U.S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT COMPLAINT ALLEGING MISCONDUCT BY JUDGE BOASBERG DISMISSED. (PHOTO).

 U.S Justice Department complaint alleging misconduct by Judge Boasberg dismissed

A federal appeals court judge has dismissed a judicial misconduct complaint filed by the U.S. Justice Department against Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who previously clashed with the Trump administration over the deportation of Venezuelans to El Salvador.

The complaint, announced in July by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleged that Boasberg made improper remarks about President Donald Trump during a meeting of the Judicial Conference, the policymaking body for the federal judiciary. Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a December 19 order that even if the statements were made, they would not violate judicial ethics rules.

Boasberg, an Obama appointee, had previously raised concerns that the Justice Department acted in “bad faith” during March 15 deportation flights that coincided with his emergency court review of the operation’s legality. The DOJ claimed Boasberg’s comments, reported by a conservative media outlet, suggested the administration might ignore court orders and trigger a “constitutional crisis,” and argued that this violated the judicial code of conduct.

Sutton noted the DOJ provided no proof that Boasberg made the statements and concluded that expressing concern about executive compliance with court rulings during a Judicial Conference meeting falls within the scope of customary discussions on judicial independence, security, and inter-branch relations. The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment, and Boasberg declined to comment.