The federal judge assigned to the case challenging President Trump’s National Guard deployment in Portland, Ore., recused himself on Thursday, hours after the Justice Department raised concerns about his marriage to a Democratic lawmaker who opposes the deployment.

U.S. District Judge Michael Simon’s recusal came a day before he was slated to convene a hearing on Oregon’s request to temporarily block the deployment.

“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.

Simon is marrie

See Full Page