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This isn't James Robart's first time in the spotlight. Here's why he created controversy before.
Justice James Robart. (Image source: YouTube)

This isn't James Robart's first time in the spotlight. Here's why he created controversy before.

Seattle-based federal district judge James Robart was thrusted into the national political spotlight late on Friday when he ruled against President Donald Trump's recent executive order on immigration and refugees.

Robart's ruling essentially stopped all implementation of Trump's order, which temporarily halted the U.S. refugee resettlement program for 120 days and barred travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days.

On Saturday, Robart continued to be featured in headlines across the country after Trump took to Twitter to attack him as a "so-called judge."

But this weekend isn't the first time Robart made national headlines. In fact, last August, Robart made headlines after he declared in his court room that "black lives matter" during a case the Obama administration filed against the Seattle Police Department in 2012, according to the Daily Beast.

During that hearing, Robart lambasted Seattle police for having a disproportionate number of police shootings with black people.

"According to FBI statistics, police shootings resulting in deaths involved 41 percent black people, despite being only 20 percent of the population living in those cities,” Robart cited during the hearing. “Forty-one percent of the casualties, 20 percent of the population. Black. Lives. Matter."

“I’m sure the entire city of Seattle would march behind me," he later added, scolding the police department.

According to the Seattle Times, Robart's declaration of "black like matter" drew a "startled, audible reaction in a courtroom listening to the words coming from a federal judge sitting on the bench."

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Chris Enloe

Chris Enloe

Staff Writer

Chris Enloe is a staff writer for Blaze News
@chrisenloe →