A week ago today, FBI agents arrested Judge Hannah Dugan on courthouse grounds on outrageous charges. Immediately,…

A week ago today, FBI agents arrested Judge Hannah Dugan on courthouse grounds on outrageous charges. Immediately, Trump officials like Kash Patel and Pam Bondi began to celebrate. But this is not going well for them, and it’s going to age like milk on a Miami sidewalk. 🧵

Let’s review what happened. The arrest of Judge Dugan stemmed from a Keystone Kops type episode that took place a week earlier, when immigration enforcement attempted to arrest an individual in Dugan’s courtroom.

Judge Dugan sent the enforcers out, telling them to talk to the chief judge. Then she sent the individual out via the “jury door.” The FBI now wants to prosecute her for supposedly obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an individual to prevent an arrest. But there’s a problem.

The government’s case hinges (among other problems) on the idea that the choice of the jury door showed an attempt to evade authorities. But as the FBI complaint details (as @AnnJacobsMKE points out), the door led to *where the agents were waiting.*

Ann Jacobs@AnnJacobsMKE · Apr 25, 2025

Let's discuss the *actual* charges against Judge Hannah Dugan using the Complaint against her. tl;dr - she sent the man in question into the public hallway where agents there to arrest him watched him walk by and did nothing. 1/ storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…

Attorneys Jeff Mandell and Norm Eisen further summarize the case in a great Journal Sentinel op-ed: jsonline.com/story/opinion/…

That’s the government’s case. You’d think the higher-ups would be nervous about staking their reputations on such hole-ridden foundations, but no: immediately after the arrest, FBI director Kash Patel celebrated—in a deleted & later reposted tweet.

FBI Director Kash Patel@FBIDirectorKash · Apr 25, 2025

Just NOW, the FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction — after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week. We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest. Thankfully, our agents chased down the perp on foot and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public. We will have more to share soon. Excellent work @FBIMilwaukee.

Shortly thereafter, Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared on Fox News bragging about the case: foxnews.com/video/63719358…

Both of those actions represent a problem for the administration—because federal DOJ policies prohibit officials from making public statements that could affect the outcome of a criminal proceeding, as @NormEisen and @Lisa_PubCitizen point out. statedemocracydefenders.org/fund/news/ethi…

This wasn’t about law enforcement. The arrest of Judge Dugan was a stunt calculated to intimidate judges. Condemnation and public protests erupted immediately.

Here’s how @GovEvers responded:

And here is @SenatorBaldwin:

It’s also worth reading and amplifying the great statements from @RepGwenMoore...

.@RepMarkPocan…

Rep. Mark Pocan@RepMarkPocan · Apr 25, 2025

Judge Dugan’s arrest is outrageous and a fear tactic to our independent judiciary. Trump has always thought he was above the law, but now he’s enabling his goons to push that limit as far as it can go. His reckless deportations and flaunting of the Constitution will fail.

Milwaukee County Executive @DavidCrowleyWI…

And @MayorMKE Cavalier Johnson.

Judge Dugan's attorney said: "Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge. Judge Dugan will defend herself vigorously, and looks forward to being exonerated." jsonline.com/story/news/bre…

Grassroots groups immediately mobilized protests in Milwaukee—two on the day of the arrest, and another on Saturday. A slew of organizations signed on to a letter opposing Judge Dugan’s arrest. mailchi.mp/wisdc.org/for-…

The State Democracy Defenders Fund and Public Citizen led a sign-on letter calling for a formal investigation into Patel’s and Bondi’s public statements about Judge Dugan’s arrest to determine if they violate DOJ policies. statedemocracydefenders.org/wp-content/upl…

And an all-star defense team signed up to represent Judge Dugan, including the “LeBron James of Lawyers”—former United States Solicitor General Paul Clement. jsonline.com/story/news/loc…

Judge Dugan was released on her own recognizance the same day, and will be back in court on May 15. As the case unfolds, the state Supreme Court has paused her service on the bench. Meanwhile, furious opposition is spreading through the country.

When Judge Dugan wins, it will be one more legal blow to an administration that keeps acting as though our laws don’t apply to them—and then finding out, via losses in court, that their power does indeed have limits.

This is a frightening time. The destruction created by this administration is real. But amidst the blizzard of constant catastrophe, it’s worth reflecting that we—those who believe in freedom, justice, democracy, and the rule of law—are winning key fights on a near-daily basis.

We won the Wisconsin Supreme Court race this spring. And Trump has lost in court on at least 131 different fronts. Many of his key initiatives are paused. And many more, including the attack on Judge Dugan, have highly dim legal prospects. nytimes.com/interactive/20…

Part of Trump’s strategy is to move so fast that people forget that his last outrage wound up fizzling out. Don’t let his speed make you lose track. We’re fighting back. We are strong. And in the short, medium, and long term, we will win.

You can take part in the fight against Trump’s destructive agenda by donating to @WisDems. Our year-round organizing operation will keep pressure on the Trump administration, as we gear up for winning up and down ballot races in Wisconsin in 2026. Chip in: secure.actblue.com/donate/evergre…