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Group of federal judges calls emergency meeting over concerns about DOJ's intervention in politically sensitive cases
Washington (CNN)The leaders of a group of federal judges will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to address growing concerns about the recent intervention of President Donald Trump and the Justice Department in politically sensitive cases, Megan Cruz, the executive director of the group, told CNN on Tuesday.
Trump and Attorney General William Barr ignited fresh concerns about the impartiality of the Justice Department last week when Barr retracted a recommended sentence for Trump ally Roger Stone after the President criticized it on Twitter. Trump also took to social media to criticize the judge involved in Stone's case. Barr is also ordering a re-examination of several high-profile cases, including that of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
The actions prompted more than 2,000 former Justice Department officials who served in Republican as well as Democratic administrations to sign a statement calling on Barr to resign.
It is extremely rare for judges to speak out about pending cases or controversies, but a handful, including Chief Justice John Roberts, have pushed back in the past regarding the President's criticism of judges.
The group, called the Federal Judges Association, is an independent and voluntary organization of US judges that was founded in 1982 in part to address concerns related to the compensation of federal judges.
Cruz said she could not make further comments about the planned conference call but confirmed that the nine-member executive committee of the group decided the emergency meeting was necessary. Five officers of the group, including Judge Cynthia M. Rufe, its president, will also participate in the call.
"They felt it was necessary to have the call," Cruz said, noting that the group's next regularly scheduled meeting is in April.
The conference call was first reported by USA Today on Monday.
Group of federal judges calls emergency meeting over concerns about DOJ's intervention in politically sensitive cases
The leaders of a group of federal judges will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to address growing concerns about the recent intervention of President Donald Trump and the Justice Department in politically sensitive cases, Megan Cruz, the executive director of the group, told CNN on Tuesday.
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