant and did nothing. He was not arrested.
The same agent observed the defendant leave the building without arresting him.
The agents then claim that they had to scramble to pursue the defendant down the street.
None of this makes any sense.
We only have the word of the agent that the judge directed the defendant to a back door.
Any competent prosecutor looking at the agent’s absurd account of the “pursuit” would immediately conclude that the agent’s testimony about the “back door” was suspect, and unlikely to hold up under cross examination in court.
This case will be summarily dismissed with prejudice.
It is obviously a setup designed to entrap the judge.
#. Maybe the accused will show up at his next court date? What time was it again?
ICE will have quite the struggle if each of the 15+ million criminal cases is this difficult.
ICE will need a novel “mass or class action” criminal case not dissimilar to that of President Eisenhower’s “Operation Wetback” in 1954.
Lawfare is Antilaw and must be immediately and vigorously extirpated.
Both Lawfare and Mass Lawfare, or Mass Jurisprudential Hysteria, must be eradicated.
#. All you smart folks here, does federal law supercede State law? Is ice fed and dug-in State? Did she have a place to detain the accused while sorting this out? Was allowing an accused defendant to run with her help her only option? What is strict scrutiny? Whatever it is dug-in needs it.
File this under bizarre.
#. Releasing the defendant as Dugan did and clearing her docket? She knew ICE was there. She had alternatives and apparently didn’t care if he ran.
The Cano case is so bad could Cano be living with a death threat?
Idk
Turley is an idiot and so is the DOJ.
“ Starting at around ¶20 there’s a lengthy discussion about Judge Dugan’s demeanor – ‘visibly angry’ and ‘walking quickly,'” wrote Jacobs. “Have they never met a judge? Do you think they like having their calendar messed up? Would the same words have been applied to a male judge?”
Later in the complaint, Jacobs continued, is “a discussion about Judge Dugan ‘forcefully’ and ‘stern[ly] instructing the man in question to go out the jury door.’ BUT! It is not only a door to the jury room. It is *also* an exit to the *public* hallway. You know, the hallway where law enforcement is waiting … Then what happens? The two DEA agents SEE him and do [checks notes] nothing. They don’t arrest him, they don’t do anything. They watch him?”
Then the complaint argues that it’s suspicious that Flores-Ruiz went to a bank of elevators further away from the courtroom than the immediate set of doors, apparently arguing he was doing so on the judge’s orders to evade capture.
“Here’s why this is absurd – there are 2 banks of elevators in the courthouse: 1 goes to the ground floor, and 1 goes to the 9th street exit which is where the parking structure is. In fact, there are even SIGNS telling you which bank of elevator goes where,” wrote Jacobs. “So – yes – you sometimes walk past one set of elevators so you can get where you want to go. If you are not going to the parking structure (which most people are), you take the other set of elevators because they are less crowded. Suspicious? No – literally something hundreds of people do daily in the courthouse. This attempt to make it into something is just dumb (especially since they claim to be familiar with the elevators – clearly not).”
The complaint then admits a DEA agent got into the elevator with Flores-Ruiz, noted Jacobs, and “They then have some sort of keystone cop moment where the man is at the ground level but the agents go to the lower level and have to race around to find him. They chase him and arrest him. Which they could have done in the public hallway but chose not to.”
“All of which is to say – the attempt to make this into something criminal on the part of the judge who sent him to the public hall where law enforcement was waiting requires a lot of reaching and a lot of work and a lot of pejorative statements designed to taint the complaint,” Jacobs concluded. “The further attempt to sensationalize the matter by arresting Judge Dugan – instead of simply asking her to appear – was wholly unnecessary and certainly appears to be designed solely to intimidate. Very unfortunate.”
Amazing how much context changes everything. Turley should wait for the facts before posting. Trump lied, Patel lied, and Bondi lied. Big surprise.
george is an idiot and so is the george jr.
George is incapable of comprehending or even reading outside of the four corners of the text he likes to copy and lift. The fact that there were SEVERAL federal agents, in numerous locations, to AVOID any safety concerns for the general public from a potentially fleeing defendant, or contribute to panic or pandemonium of their not knowing what was going on, has completely evaded Georege’s simple mind. It is fairly clear and reasonable to comprehend that the feds PREFERRED TO AVOID ANY CONFLICT OR CONFUSION among the general public.
You must write it down, and publish it, before George understands it and then copies it.
The account is based on eyewitnesses and people familiar with the courthouse. The ICE officers were not. It’s funny how a simple explanation upends the narrative of the Trump administration.
Your account is based on very careful cherry picking of the criminal complaint filed by the FBI.
Your argument is litterally an admission.
You are essentially arguing that Dugan is “not guilty” because she tricked ICE.
or because she was unsuccessful.
From reading the complaint, it appears that there were approximately 30 ICE/FBI/DEA agents at the courthouse for this arrest.
Likely because they expected misconduct by the courts, and because their real target was NOT the illegal immigrant, but Judge Dugan.
Of those agents – less than half were uniformed against. Most were placed throughout the courthouse to observe Judge Dugan’s conduct, and to report on the defendants movements and to get statements from witnesses immediately after the event.
“unknown to me there were so many agents in the courthouse that I could not have gotten away with my crime” is NOT a defense.
I would further note that Judge Dugan did not merely escort the defendant out a private egress from the courtroom without putting him in custody as was required, but she arranged to have the identified agents she was aware of removed from outside her courtroom to fascilitate the defndants escape – that ALONE is a crime.
THEN having removed them to the chief judges chambers she halted her hearing to allow the defendant to escape before the identified ICE agents returned, and then directed and accompanied him out a private exit to evade observation by agents that MIGHT be immediately outside her courtroom.
The FACT that ICE/DEA/FBI were prepared for this conduct and that the defendant was unknown to the judge never out of sight of a federal agent, and that there were additional agents ready and waiting outside the courthose, does NOT alter the FACT that Judge Dugan committed MULTIPLE counts of obstructing justice.
You claim the ICE agents were unfamiliar with the courthouse – as if that matters.
If True that would make this worse. It would be a crime for Judge Dugan to use here knowned of the courthouse to help the defendant evade arrest.
But what is evident from the complaint is that not only was ICE/DEA/FBI familiar with the courthouse – but they were completely prepared for this – likely because Dugan had successfully done something like this before.
They had both uniformed and plain clothes officers all over the place in large numbers.
They were not after the illegal immigrant they were after the criminal judge
And she did not disappoint them.
I guess they waited until he was on the sidewalk outside. Why don’t you go to the trial and let us know, George. Wear a hat that says press.
George – it is like all you left wing nuts read off the same narative rather than the actual complaint.
I linked the complaint about.
It appears that DEA, ICE, FBI were expecting misconduct by this court – probably because that had occured int he past.
As such they came in force – both clearly idendified ICE agents as well as DEA and FBI agents who where there for the purpose of observing.
Judge Dugan directed ALL the identified ICE agents to the cheif judges chambers and THEN when she though there was no federal law enforcement present to observe her directed and accompanied the defendant out of the courtroom through a private exit that is never used by defendants who are not handcuffed and in custody.
The defendant exited the COURTROOM privately,
There is ZERO doubt – confirmed by many witnesses only some of whom are DEA/FBI agents that Judge Dugan obstructed the ICE agents arresting the defendant.
The FACT that there were more unidentified agents present as observers DOES NOT alter the criminalit of JUdge Dugan’s actions.
Had Judge Dugan escorted the defendant privately out of the building you left wing nuts would be arguing she was still innocent because she did not personally call a cab to take him to the train station, or pay for the train ticket.
The FACT that Judge Dugan’s obstruction of justice was ineffectual because there were more FBI and DEA agents in the building that she was aware of does not change the obstruction.
A persons actions that meet the elements of a crime are still a crime, even if they are not repeated over and over, they are a crime even if they are unsuccessful, they are a crime even if DEA and FBI were fully prepared for them and they never would have worked.
It appears in this case that FBI/DEA/ICE fully expected ahead of time that Judge Dugan was going to obstruct their arrest.
And that they deliberately brought a significant number of unidentified agents to observe Judge Dugan’s conduct and to interview and investigate almost as soon as the obstruction took place.
Law enforcement anticipating and preparing for criminal conduct does not change the fact that the conduct is criminal.
You seem to think that the law on obstruction states that the person engaged in obstruction must successfully circumvent ALL efforts by law enforcement.
If the FBI knows that a bank robbery is taking place. and they allow the robbers to exit the bank run down the streets and get into their car,
does that means they get away with robbing the back ?
Judge Dugan orchestrated the removal of ALL identified ICE agents that she was aware of from the area arround her courtroom, and THEN orchestrated the defendants sureptitious removal from her courtroom and the courthouse.
The FACT that she was not successful – that all her actions were obeserved by law enforcement does not change the fact that her actions were a crime.
It should require a single ICE agent to arrest an illegal immigrant already in state custody.
At the conclusion of whatever business the state has holding that immigrant the ICE agent can take over custody from the state official such that someone that both the federal and state authorities found needed to be in custody is never no in custody.
Turley– “Judges have to reinforce respect for the judiciary in their own conduct.”
True, but one sees little evidence that judges are aware of the risks they are running.
Instead, they are recklessly increasing their invasion of the more powerful Article II authority and seem oblivious to the recent clamor for the President to ignore these judicial insurrections.
I don’t think this bodes well for the judiciary or the country.
We seem to have a plentiful supply of supremely arrogant and supremely stupid judges.
Thee geudicial brunch is fuly mobolized, condukting a connspiracy to usurp and exercise the executive power that is vested exclusively “in a President.”
This sentence is censored and will not appear if the words are spelled correctly.
No, u commented in another article.
No, the sentence above was censored and then rewritten in misspelled form and posted to circumvent the censor bot.
^^^ right but the conspiracy goes beyond the criminal justice branch and is RICO for treason.
Anonymous, two judges gave a judicial order demanding that this man should be deported. A judicial order was put in place by two judges and the branch of government responsible for carrying out orders to deport was taking action to enforce judicial orders put in place by the courts. Your continued defense of your statement saying that no warrant was in place to justify the actions of ICE in this case is little more than a purposeful obfuscation of the facts. This certainly is not the first time that we have witnessed chicanery on your part. I’ll have to admit. You’re right on task.
Thinking.
Do you ever wonder if the left knows how to read?
By the comments we have read today. I’m guessing not.
Pam Blondie has already “screwed the pooch” on this matter with her rush to Fox to hype up the arrest.
Her comments went far beyond the official DOJ report, and will undoubtedly result in summary dismissal of the charges because her remarks will be considered prejudicial to Dugan’s rights.
If this happened in a normal DOJ, both Blondie and Patel would be referred to the Office of Professional Responsibility for disciplinary action.
Dugan’s counsel will make a motion to dismiss with prejudice, which will be summarily granted.
gigi, stop trying to hide behind an “anonymous” comment because your ugly venom has seeped through the Internet paper.
You are afraid that if we knew that you wrote it, we would automatically shun it. You are wrong. You come through like limburgher cheese in a church confessional.
Oh, Merrrrick! Did you hear that? You were “normal.”
Remember when you raided Mar-A-Lago? That was great communist theater.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
“Show me the man, and I’ll show you the crime.”
– Merrick Garland
_____________________
Did I get that quote right, Merrick?
LOL… you are so funny. You post this info with no way to back it up.
Nice try
Thank you, matlock.
Thee geudicial brunch is fuly mobolized, condukting a connspiracy to usurp and exercise the executive power that is vested exclusively “in a President.”
The Professor Turley/WordPress censor bot censored this sentence when its words were spelled correctly.
The Professor Turley/WordPress censor bot published this sentence after its words were deliberately misspelled.
Long live the censor!
#. Trooh