DOJ files judicial misconduct complaint against federal judges in Minnesota
Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the Justice Department had filed a judicial misconduct complaint against federal judges in Minnesota after they spoke with the New York Times.
On Wednesday, the Justice Department filed a judicial misconduct complaint against most of the federal district judges in Minnesota, according to Attorney General Todd Blanche. The complaint was prompted by multiple interviews the judges gave to the New York Times about concerns over the government's handling of immigration cases during the surge in enforcement earlier this year. Blanche emphasized the importance of having fair and impartial judges, stating that the department had no choice but to act.
The complaint names Judge Patrick Schiltz and Judge John Tunheim, both appointed by former presidents, as well as anonymous district judges on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. The allegations against Schiltz and Tunheim are particularly egregious, with the complaint claiming they violated the Code of Judicial Conduct with their comments to the Times. Schiltz was accused of being overly political and commenting on pending cases, while Tunheim's comment was deemed equally unethical.
The DOJ also requested that the 8th Circuit Court order Schiltz and Tunheim to recuse themselves from cases involving the Department of Homeland Security and launch an investigation into the improper conduct of Minnesota judges who seek publicity over judicial duties. The complaint stems from a New York Times article published earlier this month, titled "Trump's Minnesota Surge Threatened Democracy, Judge Warns."
The article quoted Schiltz and Tunheim discussing violations of court orders by the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
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