Obama-nominated federal judge married to House Dem recuses himself from Oregon National Guard case

Federal Judge Michael H. Simon, the husband of Democratic Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, has recused himself from a case involving a legal challenge against the Trump administration’s move to call Oregon National Guard troops into federal service.

Simon, who was nominated to the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon by President Barack Obama, was initially assigned to preside over the case that the state of Oregon and the city of Portland lodged against President Donald Trump, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Department of War, the Department of Homeland Security, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

But a court filing for the defendants suggested that the judge should recuse himself from the case, pointing to his wife’s vociferous opposition to the administration’s action, and noting that “the Court must consider whether the public might reasonably question Judge Simon’s impartiality.”

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The judge opted to recuse himself from the case.

President Trump declared in a September 27 Truth Social post, “At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary.”

A Sept. 28 memo that bears War Secretary Hegseth’s signature stated that “200 members of the Oregon National Guard will be called into Federal service effective immediately for a period of 60 days.”

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But Rep. Bonamici has expressed staunch opposition.

In a September 27 post on the social media platform Bluesky, she said the president was “lying,” noting, “I was at the ICE facility two days ago and saw a few peaceful protesters, not a ‘siege.'”

Speaking at a press conference, she accused Trump of “a gross abuse of power” and said that the president “does not have the authority to send military troops to a city.”

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She and other Oregon Democrat lawmakers signed a September 27 letter to Trump, Noem, and Hegseth, that declares, “This unilateral action represents an abuse of executive authority, seeks to incite violence, and undermines the constitutional balance of power between the federal government and states. We urge you to rescind this decision, and withdraw any military personnel and federal agents you have recently sought to deploy.”