A federal grand jury indicted a Wisconsin judge on Tuesday for allegedly aiding an illegal immigrant in an attempt to avoid law enforcement.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested and charged with obstruction of an official proceeding last month after evidence became known that she had shielded an illegal immigrant from federal agents, according to a criminal complaint. She was also charged with concealing an individual to prevent discovery and arrest. (RELATED: Milwaukee Judge Arrested For Allegedly Helping Illegal Immigrant Evade Capture, FBI Director Says)
A federal grand jury indicted Dugan after listening to testimony regarding charges that she allegedly tried to help an illegal alien escape arrest in her courtroom.
On Tuesday, a federal grand jury convened to consider the indictment, hearing testimony that included statements from Eduardo Flores-Ruiz’s attorney, who has since withdrawn from his case, and Dugan’s court clerk.
Dugan’s attorneys told Fox News, “As she said after her unnecessary arrest, Judge Dugan asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court.”
Dugan is expected back in federal court on May 15, to face federal charges of felony obstruction of a federal agency and concealing a person to help them avoid arrest, which is a misdemeanor.
The FBI arrested Dugan for allegedly hiding a previously deported illegal immigrant in her jury room to stop him from being arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. (RELATED: Wisconsin Judge Threatens To Halt County Hearings Over FBI Arrest Of Milwaukee Judge)
Federal agents from ICE, FBI, CBP and DEA attempted to arrest Flores-Ruiz after his scheduled criminal court appearance before Dugan on April 18, to face three misdemeanor battery charges for allegedly beating up two people.
Dugan demanded that the officers proceed to the chief judge’s office and, after his hearing ended, escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a restricted jury door, bypassing the public area where agents were waiting in order to help him avoid arrest, per the complaint.
Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem told Jesse Watters on Tuesday that she was “grateful” Dugan was indicted by a federal grand jury.
“She will be held accountable for that,” Noem said. “That was a great decision, coming forward, to recognize that nobody can facilitate breaking the law. We shouldn’t be able to allow that in this country, and we need to make sure that even judges are held accountable for their actions.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi previously blasted Dugan’s actions on Fox’s “America Reports.”
“We could not believe that a judge really did that,” Bondi said. “You cannot obstruct a criminal case. And really, shame on her. It was a domestic violence case of all cases, and she’s protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime.”
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Its time to hold Judges who go beyond their judical bounds accountable for legislating from the bench instead of abiding by the laws. Further, I am tried of Judges who read juries when seated and do a Directed Verdict for their friends and family. This shoujld be illegal. I sat on two juries who were going to convict and the Judge took it away. In this case, in my opinion, the Judge directed the individual who was going to be arrested for various violations out through passages to avoid arrest and detention. To me that is harboring a fugitive and that in itself is a crime. She should not only be removed from the bench but have her law license suspended for a period not less than 5 to 10 years, and at that point have to retake the bar exam.
We all knew the DNC and GOP RINO’s would slow walk Trump’s Executive Orders by NOT codifing them into law. Now the courts are doing it.