The U.S. District judge assigned to a lawsuit contesting President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, has removed himself from the case after the Department of Justice flagged potential conflicts stemming from his marriage to a Democratic representative.
Judge Michael Simon, wed to Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), disclosed his recusal on the eve of a hearing to determine if the Guard’s presence should be halted at Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s behest, as reported by The Hill.
“Although the Court does not believe that recusal is required under either federal law or the Code of Conduct for United States Judges, because it is necessary that the focus of this lawsuit remain on the critically important constitutional and statutory issues presented by the parties, the undersigned U.S. District Judge hereby recuses himself,” Simon wrote.
DOJ Motion Spotlights Spouse’s Involvement in Local Politics
The Justice Department underscored risks to perceived neutrality, given Bonamici’s oversight of a district that borders Portland’s west side.
“To be sure, Defendants recognize that Judge Simon and Representative Bonamici speak for themselves, not for each other. Nonetheless, the unique factual, legal and political role that Judge Simon’s spouse has played in the central events of this lawsuit may create the appearance of partiality,” the DoJ said in a motion.
Bonamici had aligned with Kotek at a media briefing to decry the federal move.
“It’s absurd that Trump is spending an expected $3.8 million to deploy the National Guard to Portland, especially during a government shutdown and when families are struggling to pay for health care, housing, and groceries,” Bonamici wrote on Bluesky.
Portland’s Legal Push Amid Wave of Challenges
As Breitbart News noted this week, the City of Portland took “legal action against President Donald Trump’s administration to try to keep National Guard troops out of the city.”
“The suit requests that a federal court in Portland bar the Trump administration from deploying federal troops, NBC News reported on Sunday.
Members of the violent Antifa group have been targeting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland in nightly standoffs,” said the report.
This filing joins a swelling tally of litigation against Trump’s second-term actions: since January 2025, at least 186 suits have targeted executive orders and policies, with early rulings unfavorable to the administration in about two-thirds of adjudicated cases.
Hundreds more have been lodged overall, echoing the first term’s 190 active challenges.
