Tipsheet

Jennings Offers Telling Reminder About How Media Has Botched Story on Arrest of Judge, 'Maryland Man'

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  April 26, 2025 1:15 PM

On Friday, as Townhall has been covering, the FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan, a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge for Milwaukee County for allegedly hiding an illegal immigrant in her courthouse. It took place hours before Scott Jennings appeared on "CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip," which was live from Washington, DC for such an episode.

Jennings himself previewed the episode, which included not only reminders about the judge, but illegal immigration in general, as Democrats and their allies in the media have insisted on doubling down on such topics. 

Sure enough, the episode began with a discussion on Dugan's arrest, which host Abby Phillip described as "tricky," though Jim Trusty, President Donald Trump's former attorney, explained how the judge exercised "absolutely no judgment" and it was "an embarrassment," as she sent off ICE agents and the task force off elsewhere. 

Gene Rossi, a former federal prosecutor, also chimed in to offer that Dugan's behavior "shows that she was willfully trying to hide that defendant from being arrested," which he added, "bothers me a lot."

Rossi, however, did take issue with how the Trump administration "made a spectacle of this case," with Jennings questioning why he would take issue with that. 

"Why wouldn't you want to make a spectacle of it? I mean, the fact of the matter is there are liberal Democrat elected officials, not all judges, some are mayors and others, all over this country who have said repeatedly since Donald Trump became the president that they would like to obstruct his principles and his program when it comes to deporting illegal immigrants," he offered, before again making the suggestion that the administration should make such a spectacle, before Rossi tried to jump back in. "The spectacle is important because a message has to be sent to everybody else, we are not going to put up--you've been elected by people to uphold the law and some of the laws that have been most flagrantly violated in this country are immigration laws. You've got to get on board with upholding all the laws," Jennings continued, speaking about the importance of upholding the law. 

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As the panel discussion continued, Rossi even referenced how "you have to worry about what impact it's going to have on the community. And I'm telling you this right now," he added, claiming that Attorney General Pam Bondi "didn't enhance the rule of law" with her actions, though she did reveal quite the details about this judge and another one. 

CNN's Xochitl Hinojosa and Rossi made the issue about how this represents how President Donald Trump and his administration supposedly are engaged in "a pattern of attacking judges," with Trump "attack[ing] everybody who disagrees with him," something that Phillip concurred with. 

When it was his turn to speak once more, Jennings went back to focus on Rossi's claim about how "you got to worry about the impact on the community," which he acknowledged he did say. 

"The president and the Justice Department and his people have to worry about the impact of illegal immigration on the country because nobody's been worried about that for years," he reminded after we've been through the open borders of the Biden-Harris administration. "And the reason this is important is because this is one of Donald Trump's biggest criminal justice priorities. And, frankly, it's one of the American people's biggest priorities to control this. And you know well there are people all over towns, all over this country who have been working overtime to try to stop him from executing on this agenda. If she turns out to be one of them, a spectacle is warranted so other people will stop doing it," Jennings added, speaking about Dugan.

It's worth reminding that whether Trump was running against then President Joe Biden or then Vice President Kamala Harris, he held a commanding lead on immigration, which was a top issue, if not the top issue in polls. While the issue has gone down in importance, it's because we're back to record low border crossings, after achieving record-high during the Biden-Harris administration in December 2023, before the month was even over. Trump's handling of immigration and his deportation efforts remain popular. 

As the panel discussed some less than flattering poll numbers for Trump--though it's also worth reminding Biden finished his term as a particularly unpopular president, and Trump is still above water on immigration, Hinojosa brought up the case of "Maryland man," a term she herself used to describe illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and even doubled down on using, claiming it's actually Trump's "worst issue" and "one of his lowest points with the American people."

"Come on. He is an El Salvadorian citizen. He is not a Maryland man. He is an illegal immigrant living in this country illegally for 14 years," Jennings offered, also pointing out that "the poll is the way it is, because [Democrats are] lying on the issues.     

Jennings even had to fend off claims from Phillip that there's "no evidence" Abrego Garcia is a member of MS-13, despite the Department of Justice releasing documents showing such evidence last Wednesday, and Trump reminding how Abrego Garcia has tattoos. Phillip tried to ask about if "Americans are just misled and that's why they don't like how Trump has handled this?"

"He has been saying that for weeks," Jennings further reminded, as we also took issue with the narrative that's been out there from Democrats and their alies in the media. "And what has the entirety of the national news media been saying? 'He's a Maryland man. He's a mild-mannered suburban father.' We have lied our rear ends off about this case. He is an El Salvador illegal immigrant! He came to the country 14 years ago illegally. There is a ton of evidence that he is involved in gang activity. There is a ton of evidence that he was involved in human trafficking."             

Those same documents released last week also noted that Abrego Garcia himself admitted to coming here illegally. In recent days, it was also revealed that he was using the truck of a known human smuggler to drive around eight illegal immigrants with no luggage. 

Jennings was able to get in one more word at the end of the segment to again offer important reminders about the immigration issue. As Rossi lamented how it "offends [him] to no end" that the Trump administration has been taking issue with orders from Judge James Boasberg, who has been in particular abusing his authority as a district judge over the executive branch. 

"Let me tell you what offends me. Is that there are people and one political party in this country dedicated to reimporting illegal aliens, hand over fists, and it is outrageous. That's what offends me," Jennings insisted just before they went to a commercial break.