Good afternoon,

TGIF 🎉 

Before we get to the news, here’s a taste of what’s ahead for all of us this weekend from our weekly ‘Cheers to the Freakin’ Weekend’ section:

What We’re Watching: 

• Mosh: Your Friends & Neighbors ~ Apple TV+

• Lauren: Not live (because it will be at 4 am ET 😴), but Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time ~ The Vatican’s YouTube

• Jill: YOU ~ Netflix

• Sam: The Last of Us ~ HBO

What We’re Reading:

• Mosh: Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress―and How to Bring It Back Hardcover ~ Marc J. Dunkelman. Rep. Ritchie Torres recommended the book to Mosh in our latest Mo News Premium podcast.

  • Sign up today for Premium! Until the end of April, we’re offering 20% off all annual Mo News Premium memberships. Just use code: GOODNEWS

• Sari: What’s Legally Allowed in War ~ Colin Jones, The New Yorker

• Jill: It Happened in Italy: Untold Stories of How the People of Italy Defied the Horrors of the Holocaust ~ Elizabeth Bettina

What We’re Eating:

• Mosh: Samuel Adams Summer Ale while visiting DC this weekend

• Sari: Evelia’s Tamales as the first stop on a “7 Train Food Crawl” in Queens, NY

• Lauren: Snacks at CBS/POLITICO's White House Correspondents Dinner pre-reception

The Mo News Team

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🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

FBI Arrests Wisconsin Judge For Helping Undocumented Migrant Evade ICE Deportation

Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI on Friday and charged with two federal felonies — obstruction and concealing an individual. She’s been accused of helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week after a recent hearing in her courtroom. Dugan faces up to six years in prison if convicted.

• Her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, said Friday: "Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety.”

The Trump administration has vowed to investigate and prosecute those who do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement — even in jurisdictions with policies limiting cooperation, such as sanctuary cities.

• Opponents worry about immigrants being afraid to show up for legal proceedings if ICE agents continue to show up at courts. This is the third time in recent months that federal immigration agents arrived at the Milwaukee courthouse with a warrant and arrested people.

INSIDE THE COURTHOUSE
The incident occurred during a court appearance in March for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 30-year-old undocumented Mexican national facing three misdemeanor charges of battery and domestic abuse. According to a federal complaint, Judge Dugan became visibly upset upon seeing federal agents waiting to detain Flores-Ruiz in the hallway after the hearing, and proceeded to escort him and his attorney out of the court room via a private jury door.

• The judge had reportedly asked ICE officials whether they had a judicial warrant, and they responded that they only had an administrative one.

  • That distinction matters: Administrative warrants don’t authorize agents to enter private spaces like courtrooms, while judicial warrants, signed by a judge, do.

• Federal officials still arrested Flores-Ruiz shortly after the hearing, after he reportedly fled the courthouse on foot. According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, he was previously deported in 2013 and returned to the U.S. again unlawfully.

Flores-Ruiz’s original criminal case stemmed from a fight the previous month, in which he allegedly punched another person 30 times after being accused of playing music too loudly. He was also accused of striking a woman who tried to break up the fight. He was in Dugan's courtroom on April 18 for a pre-trial conference for that case.

BEEN HERE BEFORE
A similar case against a judge occurred during Trump’s first term when Massachusetts Judge Shelley Joseph was indicted for allegedly directing an undocumented immigrant to avoid ICE via a basement exit.

• She agreed to refer herself to potential judicial discipline, and the charges were dropped in 2022.

REACTIONS IN WASHINGTON
Many Republicans praised the arrest, including Reps. Derrick Van Orden and Troy Nehls, who told Axios, “Judges are not supposed to write the law,” and “Lock ’em up!!”

• Democrats condemned the move as a new low. Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD) called it “a whole new descent into government chaos,” while Rep. Mark Pocan (WI) said it resembled actions of third-world countries.

🚨 ONE THING TO FOLLOW UP ON

Ex-Congressman George Santos Gets 7+ Years In Prison For Fraud, Identity Theft

Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) sobbed in court Friday as he was sentenced to more than 7 years in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

• The 36-year-old pleaded guilty last summer, admitting to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen individuals to inflate his campaign contributions. He also agreed to pay nearly $600,000 in penalties.

Santos was expelled from Congress in 2023 after just one year in office, following a 23-count indictment that included charges of wire fraud, identity theft, falsification of records, credit card fraud, and more.

NEVER FORGET
After Santos’ election, it emerged that he had fabricated much of his background — falsely claiming to be a volleyball star, a Wall Street financier, and had ties to the Holocaust and September 11. A House ethics investigation found that Santos spent campaign funds on Botox, designer fashion, cosmetics, and OnlyFans.

• Prosecutors said Santos “remains unrepentant,” citing recent social media posts and his launch of a new podcast called "Pants on Fire."

• In a letter to the court this week, Santos said he is “profoundly sorry," while arguing that his penalty is too harsh.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 ICE reverses cancellation of over 1,500 student visas (AP)

📌 Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to murder of healthcare CEO (FOX)

📌 Trump declining in polls as 100 days in office approaches (MSNBC)

📌 A tuition-free school founded by Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan is closing (BUSINESS INSIDER)

📌 FL Gov. Ron DeSantis wrapped up in scandal about money sent to his wife’s charity, “Hope Florida” (NPR)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchange deadly fire at Kashmir border(AP)

📌 Russian general killed in car bomb in Moscow (FOX)

📌 The UN World Food Program says it has run out of food in Gaza amid Israel’s blockade (CNN)

📌 China exempts some goods from U.S. tariffs (CBC)

📌 Houthis in Yemen shooting down U.S. drones at a growing rate (ABC)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 A smiley face 😊 will appear in the sky in Pittsburgh tonight (CBS)

📌 California surpasses Japan as world’s fourth largest global economy (BBC)

📌 Consumer sentiment plunges to lowest since 1990, according to new report (CNN)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Gwyneth Paltrow, 52, ditches ultra-strict Paleo diet after years of avoiding bread and pasta: ‘Sick of it’ (NY POST)

📌 Bill Maher condemns Larry David for Hitler comparison in NYT Op-Ed (USA TODAY)

📌 K-Pop boy band star Just P comes out as gay (NBC)

📌 The internet reacts to series finale of Netflix’s You (MASHABLE)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… More than 10 years later, the Ice Bucket Challenge is back! It was revived by University of South Carolina students as the #SpeakYourMIND challenge, to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.

The Ice Bucket Challenge — which involves dumping a bucket of ice water over your head, on camera — was originally launched in 2014 to raise awareness about ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. More than 17 million people participated, raising more than $115 million for The ALS Association and helping revolutionize research, according to experts.

Now, the 2025 challenge is reaching a new generation! Send us your ice-cold videos 🧊 … or just donate here.