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Given Trump’s contempt for the Judicial Branch of the United States government, it is not surprising that his administration took the authoritarian step of arresting judges for allegedly obstructing immigration actions.
Rep. Jamie Raskin explained in a statement why Trump’s actions aren’t business as usual:
Americans are watching with outrage the stunning news that Trump’s FBI has arrested a sitting judge in Milwaukee for alleged obstruction of an immigration arrest. While all the facts are not yet in, the implications of this arrest are chilling. This is a drastic escalation and dangerous new front in Trump’s authoritarian campaign of trying to bully, intimidate, and impeach judges who won’t follow his dictates. We must do whatever we can to defend the independent judiciary in America.
As Judge Wilkinson, a conservative Reagan appointee to the Fourth Circuit, reminded us last week, this Administration has shown brazen contempt for the judiciary. They are flouting court orders on a daily basis and trying to impeach judges who have entered injunctions against their lawlessness. This contempt for the judicial function is now being weaponized, with the Administration literally arresting a judge over alleged defiance.
Every American should be deeply troubled by this massive escalation, and Judiciary Democrats are standing strong for judicial independence. This is an unmistakable descent further into authoritarian chaos.
What Trump is doing is trying to intimidate judges.
