TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Monday that a misconduct complaint has been filed against District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg for allegedly making inappropriate comments regarding President Donald Trump. This development arises amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the judicial system.
Boasberg, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, has become a point of contention for Trump after he blocked the administration’s plan to deport Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, where they could be held in a notorious prison. Trump’s criticism of Boasberg has included calls for his impeachment.
Details of the complaint, which were shared by multiple news outlets, indicate it centers on remarks Boasberg made during a judicial conference on March 11, where he addressed Chief Justice John Roberts and several other judges. He reportedly expressed concerns that the Trump administration might ignore federal court rulings, suggesting such actions could lead to a constitutional crisis.
The Justice Department argues that Boasberg’s comments strayed from the usual administrative topics of discussion and were designed to sway opinions among the judges present at the conference. This meeting occurred just days before Boasberg ruled against the administration’s plan, later determining that the deportation of migrants to El Salvador violated his earlier orders — a decision that was partially overturned by the Supreme Court in April.
Following his remarks, Bondi stated that Boasberg’s actions had compromised the integrity of the judiciary. In her statement, she emphasized that such behavior would not be tolerated, as it undermines public trust.
The Trump administration has faced significant backlash from legal experts over its efforts perceived as undermining judicial independence. Since resuming his presidency, Trump has threatened to remove judges who issue unfavorable rulings, referred to them as “rogue judges,” and dismissed law firms associated with his political opponents. Recently, the administration dismissed U.S. Attorney Desiree Leigh Grace for not being selected by New Jersey judges, a decision which further sparked outrage.
Chad Mizelle, Bondi’s chief of staff, signed the complaint alleging that Boasberg’s remarks violated the judicial conduct code. Mizelle commented on social media about the decline of public trust in the judiciary, attributing it partly to the failure to address conduct like Boasberg’s.
The complaint seeks a special investigation by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia into whether Boasberg’s conduct displayed bias against the Trump administration. It also requests immediate actions, including reassignment of cases related to the Venezuelan migrants to a different judge.
This is not the first complaint the Trump administration has leveled against a judge; previously, a complaint was filed against Judge Ana Reyes for alleged misconduct during a case involving the president’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. That complaint remains under review.
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