Friday, DOJ arrested a state judge in Wisconsin. Did she really commit a crime or is something else at work here? What are the law and the facts you need to understand to see the political machinations at work here? I try to take those issues on in this piece. joycevance.substack.com/p/arresting-...
Hopefully, she has some really smart lawyers defending her because if they're willing to arrest her, they're willing to stack the deck against her.
There was no crime. Pam Bondi invented an entire narrative that didn’t happen. If nothing happens to her as a result, it’s over for America.
Pammy is the poster girl for the old saying - a little bit of knowledge being a dangerous thing.
Arresting a judge and deporting American children are tests to find out what they can get away with. So far, the deportee in El Salvador is still there even with a SCOTUS ruling saying bring him back. They will keep trying things and each one will be cruel, illegal and unconstitutional. 🤬
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For a dictator, the standard for whether something is a crime is whether he likes it or not! Americans who elected the criminal idiot who had an affair with a porn star and paid her hush money as president should learn their lesson!
Trouble is one would think an ounce of basic Common Sense would be enough for these folks to possess better judgment skills.
Wrong! Trump is above the law and you support that.
I hope judges stand firm for democracy.
Thank you for this analysis. Making a spectacle of this case seems to be the primary objective, along with the intimidation factor. And when they are thrown out of court or lose a jury trial, they will always have the “corrupt liberal courts” argument to keep the spectacle going for a longer time.
resist.bot/petitions/PD...
The reporter’s transcript should clear this up, right?
Trump tried the same stunt in 2019 when he arrested Judge Shelley Joseph and his bailiff in circumstances substantially similar to those in the Dugan case. The ACLU filed suit against ICE. The prosecution ended when an embarrassed Justice Department dismissed the criminal case on its own motion.
But this admin knows no shame
When ICE grabs someone while reporting for their regular meeting with immigration, it's hard to claim they were here illegally. I thought they were supposed to be targeting hardened criminals, not mothers married to citizens, those going through the immigration process, or students here on visas.
This was a political stunt. They falsely accused a Judge of committing a crime. This is exactly the same thing Putin does.
Did they put her in handcuffs? ...Egads.
Otherwise known as the Party of Dumbasses!
𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!! 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰… 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲!!
....except if you are an orange shitweasel and have the Supreme Court making sure you get your blowjobs.
It will be interesting to see how judges react in court when a judge is on trial because she doesn't agree with his Lordship.
Thanks for clarifying this situation. Key is that Milwaukee hadn't determined where, or even whether, ICE agents could deliver a warrant inside a courthouse. And it was an administrative warrant which does not require compliance. In my opinion, Bondi and the DOJ are wrong.
Nazism at its best.
I wonder why they are ok going after this judge, but not after Jeffrey Goldberg for exposing Signalgate or after WH insider trading around tariffs messaging! Or maybe I still have not fully grasped the full scope of their hypocrisy!
This is the smoking gun we have been looking for to answer “How the hell did this happen?” Right-wing extremist dialogues were censored online, so they moved them to group chats. And then SecDef blew the whistle on the alt-right tech bro dark web that is Signal. A must read. tinyurl.com/bdewsaxv
Very informative.
It’s not about arresting a judge. It’s about fear !!!
WTF?!?! This is a violation of the federal system of government and violation of states rights! Impeachment now!
Joyce, this is so scary. Thank you for being a force of good in the world.
As Mr. Popok said there is only one entrance to the courthouse, they should have waited outside to arrest the man when his court session is over instead they came in to disrupt her proceedings without a proper warrant. I say this judge should sue Bondi, Patel and every agent involved personally.
Completely outrageous -
Judge arrested!! REALLY !?!Check this video out about this! youtu.be/37r8sDuaeAU?...
Just stop. She did not commit a crime. The 5th circuit has committed crimes. Alito has committed crimes. Thomas has committed crimes. A Republican judge during the 2020 election committed multiple crimes in PA. All of them committed crimes that they have not been held accountable for.
The three steps: 1) ignore legislature, 2) eviscerate justice, 3) control the military. Congratulations, you are now a dictator!
Based upon all of Trump & his minions’ lawlessness, if Trump can’t be impeached, the solution should be Congress impeaching all of Trump’s cabinet members beginning with Bondi, Hegseth & Patel. Unfortunately this Congress hasn’t the spine for it. www.ngrippel.com/ngr-politics...
All I know is that judge is innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Thumbing his nose at the democratic process is working here.
Err, no she didn’t and yes there is
So DOJ needs to continue to seek a grand jury or have a preliminary hearing…..if not, is this an abuse of the legal system with falsifying docs and charges for media attention? Can DOJ be charged with pressing false bogus charges criminally or civily
No one is above the law??? trump & his mob sure seem to be. As for the judge, her arrest is meant as a form of intimidation. That's not hard to figure out. 😠
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Allison & Andy on the “Unjustified” podcast make some excellent points about the performance aspect of this. They didn’t ask her to surrender, or go to her home. They waited until she was at court, cuffed her from behind (totally performative) and made her wait in a holding cell to be arraigned.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...
45harley.github.io/CB/pithy
There was No criminal warrant!? This is Neo-Nazi TRUMP Criminal Cohort attempting further to seize Power as a DIC TAY TOR
She may have exhibited bad judgment but a crime - I don’t think so. Hopefully this is immediately dismissed.
It was for show and she should file a civil rights lawsuit against them.
There is a reason they were called deplorables. Now they are just traitors(oath/constitution/rule of law) and should be called as such
It's not about law, it's about terrorizing judges, lawyers, universities, media and the people. And it will continue until privileged white Americans come to terms with the fact that their judicial and political systems are not going to save them. Neither are peaceful protests. America needs RAGE.
youtu.be/8ouI5KcyHfE
Bondi and Cash are running amuck.
The 1933 Nazi playbook, yet again. these assholes are venal, but hardly original.
What is the plan I am sick of this continually happening and we are always on defensive - we need smarter democratic marketing out there telling the truth
I have a question about the "harboring a fugitive" charge against Dugan: can Flores-Ruiz be called a "fugitive" if no charges had yet been filed against him and the warrant for his arrest was administrative? What is the legal definition of "fugitive", if someone with law expertise can answer?
they broke the law.
Sue those doing these arrests for violating the constitution --and do it now, first, offensively.
In Charlottesville, Virginia, Ice grabbed 2 folks from inside courthouse. People protested. Ice has now threatened to prosecute protesters! Talk about power going to one's head. Instead, I'm hoping some folks will now sue Ice for trying to chill First Amendments rights.
It appears that she really did sneak a defendant in her courtroom past waiting ICE agents. I'm sure that her motivations were respectable, but we can't have this. We can't have local (state level) judges unilaterally declaring their courtrooms as "sanctuary places". That's not their jobs.
Criminal Actions, No. Misdemenor Maybe. This Aliens Act isnt being presented legally. I dont think this Judge will be held accountible for her actions. That's a Judges House. Not Ice's. Maybe outside with Proper Due Process but Not In Her House. Well See. Trumps actions arent legal to begin with
What the hell is going on? It's disturbing beyond reason. It's glaring fascism. Brutalizing citizens. Undermining our judicial system
"Just doing my job " didn't work at Nuremberg. Kill the goddamned nazis.
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This arrest was a trial balloon. Bondi is testing her powers and to test Americas reaction. The most dangerous person in the administration Gestapo level
Gestapo had the power to put the boots to people without restraint. American reaction should be a general strike. Create some immediate restraint!
It is coming
I don’t think they’re sophisticated enough for this arrest to have been planned as a trial balloon. I think it happened, and they doubled down. Just like when Trump mixed up the states and wanted to give an extra state a hurricane warning rather than admit his mistake.
Trump may be a real dumbf8ck, but the Project 2025 administration is at work here. Bondi, Patel, Homan, they are educated, measured by their own plans and they do understand what they are doing. They are traitors.
And she can eat her fucking memo about warrantless entry of homes.
Don't open my door boom
Trump incited rebellion on 1/6/21. Per the constitution he is ineligible to hold office. How much longer will we let the confederates destroy our Union?
It was a publicity stunt to scare people into submission. They have no legal case.
Trump has numerous felonies and was arrested in Georgia but was never cuffed.
It was a terrorist act and false imprisonment. May they be held accountable for their crimes.
By questioning the legality of their toilet paper warrant, she undermined the slef impotence of little bullies,who thought it perfectly within their rights to throw a tantrum.
As a compendium read www.emptywheel.net/2025/04/27/s...
#DemsFightBack 🥊💙🫂🇺🇸
Looks like law, order and democracy are being eradicated in US. Fuhrer Krasnov and his maga acolytes are turning a once great country into an isolated fascist autocracy - God help America
Tbf, my wifes family had an uncle who as a state judge was arrested by the FBI for keeping the traffic ticket money as a slush fund. He never profited but they convicted him for ‘theft of honest services,’ thrown out later when the Supreme Court said that was unconstitutionally vague
Charging unwinable cases is harassment
Fear and nullifying the Constitution is the objective by, arresting a Judge for doing her job, and having an opinion that pushes back at the autocratic goon brigade!
Trump's first instincts were to pack his original cabinet with generals. During the 2024 campaign, many wrote open letters warning the electorate of an impending, coordinated authoritarian takeover if he were to win. We are living in a period that will reverberate for centuries. MASS PROTESTS NOW!
Hitler’s judges sent more than 15,000 people to their deaths in Nazi Germany. So far, Trump appointed judges (except for a few) have upheld the regular meaning of the law. This might also account for the arrest: Trump can’t control the judiciary or SCOTUS the way he thought he could.
No crime by judge, but rather the crime was committed by Barbie Bondi and Krackhead Kash! Everyday another chaotic event!
If we as a country decide it's OK to arrest judges then I have some suggestions regarding the liars on the supreme court. Let's get brave and citizen arrest those phuckers
Hey Congress. It’s time: Impeach. Convict. Remove. @aoc.bsky.social @sanders.senate.gov @booker.senate.gov @repjasmine.bsky.social @whitehouse.senate.gov @reed.senate.gov @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social @warren.senate.gov @markey.senate.gov @schiff.senate.gov @kaine.senate.gov @markey.senate.gov
Also, one cannot ignore the parallels with Nazi Germany. In April '33, weeks after taking power, the Nazis dismissed Jewish & leftist judges. The largest German state, Prussia, had employed about 6,500 judges and prosecutors; of these the Nazis removed 850, of which only a 3rd were Jewish.
Excellent comment!
Americans still have too much confidence in their government and institutions to save them. Especially privileged white Americans. There are more recent and contemporaneous examples of dictatorships that Americans ought to know more about: Russia, Hungary, Egypt, Iran, El Salvador, Argentina...
It's a curse and a blessing that we acclimatize quickly to all kinds of things. Can you imagine bombs raining down on your town or city? People in Ukraine are used to it now and just go about their daily business as best they can. And in America, people shrug as Trump destroys democracy.
They should pass a mandate prohibiting federal law enforcement from their courthouses unless they've been subpoenaed to testify. #DueProcess
Not "political" machinations; fascist machinations.
A good read all!
Thank you for clarifying this situation—I appreciate it.
Thank you @joycewhitevance.bsky.social for the explanations. What a disgrace Patel and Bondi are to this country
Republicans and the Trump administration are mad they lost the Wisconsin state Supreme Court justice seat so they’re continuing their retribution tour against judges in Wisconsin
Shouldn't it be illegal to request an individual to attend a court date,then arrest him for lawfully attending?
If the men did not identify themselves, how did the Judge know they were official ICE Agents ,with a warrant?
I read from a witness the agents were in the courtroom during proceedings. She asked them directly if they had a warrant and called the chief judge to get his advice. He instructed that the agents should not be in the courtroom. This would have to verified, but that is my understanding.
Thank You, but I wonder if they actually provided proof, with the warrant and proper ID. She asked, but I did not find where their proof was shown.
That is what I understand from the witness, too, no warrant.
And, does judge Stephen C Dries, who signed the warrant, have a beef with her? Is this personal?
Good piece.
If this were Joe Biden!!! Imagine the furor! The degree of latitude given to one president compared to a previous one is beyond anything seen in history. It's not even normal!
Not an expert, but the lack of judicial warrant seems like it’s going to be a key factor for the obstructing a proceeding charge.
I think the "corrupt intent" factor is going to be the real pivotal point of the case.
She should sue the USA in a counterclaim if even she gets “due process”. Next Trump will try to detain, incarcerate, human traffic her to Venezuela’s without due process as well.
If Pam Bondi was anti-Trump instead of pro-, Trump would be in a black prison site subsisting on moldy bread and dirty water.
bsky.app/profile/rick...
From what I have read the Judge did nothing wrong and her arrest was just show.
It's to chill all other judges who would dare of think of following the actual law/constitution
This well-written piece, before all the facts are in, helps clarify the bases of our concerns for the rule of law in contrast to the muddy contours of sensationalized, melodramatic fear-mongering. Much appreciated.
This was intimidation of the law. Clearly & publicly. They want to fuel the fear. Let’s fight! The line of the law changes daily at the whims of the fascist
Intimidation
Nice! Now go raid her home.
Would being on the jury for her trial be a way for others to contribute to ensuring that justice is dispensed? Are they taking volunteers?😏
bsky.app/profile/jess...
When the executive branch invents, interprets, and enforces laws.
Very informative. Your discussion is written so that a lay person can understand. We are in a heap of trouble. I hope our democracy can outlast this corrupt presidency! We will keep protesting….thank you for everything that you do!
Clearly, Trump & his minions are above the law. Ridiculous to suggest otherwise.
Maybe its time to consider arresting a President.
I'm surprised ICE hadn't been fleeted out with Model 3s.
You are right, we shouldn’t have to worry about judges doing bad things, but about 1500 judges at all levels between 2008 and 2019 have been arrested, relieved of their duties, jailed or disbarred for doing bad things.
Something else at work... www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
She did! Stop your bent trash
The DOJ via the FBI should now arrest Clearance Thomas and Alito on Monday! "bribery charge" involves offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving something of value to influence the actions of a public or legal duty holder, according to LII/Legal Information Institute.
Judges, especially state judges, need to be making preparations to have local or state law enforcement officers available to stop unidentified, ununiformed (masked) people claiming to be 'federal agents', and verify their ID and their warrants to keep the courthouse/room from becoming a crime scene!
This appears to have been orchestrated. That aside, even if the judge conveniently allowed the suspect to leave, isn’t this simply a matter for the state judicial qualification committee? And not a crime?
I don’t like the word “crackdown” in headlines about the arrest of Judge Dugan Because it conveys legitimacy
And why did it just happen to be in Wisconsin?? Hmm? Gee I wonder.
They aren't judges, they are radical activist criminals!
I hope this stunt pisses enough judges off to make them take a major fucking hard line against the russian felons jackboots. Order court security to absolutely refuse "ICE's" entry into legal proceedings.
Dugan obstructed the arrest of a suspect (directed ICE agents to another area then ushered the suspect out a non-public area of the courthouse). At a moment when Trump is itching to strip the judiciary of power this further erodes public confidence in the judiciary.
PARTY Politics. It needs to go everywhere. ALL of it.
The text admits two DEA agents saw the man outside the courtroom in the public hallway heading to the elevators. That doesn’t square with the statement from Bondi. Why would she lie?
Because she's a lying liar who lies.
It was a silly question … of course she would lie to please her appointing official.
Is this just state judges that the government can arrest - or is it federal ones too?
No. I wholeheartedly expect them to arrest Federal Judges, as well. When this happens,”The sh*t will hit the fan!”
Thank you Joyce. Great article laying out just how weak the case is and the REAL reason behind the arrest.
Great article.
The attorney general needs arrested.
Thank you for providing this thoughtful, clear breakdown! It’s terrifying how fast we got here.
Wasn't that done as a warning from Trump to judges who would even consider not supporting whatever he has done to someone?
Dems should be demanding that any attorney involved in aiding fascism lose their license. The DOJ wouldn't be ineffective if they could not attend court. Also, @democrats.org should watch @johnleguizamo.bsky.social videos on what can be done. Liz Cheney has a plan. Who would have thought Liz?
I was a juror in a federal case years ago. FBI agents arrested and handcuffed two individuals at the back of the courtroom after they testified. This affected my attitude toward both of them. The agents should not have arrested them in view of the us, the jury.
Without due process, they arrested and shipped immigrants out of the country. They arrested a judge in her own courthouse. They deported a 2 year old American citizen. Are you next? RESIST RESIST RESIST
Amen!
I think it’s obvious he’s trying to frighten the judiciary.
Is this a red line yet? There is never any real push back.
Anyone surprised they didn’t take the case to a grand jury?
This is rich. “ No one is above the law” is absolute bullshit.
Well,they mean "except for them"!
Handcuffed with her hands behind her back. Like she's some common crook who is going to escape. What a photo op! smh
