Judges Aren’t Allowed to Pick Which Laws They Like!

Quick Overview

The core argument presented is that judges, specifically citing the New York State Supreme Court Chief Judge Sol Wachtler, are not allowed to selectively obey laws they prefer, as evidenced by Wachtler's own conviction for felonies including extortion and kidnapping after he attempted to influence the judicial system and threatened to kidnap the daughter of a judge who refused to indict Bernie Getz.

Key Points: Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was convicted of felony obstruction for helping an illegal immigrant evade an ICE arrest by directing agents elsewhere in the courthouse. The immigrant, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, had previously been deported in 2013 but returned to the country illegally, facing battery charges. Dugan told her court reporter, 'I'll do it, I'll get the heat,' regarding the plan to hide Ruiz. Ruiz was ultimately chased on foot and arrested outside the courthouse after Dugan's intervention. The speaker contrasts this with the Bernie Getz case from 1983, where the judge, Sol Wachtler, was convicted of extortion and kidnapping after trying to influence the court system. Wachtler was sentenced to 15 months in prison and subsequently lost his law license, illustrating the consequences for judicial misconduct. The speaker implies that while Dugan escaped indictment for the shooting charge, the pattern of judicial misconduct and corruption is ongoing, citing Wachtler's later legal troubles.

Context: The video discusses the conviction of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan for felony obstruction after she aided an illegal immigrant, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, in evading an arrest by ICE agents at her courthouse. The speaker uses this event as a jumping-off point to recount the more severe 1980s case of former New York State Chief Judge Sol Wachtler, who was convicted of felonies stemming from attempts to influence the judiciary and commit extortion, demonstrating that judges are not exempt from the laws they enforce.

Detailed Analysis

The speaker begins by reporting the conviction of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan for felony obstruction, stemming from an incident where ICE agents arrived to arrest Eduardo Flores Ruiz. Ruiz had previously been deported in 2013 but returned and was facing battery charges. Dugan actively obstructed the process by sending agents to another hall and telling her clerk, 'I'll do it, I'll get the heat,' when asked if she should show the immigrant the exit. After Ruiz was successfully spirited out a back door and escaped, agents later chased and arrested him outside. Dugan was acquitted of a misdemeanor charge but convicted of the felony, and as a result of Wisconsin constitutional bars, she will lose her judgeship. The speaker then pivots to the historical case of former New York State Chief Judge Sol Wachtler from 1983, who engaged in a three-month campaign of extortion and kidnapping threats against a woman and her daughter to influence the judicial system. Wachtler was convicted of federal charges including extortion and use of force, receiving a 15-month prison sentence and losing his law license. The speaker emphasizes the irony that Wachtler, who tried to control the legal system, was undone by it, and contrasts the severity of Wachtler's crimes with Dugan's actions, noting that Wachtler was later hired as a law professor despite his conviction, highlighting ongoing issues with accountability for judicial figures.