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 seemed that virtually every Democrats responded over social media to take issue with the arrest and make all sorts of fearmongering claims, though these were the same people who had previously insisted that "No one is above the law" when going after Republicans.
Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) deserve particular scrutiny, as we highlighted earlier, with Markey even claiming, as he did back in February, that people take action, in this case when it comes to how we "must all rise up against" what Markey called "a red alert moment" with the arrest. Both had previously posted to their same social media accounts that "No one is above the law."
Beyond social media posts, protesters have also taken to the streets of Milwaukee, not entirely surprising given that it's a particularly liberal city. Among them was State Rep. Ryan Clancy, a Democrat who represents Milwaukee, and who did more than just show up.
Clancy put out six posts and reposts on Friday, and all were to do with Dugan's arrest. In his first, which was a quoted repost from ABC News, the state representative issued a call for action. Not only did he begin his post by declaring that "We continue to stand with Judge Dugan against yet another authoritarian attempt to silence dissent, punish dissenters, and intimidate everyone else from ever joining them," but he also added that "Obstructing fascism is our duty, not a crime."
We continue to stand with Judge Dugan against yet another authoritarian attempt to silence dissent, punish dissenters, and intimidate everyone else from ever joining them. Obstructing fascism is our duty, not a crime. https://t.co/ThvirWNsG7
— Rep. Ryan Clancy (@RyanClancyWI) April 25, 2025
Less than two hours after he posted that response, Clancy was already springing into action to give updated details about a protest going on that same day.
Recommended
As his post urged, "Try to go with someone you trust!"
UDPATE: folks are dispersing from the courthouse as of 11:45 am (4/25)
— Rep. Ryan Clancy (@RyanClancyWI) April 25, 2025
*Voces de la Frontera are planning another action at the MKE federal courthouse (517 E Wisconsin Ave) at 3:00 pm today*
Try to go with someone you trust! https://t.co/UFh47fzbfP
Clancy himself was present at the protests, as Warren Squire at our sister site of Twitchy covered, sharing a clip from Western Lensman.
After lamenting how there was "no precedence" for arresting Dugan in such a way, Clancy went on to make the point he really wanted to emphasize. “What Judge Dugan apparently did was what all of us should be doing," he insisted. "And that is standing up for folks in our communities who need support right now against the Trump regime more than ever!"
🚨WI Democrat State Rep Ryan Clancy: Everyone should be shielding illegal alien violent criminals from ICE:
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) April 26, 2025
“What Judge Dugan apparently did was what all of us should be doing."
"Standing up for folks in our communities who need support right now against the Trump regime." pic.twitter.com/jztYVjJ90a
In addition to posting his appearance from CNN on Friday night expressing outrage about the arrest, he also reposted a user who shared the clip. This person claimed to be a constituent and also had a Palestinian flag in his handle. During his appearance, it appeared that Clancy himself was wearing a pin that represented that same flag.
As host Erin Burnett helpfully mentioned when introducing Clancy, he "worked with Judge Dugan personally from 2020 to '24, when he was on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors." She went on to speak about the importance of "context," though, which one can't exactly expect to get from a biased source like Clancy.
"So, Judge Dugan was in her right in doing what she did. She didn't obstruct justice. She obstructed fascism in this case," Clancy began by claiming early on during his interview, as he actually applauded the judge. Dugan has been charged with obstructing or impeding a proceeding of a department and also concealing an individual to prevent discovery and arrest.
Clancy even insisted that the mere presence of ICE agents in the courtroom "is really just an attack on the judicial system, which is historically a check and balance on unobstructed executive power, adding, "that's what we're seeing from the Trump administration."
Burnett went right along with Clancy in trying to sing the judge's praises. "What we know in helping this immigrant, consistent with the judge and the person that you know," she offered about Dugan. It went unmentioned that the illegal immigrant Dugan is accused of hiding has been charged with three counts of domestic battery with physical pain or injury, and had already been deported and then illegally returned once more.
"Absolutely. She is a prominent respected member of the Milwaukee legal community. She is not part of any radical community. And I should know because I am. She's been a respected judge and a lawyer for many years without apparent controversy. Targeting her makes no sense, and I think it really is designed to have a chilling effect on state and local officials, and on anybody who would push back on the Trump regime," Clancy responded.
Tonight I was on @OutFrontCNN with @ErinBurnett to discuss the unconstitutional arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan. Like Judge Dugan, we should all be standing up for people in our community. pic.twitter.com/2eaV1rcPiQ
— Rep. Ryan Clancy (@RyanClancyWI) April 26, 2025
Given what Dugan has been accused of, if it turns out to be true, one could certainly argue that she is part of a "radical community" that refuses to uphold the rule of law, in this case on immigration. Clancy may want to claim that it "makes no sense" to target her, but it does, if there was credible evidence she was in the wrong in acting as she did.
We should be able to hold judges to a high standard, something the "No one is above the law" crowd would do well to remember.
Clancy's most recent post as of Saturday afternoon is an invitation for people to join for an event protesting Dugan's arrest. As an advertisement from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression read, "DROP THE CHARGES ON JUDGE DUGAN!" In slightly smaller print, the advertisement also declared, "STOP FBI REPRESSION ON IMMIGRANT RIGHTS!" Of course, these are criminal illegal immigrants we're talking about when it comes to "rights."
With state representatives like Clancy, judges like Dugan, and protests like what went on for Saturday, Milwaukee is reminding the rest of the country truly what kind of a far-left place it is.
Join us at 3pm, 3600 S Lake Drive in St Francis. pic.twitter.com/zoCRo4WtRO
— Rep. Ryan Clancy (@RyanClancyWI) April 26, 2025
