Calls are growing for U.S. District Judge John Bates to withdraw his ruling after reports surfaced that his wife benefited from a program President Trump seeks to eliminate.
Bates blocked Trump’s effort to shut down USAID websites promoting gender ideology, sparking criticism.
Republicans argue that judges with ties to affected agencies should not rule on related cases. Bates’ wife, Carol Rhees, runs a nonprofit that reportedly received hundreds of thousands in USAID funding.
Elon Musk, leading Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, called Bates “another corrupt judge.” Conservative activist Laura Loomer also accused Judge John McConnell Jr. of bias due to his daughter’s job at the Department of Education.
Critics claim these connections compromise judicial impartiality. In response, Musk called for a “wave of judicial impeachments” to prevent further obstruction of Trump’s government reform agenda.
