Justice Zia Faruqui faced backlash after she apologized to the judge. White House Press dinner shooting Cole Thomas Allenin recognition of the treatment he received in prison.
Allen accused of attempting to assassinate president Donald Trump. Faruqui apologized for the “unlawful” treatment he received, which included being placed on suicide watch, being separated from other prisoners and not being allowed access to a Bible.
“Whatever you went through, I apologize,” he said, adding, “Right now, it doesn’t work. It’s not enough. I think it’s legally flawed.”
Farooqui’s comments sparked a backlash from many online. Jeanine Pirro, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, wrote “Welcome to Washington, D.C., U.S. Magistrate Judge Farooqui has held that a defendant armed to the teeth and trying to assassinate the president is entitled to preferential treatment while incarcerated compared to other defendants.”
other commented “There’s something wrong with the judiciary.” Another explain “The judges in D.C. are an absolute joke.” Now far-right influencer Laura Loomer, a staunch Trump ally, has joined the fray. As outrage grows, here’s everything you need to know about Judge Zia Farooqui.
Zia Farooqui: Five things the judge apologized to Cole Allen for
- Farooqui attended Georgetown University and then Georgetown Law School.
- He was appointed as a United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on September 14, 2020.
- Previously, Faruqui was a litigation attorney at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Washington. His focus is on government investigations and commercial litigation.
- He also served for twelve years as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in St. Louis and Washington. Faruqui’s cases include terrorist use of cryptocurrency, North Korean weapons proliferation, and darknet child exploitation.
- Farooqui also reportedly represents the Justice Department internationally on financial crimes, cryptocurrency and national security issues.
Judge Zia Farooqui and her family
Although Farooqui has been relatively secretive about his family, he published a post five years ago on United Nations International Migrants Day noting that he was married.
“My mom, dad, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and my wife, Dr., all immigrated to the United States! I admire their leap of faith. It’s more courageous than mine!” he said wrote. Faruqui further added that his uncle reached the United States first.
Faruqui, now an uncle, a year ago posted information about his nephew Zain Kundi, who a judge said was interested in studying at Georgetown University Law Center.
Faruqui compared Allen’s treatment to those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The judge said that although the defendants in those cases exhibited what he described as similar behavior, they were treated more fairly. “I was fascinated and disturbed,” he said.
Many of the defendants in the Capitol riot cases who were later pardoned by Trump also objected to their treatment while incarcerated in the same Washington prisons. They were also reportedly kept in separate cells from other prisoners.
Faruqui then issued an order to the prison attorney to remind him by Tuesday morning, when a final decision on the terms of Allen’s incarceration will be made.
(Information provided by Reuters)
