In a rare development, U.S. District Judge Michael Simon, an Obama appointee, has recused himself from Oregon’s lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s deployment of the National Guard to Portland. The decision came after the Justice Department raised concerns about his marriage to Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), a prominent critic of the military presence in the city.
Simon’s recusal occurred just one day before a scheduled hearing on Oregon’s request to block the deployment. In his statement, Simon acknowledged the Justice Department’s concerns but emphasized that recusal was not legally required. “Because it is necessary that the focus of this lawsuit remain on the critically important constitutional and statutory issues presented by the parties,” he wrote, citing the need for impartiality.
Bonamici, who represents a district encompassing Portland’s western suburbs, has publicly opposed the deployment. She criticized the move during a press conference with Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, calling it “illegal, dangerous, and outrageous.” Her remarks echoed broader opposition to the Trump administration’s decision to federalize 200 Oregon National Guard members for a 60-day period.
The case has been reassigned to U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut, a Trump appointee who will preside over the upcoming hearing on the temporary restraining order. The Justice Department had previously highlighted Bonamici’s role in opposing the deployment, including her social media critiques and official interactions with defendants in the lawsuit, such as President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The shift in judicial oversight underscores the high stakes of the legal battle over federal military authority in Oregon.
