Wisconsin judge convicted of obstructing arrest of immigrant resigns as GOP threatens impeachment
Embattled Wisconsin Judge Hannah Duganwho was convicted of obstruction last month for helping an immigrant evade federal officers, has sent his resignation letter to the governor.
The letter was sent on Saturday. Republicans had been plotting to impeach him since his conviction on December 19. A spokesman for Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, said his office had received Dugan’s letter and would work to fill the vacancy without delay.
Dugan wrote that he has handled thousands of cases over the past decade “with a commitment to treat everyone with dignity and respect, to act fairly, deliberately and consistently, and to maintain the courtroom with the civility and safety the public deserves.”
But he said the case against him was a huge distraction.
In his letter, Dugan said, “As you know, I am the target of an unprecedented federal legal process that has not yet concluded but involves enormous and complex challenges that threaten the independence of our judiciary. I continue this fight for myself and our independent judiciary.”
Last April, federal prosecutors accused Dugan of distracting federal officers who were trying to arrest a Mexican immigrant outside the courtroom and letting the man out of a private door. A federal jury found him guilty of hindering a crime.
The case against Dugan has been highlighted by President Donald Trump as he continues his wide-ranging policy. immigration raid. Democrats insisted the administration was trying to make an example of Dugan to blunt judicial opposition to the operation.
Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos praised Dugan’s decision.
“I’m glad Dugan did the right thing by resigning and following the clear instructions of the Wisconsin Constitution,” Vos said. he said.
Democrat Ann Jacobs, executive director of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said she agrees with Dugan that Milwaukee should have a permanent judge in place while this fight continues.
In a post on
On April 18, immigration officers left Milwaukee County courthouse After learning that 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz had re-entered the country illegally and was scheduled to appear before Dugan for a hearing in his state battery case.
Dugan confronted agents outside the courtroom and directed them to the office of his boss, Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley, because he told them their executive orders were not sufficient grounds to arrest Flores-Ruiz.
After the agents left, he led Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out the special jury door. Agents spotted Flores-Ruiz in the hallway, followed him outside and arrested him after a foot chase. The US Department of Homeland Security announced in November He was deported.
