Stefanik urges ethics investigation into judge linked to Trump, Jan. 6 cases

• "Judge Howell's partisan speech is obviously highly inappropriate election interference by a federal judge that undermines the public's trust in our courts," Stefanik wrote.
• Stefanik is one of the most aggressive defenders in Congress of former President Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

Backstory: During the speech, given in November at the annual Women's White Collar Defense Association gala, Howell said the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol was the result of "big lies."

• "We are having a very surprising and downright troubling moment in this country when the very importance of facts is dismissed, or ignored," Howell said, per Politico.
• She also said the U.S. is "at a crossroads, teetering on the brink of authoritarianism," quoting a passage from a book by history professor Heather Cox Richardson, per NBC News, which first reported Friday's complaint.
• Howell did not, however, mention Trump by name.

The big picture: Howell, appointed by former President Obama, served as chief judge of D.C.'s U.S. District Court for seven years until March 2023.

• Howell is currently overseeing ex-Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani's trial to determine how much he owes in damages for defaming two Georgia election workers.
• Last month, Stefanik filed an ethics complaint against Arthur Engoron, the New York judge overseeing Trump's civil fraud trial.

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Editor's note: This story was updated to include that Howell is overseeing Giuliani's trial.