Good morning! We’ve got three more days of this perfect weather, and the universe very kindly made two of them a weekend. These are the days that out-of-towners don’t know exist here. Go hang out at a street-end park. Look for mushrooms in the arboretum. (But only eat them if you know what you’re doing!) Lock down a grill at Golden Gardens at an absurdly early hour, and text everyone you know.
But before all that, let’s stock up on the news so you can put it out of your mind for a few days.
Tesla Tax: We’re in the last few days of our state legislative session, and Dems came up with a delightful new way to help close our budget shortfall: a tax on Elon Musk. Oooobviously it doesn’t call him out by name. Instead, it specifically taxes the companies that made “windfall profits” from our state’s “cap and trade” style system for car manufacturers. (It’s way easier for companies to accrue emissions credit when they never made combustion engines in the first place.) State Republicans are calling it a targeted attack on Tesla; the bill’s sponsor, House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, said the data on our car-emission credits shows “one outlier” (Tesla) who is “very profitable,” and has built up most of the credits under the state’s program. “I don’t care who the CEO is,” Fitzgibbon said. I do. He’s been profiting off of American taxpayers for a decade, and he’s now literally the richest man in the world. Let’s get him.
Flip Flop: But in a good way. As of yesterday, eight international students at UW and Seattle U had gotten their legal status back. The reversals seemed to happen out of the blue—not as the result of a judge’s order. It’s a huge relief for the students, but one of the students’ lawyers reminded the Seattle Times that even though they’ve regained their status, there is “still plenty of damage” done by the administration to these students—including damage to their reputations and disruption of their studies. “[The government] might just be trying to brush it under the rug,” another lawyer warned. The Trump administration not taking responsibility for their actions? Never.
FBI Arrests Judge: This can’t be good. Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, tweeted and then deleted a post on X saying that they’d arrested Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan for obstructing the ICE arrest of an immigrant in her court (ally). According to local reports, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was in Dugan’s courtroom for a pre-trial conference last week, for three misdemeanor counts of battery. When ICE arrived with an arrest warrant for him, Dugan took Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer to a side door in the courtroom, directed them down a private hallway, and into a public area. He didn’t evade arrest for long—ICE pursued him on foot and arrested him shortly after. CNN reports that Dugan’s in federal custody, waiting for her first appearance.
Target on ActBlue: Trump is siccing his administration on the main fundraising platform used by Democratic campaigns, and liberal and progressive orgs. In a memo to the AG and the treasury yesterday, he claimed that ActBlue is facilitating “illegal ‘straw donor’ and foreign contributions in American elections.” This is all part of an explicit effort by Trump and Republicans in Congress to undermine Democrats’ and the left’s ability to campaign, and it’s already spooking organizations around the country that depend on this infrastructure.
LOL DOGE: Elon really is the punchline that keeps on giving. A new report from a nonprofit organization that studies the federal workforce called the Partnership for Public Service came up with a rough estimate of the cost of DOGE’s firings, re-hirings, lost productivity, and paid leave of thousands of workers. The total? Upward of $135 billion this fiscal year. What did Elon say he was ultimately saving the American taxpayers? $150 billion. Thanks for shaving that $15 billion off, bro. Looking forward to that $440 DOGE dividend check.
Superintendent Reykdal Showed the Fuck Up: Yesterday was the Trump administration’s deadline for K-12 schools to certify that they would not implement DEI programs, dangling the threat of their federal funding. In return, Washington state Superintendent Chris Reykdal told him where to shove it. “We will not sign additional certifications that lack authority, lack clarity, or are an assault on the autonomy of states and local school districts,” he wrote when the order first came down earlier this month. “We’re not going to walk away from teaching authentic history or supporting our students with disabilities or any of our DEI and equity work,” he told the Seattle Times yesterday. And we’re in good company: We’re joined by 18 other states who have refused to certify. Who’re the bootlickers? New Hampshire got an extra special shout-out from the Secretary of Ed for not just certifying that they wouldn’t do the “illegal DEI,” but building a whole website to tout each district’s certification. Ew.
Tomorrow is Indie Bookstore Day, and Seattle takes it seriously. Starting tomorrow, you’ve got 10 days to hit all 29 participating local lit shops. If you fill your passport, you get a 25 percent one-time discount at every store.
Parents Bill of Rights Heads to Ferg: The state Democrats’ version of the so-called Parents Bill of Rights is headed to the governor’s desk. The new bill actually adheres to state law by eliminating language that grants parents access to their child’s school-based medical and mental health records—protecting vulnerable kids like LGBTQ students. State Republicans threw a proper fit over the bill. One even delayed the vote by just standing up and yelling a lot. But it ultimately passed on party lines.
Remember George Santos? The 36-year-old gay Republican who lied his way to Congress and was then kicked out of it less than a year in? The disgraced New York representative and sunglass icon was sentenced today to 87 months in prison. Last year, he pleaded guilty to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen people, including his family members, to fund his (totally made up) winning campaign. At the time, he agreed to pay roughly $580,000 in penalties, and today, the judge decided what kind of prison time is going to be tacked onto that. His attorneys thought two years is reasonable, but prosecutors pushed for seven because he “remains unrepentant.” I’m guessing plugging his $100 Cameo profile right before sentencing probably didn’t help. Neither did calling them a “cabal of pedophiles.”
Festival News: It’s been a weird year for festivals. Capitol Hill Block Party is down to two days, and Day In Day Out announced that they’re taking 2025 off, but Modest Mouse won’t be deterred: they’re starting their very own music festival at Remlinger Farms. Called the Psychic Salamander Festival, it’s co-presented by the Seattle Theatre Group and will run on September 13 and 14. They even have a lineup already: Both nights will be headlined by Modest Mouse, but before that, you can see The Flaming Lips, Courtney Barnett, Built to Spill, the Vaudevillian and Mattress, Sleater-Kinney, Yo La Tengo, Friko, and Sun Atoms. Single-day tickets are $125, or you can go for the whole weekend for $225.
Here’s a little La Lom to ease you into Friday. And speaking of Remlinger Farms, they’ll be there next month!
“According to local reports, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was in Dugan’s courtroom for a pre-trial conference last week, for three misdemeanor counts of battery. When ICE arrived with an arrest warrant for him, Dugan took Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer to a side door in the courtroom, directed them down a private hallway, and into a public area. He didn’t evade arrest for long—ICE pursued him on foot and arrested him shortly after. CNN reports that Dugan’s in federal custody, waiting for her first appearance.”
Here’s a little piece of advice. When the FEDS arrive WITH A WARRANT, do not play cute games with them. (Amazing that a judge, of all persons, would need a lesson on the importance of respecting a warrant.)
@1:
Fuck you and your “the law only applies to people I don’t like” hypocrisy. We now have 100 some-odd days of watching the Executive Branch flout the law at every opportunity; where’s your “advice” to them about playing “cute games”, huh?
Tensor is a fascist and a dumbass. Ignore.
@2, If you are for rule of law, you condemn violations of rule of law no matter who engages in them. Your observations about the Executive Branch are spot on. That doesn’t make what this Judge allegedly did any less a violation of rule of law, entitled to the same condemnation as any single rule of law violation by Trump.
@1 The same should probably be said for when the Supreme Court tells you to do something though, too, yeah? But yet, here we are.
@5, Two wrongs make a right? The other guy doing wrong, gives you, or the person you agree with, a free pass to do wrong? How juvenile.
The Stranger is so fickle and inconsistent.
People are still dying in Gaza. The blockade is at its worst ever, yet SLOG hasn’t resumed half their coverage being about Gaza. When half the coverage was about Gaza the death, destruction, and starvation wasn’t at the level it is now.
Averagebob, Greenwood Bob, Kristo, CDizzle, boatgeek, and barth. How are those international human rights courts working out to stop the war in Gaza? How many deaths are those U.N. reports saving? Why do you all cling to institutions that have done nothing to help Gazans get out of the crossfire? Why aren’t you switching to a proven method for ending wars and getting people out of the crossfire, which is the overwhelming application of force until one side, or both, loses the will or capacity to fight.
After blowing up the SLOG and doing single pieces devoted to Denny Blaine Park, nothing now that a lawsuit has been filed that will probably do more to accomplish what The Stranger feared, than installing a playground would have. Nothing from The Stranger.
Does The Stranger stand for anything?
Uh, are we in support of climate action or just delighting in crafting our laws to punish political enemies? The anti-Tesla bill (or how it’s being reported) got some “own the libs” energy.
The judge did the next right thing, I’m sure she doesn’t give a flying fuck what happens to her person. Hip-hip-hooray to Judge Dugan. Civil disobedience in the face of blatant tyranny is the only correct choice. If you choose to look away and not do what is right, then you have joined the side of tyranny. The cheetoh king and his reptilian congress are no longer a harbinger of the laws and constitution that govern our nation. Anyone who stands in the way of their tyranny is a true citizen to this nation. So yeah go fuck yourself and you bullshit lies, fuck the GOP, fuck drumpf and fuck all you right wing pigeon trolls that camp out in the SLOG comments.
Santos got 7 years. Out in 5 years 7 months, but that’s still pretty hardcore.
I hope I never hear his name again, but Bowen Yang will probably do a Santos bit on SNL this weekend.
I thought the DOGE dividend check was supposed to be $420.
The Stranger also reported on this but isn’t following it any longer:
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/vehicle-owner-parking-violations-seattle-girl-arsema-barekew-killed/281-02c3a20a-d543-4335-b74f-e7a5c91f9a5e
Remember folks, just because its a homicide, doesn’t make it a crime.
@6. So as long as the Neo-Waffen SS falls within the rule of law, then we shouldn’t bat an eye when the rule of law doesn’t apply at the highest level. The double standard is the whole point.
Elon Scmuck’s scrotal shrinkage threatens social security!!!
@1 there are different kinds of “warrants” in the immigration context. ICE typically carries administrative warrants, which are their own creation and not signed by a judge. Unless and until confirmed otherwise it’s pretty safe to assume that’s what the agents in this case had. Given they aren’t signed by a judge these are not the equivalent of what we typically think of as a “warrant.” For example, individuals are not required to admit agents into their homes on the basis of these ICE administrative warrants. In sum, this judge doesn’t need any “lesson” from your dumb ass.
The entire point of staging an immigration raid in a court of law is to intimidate judges into falling in line or else risk arrest. Once we ignore due process for the most vulnerable among us, we give up our own constitutional rights to Habeas Corpus and swiftly erode free speech. There is no rule of law that is applied without blind justice. Then it is “just following orders.”
@13, We should be concerned with all violations of rule of law, including those at the top.
In particular by people in power, like the President of the United States (remedy is impeachment and removal, which hasn’t worked out so well).
In particular by Judges that enforce the law.
Concern about one, does not, and must not, limit concern about the other.
What’s the alternative to rule of law? Anarchy. Fascism. Both limit or eliminate freedom and liberty.
Substituting non-democratically enacted laws or rules, for democratically enacted ones, is by definition, anti-democratic.
Sounds like the judge believes in justice over the rule of law. Refusing to comply with an agency that has already violated hundreds of people’s constitutional rights is at minimum an act of civil disobedience, but might also be preserving an individual’s fundamental rights, depending on what ice had planned for him.
When I learned about the civil rights era I was taught that the lawbreakers were the heroes and the government were the bad guys. Feels like history is making a comeback.
@2: Again, when the feds arrive with a warrant, you probably should not screw with them.
@15: “Unless and until confirmed otherwise it’s pretty safe to assume that’s what the agents in this case had.”
Yes, your arguments would likely succeed much more often, if you could always just simply assume what you need to prove. No one here disagrees with you on that. Meanwhile, we have a judge helping a suspect to evade a warrant because, well, no one has yet said, really.
@16: “The entire point of staging an immigration raid in a court of law is to intimidate judges into falling in line or else risk arrest.”
Well, it’s more because the agents have solid information that the target of their arrest warrant should be in that courtroom at the time. Which was true in this case.
I love love love how you guys ‘defend’ the rule of law by praising a judge for helping a suspect to evade a warrant. (If you’re trying to convince anyone you’re better than Trump on this, I have some very bad news for you… )
@16, Warrants and arrests in court are actually pretty common. The biggest problem in serving a warrant and making an arrest is locating the suspect. Having them appear on an unrelated matter in a courtroom, solves the problem of locating them, so police often await the appearance of suspects in court on unrelated matters.
The only thing unusual about this case is the allegation of a Judge facilitating the flight of the person being sought for arrest.
@15, It’s still a crime to obstruct a Federal or State law enforcement official in an official act. They don’t need a warrant signed by a judge to be engaged in the official act of immigration enforcement.
@18 “When I learned about the civil rights era I was taught that the lawbreakers were the heroes and the government were the bad guys.”
Not to mention the founding of this very country. There’s nothing more patriotic than telling the asshole in charge to fuck off.
@12. You are literally Glen from Wayne’s World. What is it with your obsessive fetishizing of getting away with murder so long as you can justify it? Are you having buyer’s remorse from living in fear and owning an aresenal of weapons you can’t use, so you keep curating cases of “legal” homocide?
“Why is it that if a man kills another man in battle, it’s called heroic, yet if he kills a man in the heat of passion, it’s called murder?”
Get a life you dweeb.
@7 The Stranger, like all publications, stands for selling advertising and making a profit.
@16: ICE’s response to that is that it’s safer for law enforcement to apprehend in a courtroom because the target has already been screened. Which is admittedly convenient plausible deniability.
@18, @21: If you tell me you believe Rosa Parks was en route to court for repeatedly slugging her husband when she was denied a seat on the bus, I’ll believe you. (Really, I will.)
@20: “Warrants and arrests in court are actually pretty common.”
In fact, in recent months, ICE has performed multiple arrests in this very courthouse. From the first linked story:
“Last week’s arrest marked at least the third time in recent months that federal immigration agents have come to the courthouse with arrest warrants. In March and early April, two people were arrested by ICE officials in the hallways of the courthouse.”
As you wrote, the only difference in this case is a judge helping the suspect to evade an arrest warrant. Rule of Law FTW! 😉
@19 here’s the complaint: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25919242-hannah-dugan-complaint/
See paragraph 23 on page 7: “Judge DUGAN asked if Deportation Officer A had a judicial warrant,and Deportation Officer A responded, “No, I have an administrative warrant.”
Told ya.
ICE’s response is to enforce neo McCarthyism with legal hipster sophistry. They are laying the infrastructure to imprison and censor all dissent a la Xi Jinping Thought. Our overarching national principles supersede this loophole trash.
@22, Nobody got away with murder. The law defines a only a small subset of killing as murder.
Medical errors kill 200,000 a year on the U.S. alone. Those aren’t murders.
This was a parking error. Also not murder.
What do you get for a parking error that violates the law, whether it kills someone, or no one? A civil citation.
@23, Then they shouldn’t claim to be about any higher principles.
@26: You’re a little late. @20 already noted this really does not matter. But if Judge Duggan wants to base her defense on it, I guess she can try.
Kash Patel has no illusions about using the FBI and ICE to uphold any legitimate rule of law other than what human centipede dogshit he consumes from the White House’s torrential authoritarian anus with gusto, fervor, and bootlicking kowtowing.
I don’t care what he is being charged for. Criminals have constitutional rights too but this administration doesn’t seem to agree, so civil disobedience it is.
Hiding Jews in your basement in 1930s Germany was breaking the law too. One would be technically correct to say their actions were illegal and no doubt there were Germans saying so at the time but no one in their right mind today would defend the Nazis and their enablers over people doing what they believed was right.
@28. I am not talking about the specifics of your pet case. I am highlighting a disturbing pattern of acute mental illness and obsession with legalized killing in your incessant posting of legalized violence.
Stop it. Get some help.
@4 When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.
@29 whether or not it’s relevant to the government’s ability to prove their allegations against the judge, you’re welcome for the lesson about warrants. In future maybe try to know wtf you’re talking about before you comment.
Yes yes, we should all be concerned about the rule of law and any minor infraction. Like speeding! Since we are so concerned about the rule of law, let’s deport everyone who shows up to court for a speeding ticket in order to balance the scales of justice. You know, for the sake of the rule of law. Surely you don’t break the law, do you?
@10 I have $200 that drumpf pardons santos. He pardoned that Magat judge in Nevada that bought cosmetic surgery using funds raised for a statue of a fallen cop. Santos is out in 6 months.
@31: “I don’t care what he is being charged for.”
Lovely company you’re keeping:
“According to the criminal complaint, Flores-Ruiz is charged with three counts of misdemeanor battery. The charges include modifiers for domestic violence that could subject him to additional punishment if he is convicted.”
“Criminals have constitutional rights too but this administration doesn’t seem to agree, so civil disobedience it is.”
How do you know the ICE agents were acting illegally, or had otherwise violated Flores-Ruiz’ constitutional rights? Did you just assume what you need to prove?
And then you Godwin the thread, so there’s no need to bother with you any further. Have a nice weekend.
@20 It was also a crime to free slaves and hide jews so… I guess we know which side you’re on, bootlicker.
All I know is that if someone comes up to me wearing a baclava, I am swinging and punching for the neck. Baclava wearing fascist ICE fuck boys.
@31 Nice dismount on the hiding jews in nazi germany. 10-10-10-10
@34: “whether or not it’s relevant to the government’s ability to prove their allegations against the judge,”
… is something you need to show is relevant. My original statement @1 didn’t distinguish between administrative and judicial warrants; that was something you brought in because, um, well, ah … now you’re admitting you have no idea if it’s even relevant or not. Whatevs, dude. Enjoy your ‘victory’ lap.
Here is everything I know:
-Criminals have a right to due process
-ICE has repeatedly violated people’s rights
-The judge appears to be concerned for his rights
I am siding with the judge over the agency that has a record of violating people’s rights. I see no harm in erring on the side of the judge and incalculable harm in rolling over for a fascist goon squad.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/apr/25/donald-trump-china-tariffs-global-trade-pete-hegseth-us-politics-latest-updates-news
Wisconsin governor says arrest of judge is part of Trump administration effort to ‘undermine our judiciary’
Tony Evers issues statement after Hannah Dugan was arrested Friday morning at a courthouse in Wisconsin for allegedly interfering in an immigration operation
“In this country, people who are suspected of criminal wrongdoing are innocent until their guilt is proven beyond reasonable doubt and they are found guilty by a jury of their peers—this is the fundamental demand of justice in America.
Unfortunately, we have seen in recent months the president and the Trump Administration repeatedly use dangerous rhetoric to attack and attempt to undermine our judiciary at every level, including flat-out disobeying the highest court in the land and threatening to impeach and remove judges who do not rule in their favor.
I have deep respect for the rule of law, our nation’s judiciary, the importance of judges making decisions impartially without fear or favor, and the efforts of law enforcement to hold people accountable if they commit a crime. I will continue to put my faith in our justice system as this situation plays out in the court of law.”
“….but one of the students’ lawyers reminded…that even though they’ve regained their status, there is “still plenty of damage” done by the administration to these students….”
And I hope they sue the piss out of Trump et al even though it’s we, the tax payers, who will pay for it. I’m still waiting to see the lawsuit & settlement for the damage done to the children & families separated without hope of reunification under the FIRST Trump administration.
“Trump is siccing his administration on the main fundraising platform used by Democratic campaigns….”
Guillotine!! Guillotine!!!
“Elon really is the punchline that keeps on giving.”
Guillotine!! Guillotine!!!
“…George Santos?….sentenced today to 87 months in prison.”
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
@1, I dunno. Judges are pretty sovereign in their own courtrooms. I have a feeling she might skate on this. I don’t know how right or wrong she was, but it was a pretty cool move….if she gets away with it. To be continued…..
@4 et al, But that’s the point: Was what she did legal or not? We’ll (and she’ll) find out. (Maybe she can sue and get a settlement for a civil rights violation. Then she could post a video on YouTube. That would be a hoot.) @16, and THAT’S probably why she did what she did: She was pissed that the marshals disrespected her courtroom.
@17, and this is why the corruption of our judges today is so important & consequential. There’s a whole narrative in the Old Testament about how the corruption of judges contributed to the destruction of the People of Israel. You don’t really even have to pay any attention to theological considerations. It’s just a historical narrative about how the corruption of judges in the legal/social system puts the stability & strength of a whole nation out of whack. It’s interesting to compare that with how the American legal system has led to our strength & prosperity, and to consider where we may wind up.
@18, ” I was taught that the lawbreakers were the heroes and the government were the bad guys.”
That’s a little bit too black & white. Need to pencil in some gray.
@7, Again I say, while it takes a detailed historical perspective, which I don’t have, to comment on the Israel/Palestinian/Gaza questions, my take on the current situation is still the same: The death of innocents is tragic. But all the time Hamas was digging tunnels under hospitals & all over Gaza, which everyone knew about, stocking them with food, water, medical splys, weapons, and generally preparing to kill Israelis, not one Palestinian dropped a dime to Israel about what was going on. The innocents in Gaza are pretty few and far between.
@10, What you said. @11, only if you buy a Tesla pickup truck. @12, you CAN write some nonsense, can’t you?
@23, Have you read The Brass Check by Upton Sinclair? The whole book is about just that. There’s a copy in the downtown branch of the Seattle Library.
@24, Yes, there’s a great need in Law Enforcement to protect the agents from women, children, the elderly & the infirm. Obviously a quadruple threat.
@26, now THAT’S helpful.
@40 “My original statement @1 didn’t distinguish between administrative and judicial warrants”
Because you didn’t know there was a difference. Again, you’re welcome.
@39: I wouldn’t worry as it’s rather sticky and difficult to wear. I believe you meant “balaclava”.
@27, Then someone can take a case to SCOTUS and get them to rule the laws and acts in question unconstitutional. You know the Constitution, where are national principles are codified.
@45. Lol, well done on actually saying something amusing for a change.
@31, Non-criminal, not citizens also have rights under our Constitution and the Country’s immigration laws. They are entitled to due process under those laws. So ICE going into a courtroom to seize someone for not complying with immigration laws is not the issue. It’s what process they guy is granted next that matters. I am not hopeful based on what else the Trump Admin has been doing.
@35, If immigration officials are looking for someone in connection with an alleged immigration violation, then knowing they were going to be in court on a traffic matter, would greatly aid knowing where to send agents to take the subject of an immigration investigation into custody for the alleged immigration violation.
Court records are public. Law enforcement has checked them for years to see if a suspect is scheduled to be in court somewhere. If they are, then law enforcement shows up to see if they will appear and they can make the arrest on the unrelated matter.
Process servers have scanned court records for the same reason. Need to serve a lawsuit, wait at their scheduled, unrelated court date, and serve them there.
Nothing nefarious about any of that. Just another day at the courthouse.
48, obviously yes what happens next is the issue here and why the judge stuck her neck out, knowing that ice has a history of violating people’s basic rights. I only specified that criminals have constitutional rights because this very obvious-to-me point is lost on an alarming number of Americans but it should go without saying that these rights apply to everyone regardless of their criminal history and it’s an all or nothing gambit, either everyone is guaranteed them or no one is.