Washington (AP) — A federal appeals court judge has dismissed a misconduct complaint filed by the Justice Department against U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, who had previously clashed with President Donald Trump’s administration over deportations to a notorious prison in El Salvador.
The dismissal order came from Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on December 19, but the news only emerged recently. The complaint was prompted by remarks Boasberg allegedly made in March 2025 at a judicial conference attended by Chief Justice John Roberts and other judges, suggesting that the Trump administration's actions might lead to a constitutional crisis by ignoring federal court rulings. This meeting took place shortly before Boasberg issued an order to block deportation flights, which were being conducted under contentious wartime authorities.
According to Sutton's order, the Justice Department failed to provide supporting evidence or context for the allegations against Boasberg. Sutton noted, “A recycling of unadorned allegations with no reference to a source does not corroborate them. And a repetition of uncorroborated statements rarely supplies a basis for a valid misconduct complaint.”
Even if Boasberg had indeed made the comments, Sutton indicated that such remarks would not be entirely out of line with the conference's discussions and would not constitute a breach of ethical rules. His decision highlights broader concerns raised by Roberts regarding judicial independence and the safety of judges in response to systemic threats.
The complaint was initially filed with Judge Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, but due to it being a matter related to ongoing appeals about the deportation case, it was transferred to Sutton's court.
As of now, no comments have been received from Justice Department spokespersons regarding the dismissal, and Judge Boasberg has chosen to remain silent on the matter.
