Conservative Ally of Trump Files Complaint Against Judge Over Criticism in TV Interview

On Monday, April 1, Mike Davis, the founder of conservative legal advocacy group the Article III Project, filed a complaint against U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, who appeared on a televised program criticizing former President Donald Trump's verbal attacks on the New York judge overseeing Trump's upcoming criminal trial. Davis expressed concerns that Walton's public criticism of Trump could potentially influence the jury pools for Trump’s upcoming criminal cases in New York, Washington, D.C., Florida, and Georgia.

Davis argued that a federal judge does not have the right to appear on a nationally televised program and criticize a criminal defendant who is lawfully exercising his constitutional right to comment on a pending criminal proceeding. He submitted the complaint to the Judicial Council of the District of Columbia Circuit, urging them to investigate and address what he perceived as an ethical violation on the part of Judge Walton.

Walton's Response

When reached for comment, Judge Walton, a senior federal judge appointed by Republican former president George W. Bush, declined to offer a response regarding the complaint filed against him.

In a CNN interview on March 28, Judge Walton expressed his unease about the threats faced by judges, particularly in light of the increased number of threats in recent years. He highlighted the concerning nature of President Trump's remarks about New York Justice Juan Merchan and his daughter, pointing out the potential danger of targeting the family members of individuals involved in legal proceedings. Walton emphasized that he himself had received numerous threats after presiding over cases related to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Trump's Social Media Attacks

Notably, Trump's verbal attacks on Justice Merchan and his daughter have raised significant concerns, prompting the New York judge to issue an order demanding that Trump cease targeting the family members of those connected to the trial. While Walton has not been assigned to preside over the criminal case against Trump in Washington related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, the broader implications of public statements on legal proceedings remain a subject of debate.