When Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, issued a temporary restraining order on January 31, 2025, ending President Trump’s temporary freeze of federal grants, he looked just like any of the other leftist judges hopping on the I-hate-Trump bandwagon. When he followed that up with a threat to find Trump and others in criminal contempt when the money trough wasn’t filled fast enough, it is evident that there was more going on than merely a judge entertaining the left; see NEW: Federal Judge Makes Ruling Against Trump Admin That Might As Well Be a ‘Soft Coup’ – RedState.
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We frequently comment here about leftist judges who use their authority for raw political ends. McConnell seems to be one of those, but there are reasons that Judge McConnell should not be hearing a case involving anything political, especially cases involving President Trump and federal funding. He essentially bought his judgeship via a $700,000 contribution to Sheldon Whitehouse and at least another $100,000 to other Democrat causes.
Before he was put on the bench this Judge McConnell gave $700,000 to Democrat campaigns and committees – including @SenWhitehouse
Now he’s positioned himself as the protector of left-wing priorities against Trump. pic.twitter.com/amMoFYCT5J
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) February 11, 2025
He is an official of a non-profit that receives massive federal funding.
Judge McConnell is/was a Director for Crossroads Rhode Island.
How do you not think there is some conflict of interest here? pic.twitter.com/1qlUY4SfyI
— Bale 🇺🇸 (@balelorn2) February 11, 2025
This grant entry shows him as an unpaid director of Crossroad Rhode Island. The current organization website has him as “Chair Emeritus;” see Board & Leadership – Crossroads Rhode Island. Active or not, his leadership role in a non-profit that would be hurt by a pause in federal grants calls into question his impartiality.
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More than those factors, he is on record espousing ideas now forbidden by Trump’s executive orders.
Judge McConnell equates President Trump’s first four years to the damage inflicted by the Civil War and Jim Crow laws.
He also compares President Trump a “tyrant.” pic.twitter.com/I0REreofkR
— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) February 12, 2025
Judge McConnell also established a Diversity, Inclusion, and Racial Justice Committee in his court.
He insists that “racism is a white people problem” and that white people need to “figure it out” and do the “hard work” to fix it. pic.twitter.com/swXyIXAm4v
— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) February 12, 2025
Judge McConnell also claims that “we all have racism inside of us.” pic.twitter.com/jVLm8LIibv
— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) February 12, 2025
Judge McConnell then dunks on President Trump for not hiring enough racially diverse judges. pic.twitter.com/FgkrONWIv0
— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) February 12, 2025
Of course, he’s not upset enough about the lack of diversity on the bench to resign and let Whitehouse nominate a POC to replace him. This type never is.
I’m not a lawyer, so I’m not saying this rises to the level of judicial misconduct, though hating a plaintiff and expressing that on video and having an interest in the outcome of a case would seem to a mere layman to be something to be concerned about.
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I’m sure in the universe of leftist judges blocking Trump’s completely legal agenda; there are more who intensely dislike Trump and have a family or personal interest in the outcome of cases they are hearing.