Milwaukee Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan — the left-wing judge who was arrested by the FBI for allegedly shielding an illegal migrant from immigration officials — has added a former Bush solicitor general to her defense team.
Paul Clement — a prominent appellate lawyer who served as the U.S. Solicitor General from 2005 to 2009 under George W. Bush’s administration — has “stepped in” to represent Dugan, who has been accused of interfering with a migrant arrest and an ICE deportation operation, according to Law.com.
Clement, who has argued more than 100 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, has recommended that the case be dismissed with prejudice, meaning he wants to make it so the charges against Dugan cannot be refiled, according to a report by Fox News.
The former solicitor general joining the judge’s defense team is noteworthy due to his conservative political background, which has involved years of arguing on behalf of conservative causes, relating to an array topics ranging from gun control to same-sex marriage, Law.com noted.
FBI Director Kash Patel has accused Dugan of intentionally misdirecting federal agents away from illegal migrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was supposed to be arrested by six ICE officers who were planning to detain him at the courthouse where she was set to hear his criminal case.
On April 18, federal agents tried to arrest Flores-Ruiz after his criminal court appearance before Dugan, where the illegal migrant faced three misdemeanor battery charges for allegedly beating up two people, according to the criminal complaint, obtained by Fox News.
Dugan told the federal agents to go to the chief judge’s office, then after the hearing ended, she allegedly escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out of a restricted jury door, avoiding the public area where agents were waiting, the complaint added.
On Friday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) apprehended Judge Dugan, who was charged with hiding a previously deported illegal migrant in her jury room from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who planned to arrest him at her courthouse.
“No one is above the law,” Patel asserted in a Friday X post.
On Monday, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, warned officials or judges knowingly harboring illegal immigrants that they “will be prosecuted” if they are caught impeding the president’s deportation activities.
On Tuesday, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an administrative order calling for Dugan to be “temporarily relieved of her official duties.”
Dugan appeared in federal court on Friday. Her next court appearance is set for May 15.
Clement is joining a legal team led by Steve Biskupic, a former U.S. attorney and a George W. Bush appointee, which includes Craig Mastantuono of Mastantuono Coffee & Thomas, as well as Jason Luczak and Nicole Masnica of Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
