Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan’s defense argues ‘top levels of government’ pushed to bring charges

By TODD RICHMOND, Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The “top levels of government” were involved in bringing charges against a Wisconsin judge accused of helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal authorities, her defense attorney told jurors during closing arguments at her trial Thursday in an attempt to blunt prosecutors’ arguments that the judge acted inappropriately.

Prosecutors argued that Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan put her personal beliefs above the law.

“You don’t have to agree with immigration enforcement policy to see this was wrong,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Brown Watzka told the jury in closing arguments. “You just have to agree the law applies equally to everyone.”

Federal prosecutors charged Dugan with obstruction and concealment in April. Jurors got the case around mid-afternoon Thursday after listening to four days of testimony and more than two hours of closing arguments.

The highly unusual charges against a sitting judge are an extraordinary consequence of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Dugan’s supporters say Trump is looking to make an example of her to chill judicial opposition to immigration arrests.