I think the editors of the Wall Street Journal have the issue of the Milwaukee judge arrested for aiding an illegal immigrant to avoid arrest correct:
Every dispute between the Trump Administration and the judiciary these days becomes a political morality play about a looming “constitutional crisis.” But the facts of each case matter, and most of the time they don’t support the crisis narrative.
That’s the way it looks to us so far in the case of last week’s arrest by federal agents of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan for allegedly helping an illegal migrant evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Judge Dugan was charged with obstructing a federal proceeding and concealing an individual to prevent an arrest. A federal magistrate found probable cause for the arrest upon reviewing a 13-page criminal complaint.
The alleged facts as laid out in the complaint by FBI special agent Lindsay Schloemer don’t look good for the judge.
but I do disagree with one particular. We do have a crisis. It’s just not that crisis.
Judges should decide cases based on the text of the law, precedent, and the common law—another way of saying “precedent”—rather than deciding them based on their own politics or ideological preferences. There are far too many judges who want to be legislators rather than judges.
I think the Judge being charged here crossed a line unwittingly. I put her in the same box as Lynne Steward, the defense lawyer convicted of providing material support for terrorism by passing messages for her client. In hindsight I expect that both understood how this must look. Both weren’t really doing their jobs. The Judge decided to take it upon herself to control security of the courthouse despite the federal agents having identified themselves to and coordinated their arrest with their concerns. I don’t know that the Judge will face jail time though.
I don’t think she should face jail time, either, but I also don’t think she should be a judge.
“There are far too many judges who want to be legislators rather than judges.”
Not a recent problem.
I find PD’s view too charitable. Then she’s a dunce. But I can’t read minds; I don’t know what she was thinking. And…….
No. No jail time. That’s just the posture Dems take against Trump, to the clapping of seals.
But she has no business being a judge.