Overview
- Senior U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf left the bench on Friday and detailed his decision in a Sunday Atlantic essay, saying silence about the administration’s conduct had become intolerable.
- He accuses President Trump of targeting adversaries while shielding allies, likens the moment to Nixon-era abuses, and cites nearly 200 serious threats against judges from March to late May 2025.
- Wolf plans to join the Boston firm Todd & Weld to back lawsuits and amicus briefs, saying he aims to speak for judges who cannot publicly respond under ethics rules.
- The White House rejected his claims as political, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson saying judges pushing personal agendas do not belong on the bench and pointing to numerous Supreme Court wins for administration policies.
- Because Wolf has been on senior status since 2013, his departure creates no vacancy, a seat already filled by Judge Indira Talwani, as his move followed a DOJ speech by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche calling for a legal 'war' on 'activist judges.'