More than 150 former state and federal judges have signed letters to Attorney General Pam Bondy, denounced the Trump administration's escalating fight against justice and called for attempts to threaten the recent arrest of a judge in the incumbent state court in Milwaukee.
Judge Hannah C. Dugan of Milwaukee County Circuit Court was arrested by an FBI agent in April on charges of obstructing an immigration agent. Judge Dugan is accused of instructing undocumented immigrants to leave the courtroom side door while his agents await him arrest him.
The group of judges signing the letter was led by former federal judge Nancy Gertner and former attorney general and federal judge J. Michael Ruttig. The former federal judges who signed the letter included those appointed by members of both political parties. Mr. Geltner was appointed by President Bill Clinton, and Mr. Ruttig was appointed by President George HW Bush in both roles.
“The circumstances of Judge Dugan's arrest make clear that, instead of interpreting the US constitution and law, it is nothing more than an effort to blackmail and intimidate states and federal judiciaries to submit to the administration,” the letter said. “This ironic effort undermines the rule of law, destroys the trust that the Americans have in their country's judges, and manages justice in the courts and the land's Hall of Justice.”
Last month on social media, FBI director Kash Patel posted a photo of Judge Dugan in handcuffs. This is a move called “embarrassing spectacle” in which a group of judges violated Justice Department policies.
Asked about the letter from a former judge, Justice Department spokesman Chad Gilmartin mentioned a video of Bondy commenting on the case of Judge Dugan last month.
“It doesn't matter what kind of work you are in. If you break the law, we will follow the facts. We will prosecute you,” Bondy said in the video.
The letter was supported by the nonprofit Watchdog Group Democracy Advocates Fund, founded by Norm Eisen, a former Obama administration ethics officer.
“Attack on Judge Dugan is a shocking abuse of power. It's not just an attack on people. It hits the heart of what it means to have an independent judiciary, so these over 150 judges have spoken,” Eisen said.
The letter was also supported by the Association for the Institute of Law, a group founded in 2023 by conservative and libertarian lawyers and judges.
Last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Justice Dugan from her position as a circuit judge, and her case has moved forward. In the two-page order, the court wrote that a suspension is necessary “to protect the public's trust in courts in this state.”
A preliminary hearing in Judge Dugan's case is scheduled for May 15th. In a statement, Judge Dugan's lawyer said she would “struggle to defend herself vigorously,” and she looks forward to exoneration.
