Wisconsin Republicans are now reportedly calling for the immediate resignation of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan following her felony conviction for obstruction, warning that impeachment proceedings could follow if she refuses to step down. The push comes after a jury found Dugan guilty of interfering with federal immigration authorities who were attempting to arrest an immigrant inside her courthouse.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August issued a sharp joint statement Friday, pointing to the Wisconsin Constitution’s prohibition on convicted felons holding public office. The lawmakers said Dugan crossed a bright legal and ethical line by attempting to obstruct the lawful duties of federal immigration officers while acting in her official capacity as a judge.
According to Vos and August, Dugan’s actions strike at the core of public trust in the judicial system. “Wisconsinites deserve to know their judiciary is impartial and that justice is blind,” the statement said. “Judge Hannah Dugan is neither, and her privilege of serving the people of Wisconsin has come to an end.”
Republican leaders acknowledged that impeachment of a Wisconsin judge is exceedingly rare, noting that the last such case occurred in 1853. Still, they argued the circumstances surrounding Dugan’s conviction justify revisiting that constitutional remedy. To bolster their position, Vos and August cited a 1976 opinion from former Democratic Attorney General Bronson La Follette, which concluded that a state senator’s office was automatically vacated upon felony conviction.
“Such is the case here,” the lawmakers wrote. “Judge Dugan must recognize that the law requires her resignation.”
Federal prosecutors accused Dugan of attempting to block the arrest of Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national who was in the United States without permanent legal status. Flores-Ruiz was scheduled to appear in Dugan’s courtroom on three misdemeanor battery charges. Prosecutors said a federal immigration task force was waiting to arrest him once the hearing concluded.
Instead, authorities said Dugan intervened after learning of the planned arrest, guiding Flores-Ruiz out a back door of her courtroom to avoid federal agents. Flores-Ruiz has since been deported.
Courtroom audio obtained by The Associated Press added to the case against the judge. In the recording, Dugan is heard telling her court reporter that she would “get the heat” for helping Flores-Ruiz leave through an alternate route. Prosecutors also said she redirected the arrest team toward the chief judge’s chambers, further delaying their efforts.
After a four-day trial and roughly six hours of jury deliberations, the panel returned a split verdict late Thursday. Dugan was convicted on the felony obstruction charge but acquitted on a separate misdemeanor count of concealing an individual from arrest.
The conviction represents a stunning development for a sitting judge. Dugan had already been suspended following her indictment and was labeled an “activist judge” by the Trump administration. The case unfolded amid President Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement efforts, which have placed judges and local officials under scrutiny for actions seen as undermining federal law.
Dugan faces a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, though first-time offenders rarely receive the maximum penalty. Her legal team is expected to appeal the conviction but did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
With a felony conviction now on the books, Wisconsin Republicans say the issue is no longer political but constitutional, insisting that Judge Dugan’s continued presence on the bench is incompatible with the rule of law.
[READ MORE: Shapiro Slams Silence on Owens Claims, Takes Aim at Kelly and Carlson at AmericaFest]
