U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon on Thursday agreed to recuse himself from hearing Oregon’s challenge to President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Portland after federal government lawyers asked him to step aside.

“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,” according to a notice on the case docket Thursday afternoon.

The recusal came shortly after Justice Department lawyers had filed a request suggesting Simon step aside to avoid “the appearance of partiality,” consider

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