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The federal trial of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Duga

How likely is it that judge will convict another judge, especially if both are Dems?

Remember the Wisconsin judge who tried to help sneak a criminal illegal alien out of the courthouse? Welp, she’s been convicted by a jury. Yesterday, the New York Times ran the story headlined, “Judge Convicted of Obstructing Agents as They Sought Undocumented Immigrant.”

I wouldn’t even try handicapping Judge Hannah Dugin’s appellate chances, given how unusual this case is. But, barring an appellate miracle, she now faces sentencing of up to six years in prison. Even if she never serves hard time, the felony conviction will end her judicial career and will probably ensure she never even works as a lawyer.

At trial, Dugin’s lawyers brought in a powerhouse character witness— a popular former mayor. He testified to rapt jurors that he’d known Dugin since she was 11 or 12, that she was “very honest,” and that he was “sure she’ll tell you what really happened.” Then Dugin declined to testify, rendering the mayor’s efforts immediately impotent.

Judicial prosecutions are vanishingly rare. I wouldn’t say it doesn’t exist anywhere, but I could not find another modern example. For a judge to be prosecuted at all, their case has to run a treacherous gauntlet of collegial protection, institutional deference, immunity doctrines, and raw politics that effectively foreclose all but the most egregious cases of judicial misconduct.

Consider, for example, this Reuters Special Report from 2020:

Special Report: Thousands of U.S.
judges who broke laws, oaths
remained on the bench
By Michael Berens and John Shiffman
June 30, 2020

So once again, the Trump Administration has shattered “norms and customs” and modern records, by successfully prosecuting this unicorn-like case through to conviction— even though Judge Dugin’s misconduct, while unacceptably lawless, arguably does not even rise to the “most egregious” levels of judicial misconduct.

Republicans are launching a new U.S. House caucus aimed at confronting what they warn is the growing influence of Sharia law inside the United States.

Texas conservative Reps. Keith Self (R-TX) and Chip Roy (R-TX) have just announced the formation of the “Sharia Free America Caucus,” Fox News reported.

The effort reflects a broader push among conservatives to address national security concerns tied to radical Islamist ideologies.

The Kennedy Center’s governing board has just voted unanimously to rename the Washington, D.C., performing arts complex after President Donald Trump.

On Thursday, the board voted to change the venue’s name to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.

The move is a major symbolic victory for Trump, who has made the institution a cultural priority of his second term.

Trump had publicly hinted at a renaming, and the unanimous vote marks the most significant step to date.

It remains unclear when the change will formally take effect, and the procedural path forward has not yet been announced.