Todd Blanche: How Seven Judges Became "Enemies" for Telling the Truth

And why a Bush appointee who clerked for Scalia now finds himself in the crosshairs.

Author’s Note

I rarely publish two articles in one day. In fact, in the last 6-9 months, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve done it.

But we’re in crunch time. We are just weeks away from the most important election of our lives…and some stories can’t wait until tomorrow’s inbox.

This is one of them.

When the Justice Department goes after nearly an entire state’s federal bench in a single morning, you don’t sit on that. You don’t polish it for a few days and hope the news cycle waits for you. You get it out…today…while there’s still time for it to matter.

So…yes…you’re hearing from me twice today. I hope you’ll forgive the extra email. And…I hope you’ll do something with it: read it, share it, forward it to the friend who still thinks this is all just politics as usual.

Because…it isn’t. And time is running out to prove it.

-Jack

Todd Blanche: How Seven Judges Became "Enemies" for Telling the Truth

And why a Bush appointee who clerked for Scalia now finds himself in the crosshairs.

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #1,040: Wednesday, September 30th, 2026.

If you’re holding some right now, put down your coffee. Stop scrolling. Read every word of this article, because what happened in Washington this morning should make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up. (If you’ve been here long, you know I’m not known for hyperbole)

Here’s what happened.

The Justice Department took the unusual step on Wednesday of filing a judicial misconduct complaint against all but one of the federal district judges in Minnesota, after most of them spoke with the New York Times about concerns over the government’s handling of cases during its surge in immigration enforcement earlier this year.

Read that again.

Not one judge. Not two. Nearly the whole federal bench of an entire state.

And what was their “crime”? Did they take bribes? Did they fix cases? Did they get caught in some back-room scandal?

Nope.

They talked.

The complaint was prompted by a recent New York Times article in which six federal judges described the Justice Department’s failure to comply with court orders during the surge as a grave threat to the rule of law.

So let me get this straight. Judges say, out loud, “the government isn’t obeying our orders.” And the government’s answer is... to file charges against the judges.

That’s not a rebuttal, friend. That’s a warning shot.

Watch The Hands, Not The Mouth

Here’s the con, and it’s an old one.

Attorney General Todd Blanche stood at a podium and said the department had “no choice but to act.”

No choice? Really?

Here’s the part they buried: while the ethics complaint is pending at the federal appeals court that oversees Minnesota’s federal bench, Blanche is calling on the district court judges to recuse from DHS-related cases.

Do you see it now?

If those judges step aside…who hears the cases about Homeland Security in Minnesota? Critics say the answer is: almost nobody. As one outlet put it…that would essentially grind federal court proceedings in Minnesota to a halt…which is probably by design.

That’s the whole game. You don’t have to win the argument…if you can knock the referee off the field.

“But Aren’t These Just Liberal Activist Judges?”

Oh, I’m so glad you asked.

The lead name on this complaint is Patrick Schiltz. And…here’s who Patrick Schiltz is: Schiltz was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush and clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.

A Bush appointee. A Scalia clerk.

If THAT man is now an “enemy,” then who’s left? The answer is simple and it’s chilling: anyone who says no.

And…the district court itself isn’t backing down. A spokesperson for the federal district court said the judges acted within their capacity as outlined by the Judicial Conference and were well within ethics rules for the federal judiciary.

It’s also worth knowing…that while it is rare for federal judges to speak to the press…it is not illegal…and, according to that report…none of the judges targeted mentioned ongoing cases.

This Isn’t An Isolated Incident. It’s A Pattern.

If this were one hot-headed move, maybe you could shrug.

It isn’t.

The Justice Department also lodged complaints…against two federal judges in Washington. And…Minnesota’s own Attorney General…Keith Ellison…pointed out that… over the past two years…federal officials have taken to social media…to berate judges in Minnesota and around the country who have ruled against them.

Ellison called today’s move “a desperate and dangerous attack on American judicial independence.” He argued the complaint is a direct attempt to intimidate judges who have ruled against the administration in the past…and every judge against ruling against it in the future.

That last part is the real target. Not seven judges in Minnesota.

Every judge. Everywhere. Watching.

Because…the message isn’t for Patrick Schiltz. The message is for the judge in Texas, in Ohio, in Georgia, in your district…who’s sitting at her desk tonight…with a tough case in front of her, thinking: “If I rule against them... am I next?”

That’s how intimidation works. You don’t have to punish everybody. You just have to punish somebody loudly enough…that everyone else gets quiet.

Where This Road Ends

Let me paint you the picture, and I want you to picture it clearly.

Step one:

Ignore the court orders.

Step two:

When judges complain, accuse the judges.

Step three:

Demand the judges step aside.

Step four:

Nobody’s left to say no.

And when nobody’s left to say no?

Then the only thing standing between the most powerful government on earth…and YOU…your family…your neighbor…your kid who says the wrong thing online…is... nothing.

No umpire. No appeal. No “see you in court.” Because the court’s been frightened into silence.

You think that can’t happen here? Every country where it happened thought the same thing. Right up until it did.

So What Do You Do About It?

Here’s the good news, and it’s real good news.

You still hold the one weapon they can’t file a complaint against.

Your vote.

The midterms are weeks away. Not months. Weeks. And…Congress is the branch that holds the purse…holds the oversight gavel…holds the power to haul officials in front of a committee…and make them explain themselves under oath.

That power only matters if the people holding it…are willing to use it. And…whether they are…depends on who YOU send there.

So here’s what I need you to do, and I’m not asking nicely:

Check your registration today. Not tomorrow. Today. Rules change, rolls get purged, and “I thought I was registered” has lost more elections than any candidate ever did.

Make a plan. When, where, how. Early voting? Mail? Election day? Write it on your calendar in ink.

Then bring five people with you. Your spouse. Your coworker. That cousin who “doesn’t do politics.” Because politics…is doing HIM…whether he likes it or not.

Your Questions, Straight Answers

1. What exactly did the Justice Department do?

It filed a formal judicial misconduct complaint against all but one of Minnesota’s federal district judges. The complaint went to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which oversees Minnesota’s federal courts. That’s not a routine filing. That’s nearly an entire state’s federal bench, named in one shot.

2. What set this off?

A New York Times article. Six federal judges described the Justice Department’s failure to comply with court orders during the immigration surge as a grave threat to the rule of law. In other words, the judges said the government wasn’t following their orders. The government’s response was to go after the judges.

3. Isn’t it against the rules for judges to talk to reporters?

No. It’s rare for federal judges to speak to the press…but it isn’t illegal. The district court’s own spokesperson said the judges acted within the guidelines of the Judicial Conference and were well within the federal judiciary’s ethics rules. Unusual is not the same thing as wrong.

4. What does the DOJ actually want to happen?

Beyond the investigation itself, Blanche is asking the judges to recuse themselves from Homeland Security cases while the complaint is pending. That’s the part to watch. If most of a state’s judges step aside from those cases…the government’s immigration actions there face far less scrutiny from the bench.

5. Aren’t these just partisan, left-wing judges?

The lead name on the complaint, Patrick Schiltz, was appointed by President George W. Bush and clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia. Another named judge, John Tunheim, was appointed by President Bill Clinton. This isn’t one side’s judges. It’s judges, period.

6. Is Minnesota the only place this is happening?

No. The Justice Department also filed complaints against two federal judges in Washington. And Minnesota’s Attorney General notes that federal officials have spent the past two years publicly berating judges around the country who ruled against them. One case is an incident. This is a pattern.

7. Why should I care if I don’t live in Minnesota?

Because the target isn’t just seven judges. It’s every judge who’s watching. When one bench gets hit with a misconduct complaint for speaking up…every other judge in America gets the message. Intimidation doesn’t need to reach everyone. It only needs to reach someone…loudly.

8. What does the DOJ say in its own defense?

To be fair, Blanche argues that the government…like any litigant…deserves a judge who is fair and impartial…and he has called the judges’ comments false. He says the judges showed bias against immigration authorities. The 8th Circuit will decide whether any rule was broken. But ask yourself: if the judges’ concerns were baseless, why not simply prove it in court instead of trying to remove the judges from the cases?

9. What can one ordinary person actually do about this?

More than you think. Congress controls funding, runs oversight hearings, and can compel officials to testify under oath. Whether it uses those powers depends entirely on who you send there. The midterms are weeks away. That’s your lever…and it’s the one they can’t file a complaint against.

10. What should I do right now, today?

Three things. Check your voter registration today, not next week. Make a concrete plan for when and how you’ll vote, whether early, by mail, or on Election Day. Then…bring at least five people with you. The judges in Minnesota did their part. This…part is ours.

The Bottom Line

Freedom doesn’t usually die in one dramatic moment.

It dies in a press conference…on a Wednesday morning…while most people are busy doing something else.

It dies one intimidated judge at a time.

Or…it doesn’t.

Because enough ordinary people looked up…saw what was happening…and said: Not on my watch.

The judges in Minnesota did their part. They spoke up.

Now…it’s your turn.

Show up. Vote. Bring your people.

Because this time… it really is that serious.

#HoldFast

Back soon.

-Jack

Jack Hopkins

Remember, Jack's got your back.

P.S. Don’t let anyone tell you one vote doesn’t matter. The people filing these complaints are counting on you believing that. Prove them wrong.

P.P.S. One more thing.

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter is 100% reader-supported. No corporate sponsors. No billionaire owner. No advertiser whispering in my ear about what I can and can’t say.

That’s exactly why I can write letters like this one.

But independence isn’t free. Every hour spent digging through court filings, reading the fine print, and connecting the dots that other outlets won’t connect is paid for by one group of people: readers like you who decided this work matters.

So here’s my ask. If this letter lit a fire under you, if it told you something you didn’t know, or said something you’ve been thinking but couldn’t put into words, upgrade to a paid subscription today.

It doesn’t cost the $12,000-$20,000 homeowners pay for a new roof, the $4,500 – $8,000 for a new furnace-AC unit, or the $3,000-$7,500 for a new transmission.

It’s $227 a year…which works out to about $19 a month. And…it keeps one more independent voice loud, stubborn, and impossible to intimidate.

They’re going after the referees. Don’t let them silence the reporters, too.

Sources

Official statements

• Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s statement on the DOJ complaint (Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, Sept. 30, 2026)

News coverage of the misconduct complaint

• Justice Department files judicial misconduct complaint against federal judges in Minnesota (CBS News)

• DOJ ramps up fight against federal judges after some in Minnesota speak to media about immigration surge cases(CNN, via ABC17 News)

• DOJ Prepares to Investigate Nearly Every Federal Judge in Blue State (The New Republic)

• Blanche moves to investigate nearly all federal judges in one state (Raw Story)

• DOJ Files Ethics Complaint Against Minnesota Judges Who Spoke to NYT (The Epoch Times)

Background on the judges’ original interviews

• Report: Federal judge says rule of law was threatened during Operation Metro Surge (Minnesota Reformer, via States Newsroom)

• ‘A Grave Threat to the Rule of Law’: Federal Judge Warns Trump Administration Over Migrant Arrests(International Business Times UK)

• After ICE ‘overwhelmed’ federal courts, Chief Judge reflects on emotional toll (FOX 9 Minneapolis)

The administration’s perspective

• Judges reveal behind-the-scenes coordination on Trump immigration cases (Fox News)