Reagan-appointed federal judge resigns in protest over Trump administration

A top federal judge in Massachusetts appointed by former President Reagan announced he is resigning in protest of President Donald Trump, who he said is “using the law for partisan purposes.”

U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf, 78, resigned Friday, saying the Trump administration’s actions, which he described as a threat to the rule of law, forced him to speak out.

In an op-ed for The Atlantic, Wolf wrote that Reagan looked forward to serving for the rest of his life when he appointed him in 1985, but decided to resign last week because he found Trump’s “assault on the rule of law” “deeply troubling.”

“I can no longer stand being restricted in what judges can say in public or do outside the courtroom,” the former judge wrote. “President Donald Trump is using the law for partisan purposes, shielding his friends and donors from investigation, prosecution and possible punishment while targeting his enemies. This goes against everything I have stood for in my more than 50 years at the Justice Department and on the bench. I am so deeply disturbed by the White House’s attack on the rule of law that I feel compelled to speak out. For me, the silence is no longer intolerable.”

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“When I accepted the nomination to serve on the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, I was proud to be a part of the federal judiciary working to make our nation’s ideal of equal justice under the law a reality,” he continued. “It is a judiciary that helps preserve our democracy. It has the power and responsibility to keep elected officials within the bounds of the power given to them by the people. It seeks to ensure that the rights of minority groups are not violated, regardless of how they are viewed by others. This can serve as a check on corruption to prevent public officials from unlawfully enriching themselves. Becoming a federal judge was an ideal opportunity to expand a noble tradition that I had been educated by experience and trained to value.”

Wolf added that he now wants to do “everything within my power to combat today’s existential threat to democracy and the rule of law.”

Since former President Obama chose Judge Indira Talwani as his successor in 2013, the former judge stated that he could not replace Trump with his own candidate.

Wolf criticized the lawsuits filed by the Justice Department against former FBI Director James Comey and Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James. The former judge also objected to a social media post in which Trump asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to file charges against Comey, James and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf said he wanted to do “everything I can to combat today’s existential threat to democracy and the rule of law.” (Getty Images)

He also said that even if a prosecution ends in an acquittal, it “could have devastating consequences for the defendant.”

Wolf also wrote that the Justice Department should ensure that prosecutors do not seek indictments unless there is “sufficient admissible evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

“Trump has completely ignored this principle,” Wolf wrote.

Wolf criticized Trump’s “unconstitutional or illegal” executive orders, criticized the president’s call for the removal of judges who ruled against him, and said they were “corrupt.” [Trump] and those in his orbit,” he said, emphasizing that attacks on courts led to actual threats against judges.

“I resigned to speak out, support causes, and work with other individuals and organizations committed to protecting the rule of law and American democracy,” Wolf wrote. “I also intend to advocate for judges who cannot speak publicly for themselves.”

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U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf condemned President Donald Trump’s “unconstitutional or illegal” executive orders, as well as the president’s calls for the removal of judges who rule against him. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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“I can’t be sure I’ll make a difference,” he added. “But I remembered what Senator Robert F. Kennedy said about ending apartheid in South Africa in 1966: ‘Every time a man stands up for an ideal, takes action to improve others, or speaks out against injustice, he sends out a little wave of hope.’ “Enough of these waves can turn into a tidal wave.”

The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts said Wolf’s “unwavering commitment to the rule of law, his determination to tackle new questions of fact and law, and his determination to make fair, equitable, and legally sound decisions without fear or favor were hallmarks of his time on the bench.”

“His opinions on complex legal issues in important cases had a profound impact on jurisprudence,” Chief Justice Denise J. Casper said in a statement. “In addition, his tenure as Chief Judge has led to increased engagement with the bar and the community, including the initiation of the Court’s bench/bar conference and his continued support of the Court’s Fellowship Programs. I, along with my colleagues and this Court community, applaud his years of dedicated service.”