The Justice Department on Thursday asked the judge assigned to oversee the challenge to President Trump’s National Guard deployment in Portland to step aside, because he is married to a Democratic lawmaker who opposes it.

The recusal motion landed a day before U.S. District Judge Michael Simon will hold a hearing on Oregon’s request to temporarily block the deployment.

Simon is married to Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), who represents a district that stretches from Portland’s western suburbs to the coastline.

Bonamici spoke at a press conference alongside the state’s governor opposing the deployment and has repeatedly criticized the move on social media.

“It's absurd that Trump is spending an expected $3.8 million to deploy the National Guard to Portland, especially during a government

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