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8TH CIR.Litigation

Justice Department files judicial misconduct complaint against Minnesota federal judges over press interviews

By LexCircuit Desk · · AI-drafted, human-reviewed

The Justice Department filed a judicial misconduct complaint with Eighth Circuit Chief Judge Steven Colloton against Minnesota federal judges who spoke to the New York Times about immigration enforcement cases. Signed by Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, it accuses Senior Judges Patrick Schiltz and John Tunheim and anonymous colleagues of violating the judicial code of conduct and asks that they be required to recuse from Homeland Security cases.

Filing (U.S. Department of Justice) → · Reuters, Bloomberg Law, CNBC

Key points

  • The Justice Department submitted the misconduct complaint to Eighth Circuit Chief Judge Steven Colloton under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act.U.S. Department of JusticeBloomberg Law
  • The complaint alleges seven Minnesota federal judges made improper public statements to the New York Times regarding immigration surge enforcement.U.S. Department of JusticeReutersCNBC
  • The department asked that the judges be required to recuse from any case involving the Department of Homeland Security.Bloomberg LawCNBC
  • Schiltz told Bloomberg Law by email he acted within federal judges' ethics rules, citing a February Judicial Conference advisory opinion on judicial independence.Bloomberg Law
  • The filing was hand-delivered and stamped received by the Eighth Circuit clerk on September 30, 2026.U.S. Department of Justice
  • A District of Minnesota spokeswoman told CNBC the judges acted within the ethical rules that apply to federal judges.CNBC

Sources4 articles across 4 outlets

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LitigationU.S.Minn.8th Cir.D. Minn.LitigationProfessional responsibilityFor practitionersFor governance