A conservative legal group filed a misconduct complaint against a federal judge for criticizing Donald Trump in a CNN interview.
Judge Reggie Walton defended a gag order in Trump’s New York criminal trial and accused Trump of threatening the judge and his daughter.
“We do these jobs because we’re committed to the rule of law and we believe in the rule of law,” Walton said.
“And the rule of law can only function effectively when we have judges who are prepared to carry out their duties without the threat of potential physical harm.”
However, the complaint argues Walton engaged in inappropriate political commentary, undermining judicial impartiality.
“Judge Walton’s highly inappropriate, pre-planned, highly prejudicial, political CNN interview will cause the federal judiciary to lose its legitimacy with a broad swath of the American people,” the complaint stated. “D.C. federal judges must get their house in order and take immediate corrective action against Judge Walton. This will send a clear message to other federal judges, especially D.C. judges, that they cannot take off their judicial robes and climb into the political ring.
“And federal judges certainly cannot throw political punches against any criminal defendant — especially one who happens to be the leading presidential candidate during the heat of the highly contentious presidential election season. Thus, we file this complaint for Judge Walton’s judicial misconduct,” the complaint read.
It notes many judges and prosecutors have stretched laws to target Trump with criminal charges and civil lawsuits over typical real estate practices.
“We are seeing a dangerous pattern in which D.C. federal judges, like Beryl Howell and now Reggie Walton, have convinced themselves they have a duty — unbounded by the judicial canons — to make extrajudicial pronouncements about President Trump,” the complaint said.
While Democrats portray their actions as defending democracy, the complaint warns that politicizing the judiciary sets a dangerous precedent that could backfire against less powerful defendants in the future.
“But this is so much bigger than President Trump — or even one presidential election. These judges are setting a very dangerous precedent, which can get deployed against less wealthy and powerful defendants. The D.C. federal judges must get their house in order. Otherwise, Congress should do it for them.”
