Wisconsin Supreme Court temporarily suspends Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan after arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan after she was arrested by the FBI and charged last week for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest, an order from the court shows.
"The court has learned that Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah C. Dugan has been charged with two federal criminal offenses, one of which is a felony and one of which is a misdemeanor," a two-page order from the court filed Tuesday stated.
"This court is charged in the Wisconsin Constitution with exercising superintending and administrative authority over the courts of this state. In the exercise of that constitutional authority and in order to uphold the public's confidence in the courts of this state during the pendency of the criminal proceeding against Judge Dugan, we conclude, on our own motion, that it is in the public interest that she be temporarily relieved of her official duties."
Dugan was charged with two criminal counts of "obstructing and impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States" and "concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest," according to a criminal complaint unsealed Friday.
MORE: Reserve judge to handle cases of Milwaukee judge arrested by FBI, court says
The Wisconsin Supreme Court said Dugan is "temporarily prohibited from exercising the powers of a circuit court judge in the State of Wisconsin," effective Tuesday until further order from the court.
Prior to the order, a Milwaukee County official said this week that starting Monday, a reserve judge will cover Dugan's cases.
The judge was arrested on Friday over allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant "evade arrest" the week prior, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, who claimed on social media that Dugan "intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse."
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement that two FBI agents arrested Dugan "for allegedly helping an illegal alien avoid arrest" by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Wisconsin Supreme Court temporarily suspends Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan after arrest originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
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American Military News
an hour ago
- American Military News
8 people set on fire in ‘targeted act of violence' on Colorado mall
Eight people marching in support of Israeli hostages held in Gaza were burned Sunday by a man wielding what authorities called a 'makeshift flamethrower' and an incendiary device. The attack happened at 1:26 p.m. on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall, during a weekly walk organized by the city's chapter of Run for Their Lives, which calls for the release of hostages held by the terrorist group Hamas. Mark Michalek, special agent in charge of the FBI's Denver field office, characterized the incident as a 'targeted act of violence' and said in a Sunday evening news briefing that it's under investigation as terrorism, echoing a statement from FBI Director Kash Patel earlier in the day. Police arrested Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, of El Paso County, after bystanders pointed him out to police officers outside the Boulder County Courthouse, Michalek said. Soliman used a makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into the crowd gathered outside the courthouse to harm them, Michalek said, adding that the suspect yelled 'Free Palestine' during the attack. Videos showed people rushing to pour water on one victim while others lay collapsed nearby. 'It's almost like it was a gun of fire,' said Lynn Segal, who witnessed the attack. 'It's like a line of fire.' Police and the FBI initially said six people were injured in the attack, but law enforcement officials increased that tally to eight late Sunday night. The victims include four women and four men between the ages of 52 and 88, according to Boulder police and the FBI. Authorities initially said four people were taken to the Boulder Community Health hospital, and two others were airlifted to UCHealth University of Colorado's burn unit in Aurora with more severe injuries. Police arrested a shirtless man at the scene, who was shown in videos posted to social media holding glass bottles and shouting 'Free Palestine' and calling to 'end Zionists.' Asked about Soliman's affiliations with any other groups, Boulder police Chief Stephen Redfearn said the investigation – which includes the FBI – was ongoing, though he said authorities were almost certain that the suspect acted alone. Soliman was taken to a local hospital to be medically evaluated, then was booked into the Boulder County Jail on 'multiple charges.' The jail's booking log does not show what charges Soliman faces, and police did not say. Few details were available about Soliman late Sunday night. He does not appear to have any presence on social media — an Egypt-based fashion influencer with the same name does not match the person caught on video by witnesses — and he does not have a criminal record in Colorado, court records show. A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could not be reached for comment on Soliman's immigration status. FBI Denver officials announced on social media Sunday night that agents were in El Paso County 'conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity' that was related to the investigation. 'Boulder is not immune to tragedy, sadly,' Redfearn said. 'I know a lot of people are scared right now, a lot of people are upset and questioning how this happened and why. All I know (is) Boulder has recovered before from acts of violence, and we will again recover.' Johanna Schmidt, whose parents regularly participated in the Boulder walks held by the organization, said she was on the way to the event with her children when her mother called and told her that someone had thrown a Molotov cocktail at the group and that Schmidt's father had been burned. Molotov cocktails are typically bottles filled with gasoline or alcohol that are then ignited and thrown. Schmidt said the scene was 'chaotic,' 'absolutely horrific and shocking.' Her father sustained a second-degree burn and was released from the hospital Sunday evening. Videos posted to social media show a woman lying on the ground while people pour water on her, as smoke and screams erupt from the area. Another video shows the shirtless man holding the bottles and shouting. In the background, bystanders can be seen huddled over someone on the ground. 'He's right there, he's throwing Molotov cocktails right there,' one person can be heard saying to police in one video. Police then handcuffed the man near the fountain in front of Boulder's courthouse. Later, a Reddit user posted photos and videos of a woman with a burned leg sitting on the lawn with paramedics, another person being loaded onto a stretcher, and people gathered in front of the building, now blocked with crime tape. In a statement, Run for Their Lives said its 'greatest concern at this moment is the well-being of the members of our group, most especially those who have been hospitalized.' 'We are dedicated to our mission that this is an international humanitarian crisis and that no one should ever be taken hostage and kept underground in tunnels without basic humanitarian needs and aid,' the group wrote. 'Broader wave of hate' In a statement Sunday, Gov. Jared Polis, who lives in Boulder, called the attack a 'heinous act of terror.' National Jewish organizations condemned the attack and linked it to other recent violence that's unfolded in the United States in response to the war in Gaza, including the killing of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, D.C., and the fire that tore through the residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish. World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said in a statement that the Boulder attack was part of a 'broader wave of hate.' 'It is not just the Jewish community that suffers,' Lauder wrote. 'This violence tears at the very fabric of our societies. We call on law enforcement and government leaders — at every level, in every state, in every country — to act decisively.' Israel's campaign in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250 others. The group still holds 58 hostages — which Sunday's walk was meant to protest. Around a third of the hostages are believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed over 54,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The offensive has destroyed vast areas, displaced around 90% of the population and left people almost completely reliant on international aid. Horrified and enraged Xale Chartier was heading to a downtown parking structure when he saw first responders lining 13th Street on Sunday afternoon. His first thought was that there was some kind of mass-casualty incident. By the time Chartier got to the courthouse, a few people were still being treated by paramedics and he could see an oily residue on the ground, along with flags and shoes scattered nearby, he said. 'It was a very grim and unsettling scene,' Chartier said. 'I grew up in Boulder and I've never experienced anything quite like that.' Alexandra Posnack, 19, was at her Boulder home about five minutes away from Pearl Street when friends at the scene started texting her that someone had thrown a Molotov cocktail at the group holding the weekly demonstration calling for the release of Israeli hostages. 'I'm horrified and I'm also enraged, and I will be back here next week to protest with my big-ass Israeli flag,' she said. Brandon Hoover, 28, said the attack doesn't seem real. He and his girlfriend were walking down Pearl Street when suddenly there were flames and 'the smell of flesh,' he said. 'I thought, 'Holy crap, that could have been any one of us on Pearl Street,'' Hoover said. '…Once you see something that traumatic, it's going to stick with you.' Hours later, the scene was still being swept by hazmat, canine and bomb disposal teams, Redfearn, the Boulder police chief, said. Parts of Pearl Street, including the 1200 through 1500 blocks, had been evacuated. The order remained in effect along the Pearl Street corridor from Broadway to 15th Street and from Lawry Lane to Spruce Street as of 8:11 p.m. That section of the mall remained closed to the public as police cleared the area and investigated a 'vehicle of interest,' Redfearn said. Boulder resident Henry Bonn-Elchones, 18, was downtown getting lunch with friends when he saw smoke and burn marks and an Israeli flag on the ground by the courthouse. He never heard an explosion. But he said first responders and law enforcement swarmed the area and later watched as two older women were loaded into ambulances. 'Hate-filled acts' Local political leaders condemned the attack on Sunday. 'Hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable,' Polis said in a statement on social media. 'While details emerge, the state works with local and federal law enforcement to support this investigation.' U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, who represents Boulder in Congress, called for Americans to stop the spread of antisemitism. 'Tonight, as many prepare to mark the Shavuot holiday, our Jewish community has been subjected to yet another brutal and horrific act of violence,' said the congressman, whose district includes Boulder. 'We stand with the Jewish community — today and always — and will be united in supporting the victims and their families, and to redoubling our efforts to stop antisemitism.' Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser wrote in a statement that the attack appears to be a hate crime and that he had offered his office's support to Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty. 'People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer to settling differences,' he wrote. '… We all have the right to peaceably assemble and the freedom to speak our views. But these violent acts — which are becoming more frequent, brazen, and closer to home — must stop and those who commit these horrific acts must be fully held to account.' ___ © 2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Yahoo
an hour ago
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‘The language of authoritarianism': how Trump and allies cast LA as a lawless city needing military intervention
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By Sunday, despite objections from local officials, Trump made the unusual move of asserting control over California's national guard and deployed 300 soldiers to support Ice (nearly 2,000 troops were mobilized in total). Related: 'Kidnapped': families and lawyers desperate to contact LA workers arrested in Ice raids As a pretext to this action, the Trump administration had characterized the protests as a broader threat to the nation. On X, White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, called Los Angeles 'occupied territory'. 'We've been saying for years this is a fight to save civilization. Anyone with eyes can see that now.' 'A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations – But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve.' FBI director, Kash Patel, wrote on X that LA was 'under siege by marauding criminals'. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University and scholar on fascist and authoritarian movements, says the rhetoric coming from the Trump administration is 'an authoritarian trick'. 'You create a sense of existential fear that social anarchy is spreading, that criminal gangs are taking over. This is the language of authoritarianism all over the world,' said Ben-Ghiat. 'What is the only recourse to violent mobs and agitators? Using all the force of the state. Thus we have the vision of the national guard, armed to the teeth. It's like a war zone. That's on purpose, it's habituating Americans to see those armed forces as being in combat on the streets of American cities.' Ben-Ghiat pointed specifically to a post on X by defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. 'The violent mob assaults on ICE and Federal Law Enforcement are designed to prevent the removal of Criminal Illegal Aliens from our soil,' Hegseth wrote. 'A dangerous invasion facilitated by criminal cartels (aka Foreign Terrorist Organizations) and a huge NATIONAL SECURITY RISK.' Ben-Ghiat said Hegseth employed 'the classic authoritarian thing, of setting up an excuse, which is that the internal enemy, illegal criminal aliens, is working together with an external enemy, the cartels and foreign terrorists, and using that to go after a third party, of protesters, regular people, who came out to show solidarity'. In his post, Hegseth added that active duty marines at Camp Pendleton were on 'high alert' and would also be mobilized 'if violence continues. On Monday, the Pentagon said it had mobilized approximately 700 marines. CNN reported that the government was still ironing out 'rules of engagement' for encountering protesters. Related: Los Angeles faces fourth day of protests as Trump deploys 2,000 national guard The protests turned violent when federal immigration authorities used flash bang grenades and tear gas against demonstrators, per reporting in the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times. Over the weekend, fiery and chaotic scenes played out in downtown LA, Compton and Paramount. Dozens of people were arrested for an array of crimes, including an alleged tossing of a molotov cocktail towards Iceofficers. Protesters shut down a freeway, several self-driving vehicles were torched and dumpsters were set alight, and there were scattered reports of looting. Still, as mayor Karen Bass noted on CNN on Monday, on 'a few streets downtown, it looks horrible', but there was 'not citywide civil unrest'. Local officials said that the addition of troops, who were seen standing shoulder to shoulder on Sunday holding wooden bats, long guns and shields, to the already fraught situation only made things worse. Bass described the decision to involve the national guard as a 'chaotic escalation',; Governor Gavin Newsom called it 'inflammatory'. Newsom said on Monday that he will sue the Trump administration; attorney general Rob Bonta later previewed that lawsuit by telling the public that the Trump administration 'trampled' on the states sovereignty by bypassing the Newsom. 'This was not inevitable,' Bonta said of the demonstrations that built over the weekend following immigration raids across Los Angeles, adding: 'There was no risk of rebellion, no threat of foreign invasion. No, inability for the federal government to enforce federal laws.' The inclusion of the national guard functioned as a show of force against a powerful blue state that Trump – and his allies – have cast as an existential threat to the rest of America, in part on account of its 'sanctuary status', meaning local officials don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. 'Simply put, the government of the State of California aided, abetted and conspired to facilitate the invasion of the United States,' Stephen Miller wrote on X. As Trump and his allies fomented chaos on the streets, Maga-world personalities and some Republican officials added to the mayhem by sharing misinformation online. Senator Ted Cruz and Infowars's Alex Jones reshared a video, originally posted by conservative commentator James Woods, of a burning LAPD car during a protest in 2020, claiming it was from the current LA unrest. Related: Trump LA protest response risks turning US military into political force, veterans warn Prominent accounts also shared a video from last year of a flash mob attack on a convenience store clerk, claiming that violent protesters were currently assaulting a small business owner. An account called US Homeland Security News, which has almost 400,000 followers, posted an image of a stack of bricks with the caption: 'Alert: Soros funded organizations have ordered hundreds of pallets of bricks to be placed near ICE facilities to be used by Democrat militants against ICE agents and staff!! It's Civil War!!' The image, which was also used to spread false information about Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020, was taken from a building supply company in Malaysia. Trump has also repeatedly suggested that some of the individuals involved in the protest were 'paid', invoking a popular rightwing conspiracy about dark money bankrolling liberal causes. This, too, is another tactic out of the authoritarian playbook, according to Ben-Ghiat. 'If there are any protests against the autocrat, you have to discredit them by saying they are crisis actors, they are foreign infiltrators,' Ben-Ghiat said. 'You have to discredit them in the public eye.' Officials in LA are bracing for further protests. The Los Angeles police department received back-up from at least a dozen police forces in southern California, according to the Los Angeles Times. California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, said on Monday that he thinks it's 'highly likely' that all 2,000 of the national guard soldiers who were mobilized will be deployed to LA. The weekend's unrest also casts a potential shadow over Trump's military parade slated for this Thursday in Washington DC. Opponents of that event are organizing protests across the US under the banner of 'No Kings'.


CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Trump White House urges court not to dismiss case against Wisconsin judge accused of helping man avoid ICE
The Trump administration argued Monday that charges should not be dropped against a Wisconsin judge who was indicted for allegedly helping a man who is in the country evade U.S. immigration agents seeking to arrest him in her courthouse. Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice urged a federal judge to reject a motion filed by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan seeking to dismiss the charges against her, saying doing so would be "unprecedented" and allow judges to be above the law. Dugan faces a July 21 trial in the case that escalated a clash between Trump's administration and opponents over the Republican president's sweeping immigration crackdown. Trump critics contend that Dugan's arrest went too far and that the administration is trying to make an example out of her to discourage judicial opposition to the crackdown. 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 illegally. She could face up to six years in prison and a $350,000 fine if convicted on both counts. Her attorneys say she's innocent. They filed a motion last month to dismiss the case, saying she was acting in her official capacity as a judge and therefore is immune to prosecution. They also maintain that the federal government violated Wisconsin's sovereignty by disrupting a state courtroom and prosecuting a state judge. Justice Department attorneys responded in a court filing Monday, saying dismissing the charges against the judge on the grounds that she is immune would be 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," Justice Department attorneys argued. "Dugan's desired ruling would, in essence, say that judges are 'above the law,' and uniquely entitled to interfere with federal law enforcement." Dugan's attorney, Craig Mastantuono, declined to comment on the government's argument, saying the judge stood behind her court filings. In her motion to dismiss, Dugan argued that her conduct amounted to directing people's movement in and around her courtroom, and that she enjoys legal immunity for official acts she performs as a judge. She also accused the federal government of violating Wisconsin's sovereignty by disrupting a state courtroom and prosecuting a state judge. Dugan's 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. According to prosecutors, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz illegally reentered the U.S. after being deported in 2013. He was charged in March with misdemeanor domestic violence in Milwaukee County and was in Dugan's courtroom for a hearing in that case on April 18. Dugan's clerk alerted her that immigration agents were in the courthouse looking to arrest Flores-Ruiz, prosecutors allege in court documents. According to an affidavit, Dugan became visibly angry at the agents' arrival and called the situation "absurd." After discussing the warrant for Flores-Ruiz's arrest with the agents, Dugan demanded that they speak with the chief judge and led them away from the courtroom. She then returned to the courtroom, was heard saying something to the effect of "wait, come with me," and then showed Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a back door, the affidavit says. The immigration agents eventually detained Flores-Ruiz outside the building following a foot chase. Dugan, 66, was arrested by the FBI on April 25 at the courthouse. A grand jury indicted Dugan on May 13 and she pleaded not guilty on May 15. A legal defense fund created by Dugan supporters to help pay for her high-profile defense attorneys has raised more than $137,000 in three weeks from more than 2,800 donors. Her legal team includes former U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic and former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement. Both were appointed by Republican presidents. She has also hired prominent attorneys in Milwaukee and Madison. "This is an impressive show of support for the defense fund, highlighting that the public believes in protecting a fair and independent judiciary," former Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske, the fund's trustee, said Monday. "The fund will continue to raise grassroots donations and uphold strict guidelines to ensure transparency and accountability." Dugan is not required to list the donor names until she submits her annual financial disclosure form, which is due in April. Numerous people are prohibited from donating, including Milwaukee County residents; attorneys who practice in the county; lobbyists; judges; parties with pending matters before any Milwaukee County judge; and county employees.