Latest news with #HannahDugan
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republicans circulate bill to withhold pay for suspended judges
The Milwaukee County Courthouse (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner) Wisconsin Republicans are proposing a bill to stop paying judges who have been suspended in response to the arrest and suspension of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan. Dugan was indicted in May by a federal grand jury and has pleaded not guilty to charges that she impeded the arrest by federal agents of an immigrant who was appearing in her court room. She was arrested by FBI agents in April. Critics have condemned the arrest as an example of the Trump administration discouraging pushback to mass deportation efforts and a worrying sign for democracy. Federal and state Republicans have supported the arrest of Dugan, saying those who stand in the way of deportations should be arrested and that Dugan should resign or be removed. The bill, cosponsored by Sen. Cory Tomczyk (R-Mosinee), Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August (R-Walworth) and Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers), would require that if the state Supreme Court imposes a suspension as proceedings are pending or as a disciplinary sanction due to misconduct, it must be without pay. The Wisconsin Supreme Court chose to suspend Dugan in April, saying it was in the public interest to relieve her of her duties for now. Dugan is still being paid her nearly $175,000 annual salary. The lawmakers noted that Dugan's trial was postponed from July 21 and may not take place until 2026. They said taxpayers will be paying for 'an extended vacation' even as reserve judges have to fill in for her and they argued the bill is needed to stop suspended judges from getting paid in the future. According to the Wisconsin Judicial Commission, 15 judges have been suspended by the Supreme Court from 1978 to 2024. 'In these rare circumstances, these judges' actions and alleged misconduct rose to such a level that suspension was warranted,' the lawmakers said in a memo. 'Simply put, Wisconsin taxpayers must be protected from the misconduct and/or commission of a crime by rogue judges.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
CBS News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Federal judge recommends case continue against Hannah Dugan
Washington — A federal magistrate judge said Monday that the Justice Department's criminal case against Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan should move forward and recommended that her bid to dismiss the indictment be denied. Dugan was arrested in April and charged with two federal counts after she was accused of helping a man who is in the U.S. illegally evade federal immigration authorities during a law enforcement operation at her courthouse in Milwaukee. She pleaded not guilty to one count of concealing an individual to prevent arrest, a misdemeanor, and one count of obstruction, a felony. Dugan has argued that the case against her should be dismissed on the grounds that she was acting within the scope of her official duties as a state court judge and is therefore entitled to judicial immunity. She also said that the federal prosecution violates Wisconsin's sovereignty by interfering with the duties of an elected state judge and disrupting active proceedings. In a filing seeking to dismiss the indictment, Dugan's lawyers called the government's prosecution "virtually unprecedented and entirely unconstitutional." But federal prosecutors said the charges should not be dropped and urged a federal judge to deny Dugan's bid to dismiss the case. They said Dugan's request for a dismissal is "unprecedented" and would ignore "well-established law that has long permitted judges to be prosecuted for crimes they commit." "Such a ruling would give state court judges carte blanche to interfere with valid law enforcement actions by federal agents in public hallways of a courthouse, and perhaps even beyond," they wrote in a filing last month. "Dugan's desired ruling would, in essence, say that judges are 'above the law,' and uniquely entitled to interfere with federal law enforcement." In a report filed Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph recommended that Dugan's attempt to dismiss the charges should be rejected. "It is well-established and undisputed that judges have absolute immunity from civil lawsuits for monetary damages when engaging in judicial acts," she wrote in a 37-page filing. "This, however, is not a civil case. And review of the case law does not show an extension of this established doctrine to the criminal context." Joseph stressed, however, that her recommendations, which are non-binding, do not speak to the merits of the allegations against Dugan, who is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A jury trial before U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman was set to begin July 21, but has been delayed. In arguing that she should be shielded from federal prosecution, Dugan cited the Supreme Court's 2024 ruling in a case involving President Trump and the 2020 presidential election. The high court found that the president is immune from prosecution for official acts taken while in office. But Joseph wrote she is "unconvinced" that common law or the Supreme Court's decision in Mr. Trump's case "provide the authority for applying the civil framework of absolute judicial immunity for judicial acts to the prosecution of judges for crimes that relate to official duties." The magistrate judge concluded that judicial immunity does not shield Dugan from prosecution for allegedly violating criminal laws while performing her official judicial duties. "There is no firmly established absolute judicial immunity barring criminal prosecution of judges for judicial acts," Joseph said. Adelman will have the final word on whether to grant Dugan's request to dismiss the indictment. Federal prosecutors and Dugan's lawyers are set to appear before the judge Wednesday to discuss the status of the case and address additional scheduling matters.
Washington Post
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Case against judge accused of hiding immigrant can proceed, magistrate says
A U.S. magistrate judge on Monday recommended that the case against a Wisconsin judge accused of helping a Mexican immigrant evade arrest by federal agents be allowed to proceed. Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested in April and charged with obstructing an immigration arrest operation, amid a growing standoff between President Donald Trump's administration and the judiciary over immigration enforcement.
Washington Post
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Judge recommends that case against Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan proceed
MADISON, Wis. — A federal magistrate judge recommended Monday that the case proceed against a Wisconsin judge who was indicted on allegations that she helped a man who is in the country illegally evade U.S. immigration agents seeking to arrest him in her courthouse. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested in April and indicted on federal charges in May. She pleaded not guilty . The case highlighted a clash between President Donald Trump's administration and local authorities over the Republican's sweeping immigration crackdown . Democrats have accused the Trump administration of trying to make a national example of Dugan to chill judicial opposition. Dugan filed a motion in May to dismiss the charges against her, saying she was acting in her official capacity as a judge and therefore is immune to prosecution. She argued that the federal government violated Wisconsin's sovereignty by disrupting a state courtroom and prosecuting a state judge. U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph on Monday recommended against dropping the charges. The ultimate decision is up to U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, who can accept the other judge's recommendation or reject it. 'We are disappointed in the magistrate judge's non-binding recommendation, and we will appeal it,' Dugan attorney Steven Biskupic, a former federal prosecutor, said in a statement. 'This is only one step in what we expect will be a long journey to preserve the independence and integrity of our courts.' Joseph wrote in her recommendation that while judges have immunity from civil lawsuits seeking monetary damages when engaging in judicial acts, that does not apply to criminal charges like those in this case. 'A judge's actions, even when done in her official capacity, does not bar criminal prosecution if the actions were done in violation of the criminal law,' Joseph wrote. Dugan also argued that the prosecution under federal law violated the U.S. Constitution's separation of powers because it overrides the state of Wisconsin's ability to administer its courts. Whether Dugan broke the law as alleged, or she was merely performing her judicial duties as Dugan contends, are questions for a jury to decide and can't be determined in a motion to dismiss, Joseph said. Joseph also noted that both sides disagree on facts related to the case, which also can't be resolved in a motion to dismiss. 'It is important to note that nothing said here speaks to the merits of the allegations against Dugan,' the judge said in the recommendation. 'Dugan is presumed innocent, and innocent she remains, unless and until the government proves the allegations against her beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury at trial.' No trial date has been set. Dugan is charged with concealing an individual to prevent arrest, a misdemeanor, and obstruction, which is a felony. Prosecutors say she escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, and his lawyer out of her courtroom through a back door on April 18 after learning that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were in the courthouse seeking to arrest him for being in the country without permanent legal status. Agents arrested Ruiz outside of the courthouse after a brief foot chase. Dugan could face up to six years in prison and a $350,000 fine if convicted on both counts. Her case is similar to one brought during the first Trump administration against a Massachusetts judge , who was accused of helping a man sneak out a courthouse back door to evade a waiting immigration enforcement agent. That case was eventually dismissed.
Al Arabiya
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Judge Recommends That Case Against Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan Proceed
A federal magistrate judge recommended on Monday that the case proceed against a Wisconsin judge indicted on allegations that she helped a man in the country illegally evade US immigration agents seeking to arrest him in her courthouse. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested in April and indicted on federal charges in May. She pleaded not guilty. The case highlighted a clash between President Donald Trump's administration and local authorities over the Republican's sweeping immigration crackdown. Democrats have accused the Trump administration of trying to make a national example of Dugan to chill judicial opposition. Dugan filed a motion in May to dismiss the charges against her, saying she was acting in her official capacity as a judge and therefore is immune to prosecution. She argued that the federal government violated Wisconsin's sovereignty by disrupting a state courtroom and prosecuting a state judge. US Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph on Monday recommended against dropping the charges. The ultimate decision is up to US District Judge Lynn Adelman, who can accept the other judge's recommendation or reject it. 'We are disappointed in the magistrate judge's non-binding recommendation, and we will appeal it,' Dugan's attorney Steven Biskupic, a former federal prosecutor, said in a statement. 'This is only one step in what we expect will be a long journey to preserve the independence and integrity of our courts.' Joseph wrote in her recommendation that while judges have immunity from civil lawsuits seeking monetary damages when engaging in judicial acts, that does not apply to criminal charges like those in this case. Joseph also rejected Dugan's other arguments in favor of dismissal. 'It is important to note that nothing said here speaks to the merits of the allegations against Dugan,' the judge said in the recommendation. 'Dugan is presumed innocent, and innocent she remains unless and until the government proves the allegations against her beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury at trial.' No trial date has been set. Dugan is charged with concealing an individual to prevent arrest, a misdemeanor, and obstruction, which is a felony. Prosecutors say she escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, and his lawyer out of her courtroom through a back door on April 18 after learning that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were in the courthouse seeking to arrest him for being in the country without permanent legal status. Agents arrested Ruiz outside of the courthouse after a brief foot chase. Dugan could face up to six years in prison and a $350,000 fine if convicted on both counts. Her case is similar to one brought during the first Trump administration against a Massachusetts judge who was accused of helping a man sneak out a courthouse back door to evade a waiting immigration enforcement agent. That case was eventually dismissed.
