Judge Robart feels President Donald Trump’s anger upon hearing his decision
President Donald Trump took to Twitter this morning to attack U.S. District Judge James Robart, a George W. Bush appointee who temporarily stopped his controversial travel ban Friday night. At this point the executive order no longer is in affect and travel returns too normal, meanwhile, the issue is likely to be resolved in Supreme Court.
Judge Robart ruled Friday afternoon in favor of Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who sued this week to invalidate key provisions of Trump’s executive order.
Judge Robart suggested in court that Trump’s 90-day entry ban on people from the countries of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen was not “rationally based,” since no one from any those countries had been arrested in the U.S. on terrorism-related charges since 9/11.
READ THE ORDER IN IT’S ENTIRETY.
President Trump’s executive order was signed last Friday and at 4 p.m. yesterday, almost exactly one week later, Judge Robarts put the order on hold for the moment.
In his ruling, Judge Robart said Washington had met the high burden to justify a restraining order by showing that Trump’s order was causing “immediate and irreparable injury,” and that the state had a substantial likelihood of winning its underlying lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the travel ban.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is working on two fronts, at the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department announced it has suspended all actions to implement the immigration order and will resume standard inspections of travelers as it did prior to the signing of the travel ban.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department vowed to fight the ruling in court. There are working to get the ruling over turned as soon as possible. At the same time the department is getting ready to fight the issue in court as soon as possible, perhaps as soon as possible.
It’s not the first time Trump has publicly attacked a judge with whom he disagreed.
During last year’s presidential campaign, Trump was criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for citing the “Mexican heritage” of Indiana-born Judge Gonzalo Curiel as a reason he should recuse himself from lawsuits regarding Trump University.
So, who is Judge James L. Robart?
He has been a federal judge in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington state since 2004. Judge Robart was nominated for appointment as a federal judge on December 11, 2003 by then President Bush and he was confirmed by the Senate on June 17, 2004 by a vote of 99-0 and got massive bi-partisan support.
During his confirmation hearing, highly respected Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah noted that Robart had done pro bono legal work and had represented refugees during his career.
“He has been active in the representation of the disadvantaged through his work with Evergreen Legal Services and the independent representation of Southeast Asian refugees,” Hatch said.
Judge Robart has an impressive resume of public service. He’s the former president and trustee for Seattle Children’s Home; former co-chair of the Second Century Society; he has served on the Children’s Home Society of Washington; and he was on the State Advisory Board and served as a former trustee for Children’s Home Society of Washington.
According to Politico, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was quick to come to Justice Robart’s defense.
“The President’s attack on Judge James Robart, a Bush appointee who passed with 99 votes, shows a disdain for an independent judiciary that doesn’t always bend to his wishes and a continued lack of respect for the Constitution, making it more important that the Supreme Court serve as an independent check on the administration,” Schumer said.
“With each action testing the Constitution, and each personal attack on a judge, President Trump raises the bar even higher for Judge Gorsuch’s nomination to serve on the Supreme Court. His ability to be an independent check will be front and center throughout the confirmation process.
Video from CBS News
