This is a symptom of another problem both Democrats and Republicans have completely neglected, the deplorable state of our federal courthouse infrastructure.
The Chief Judge of the Central District of Illinois just signed an order abandoning the Rock Island, Illinois, Courthouse, due to mold and flooding that had reached a point where the building was unsafe for both employees and the public. The United States District Judge, United States Magistrate Judges and all other employees stationed at that courthouse will now move across the Mississippi River to the Davenport Courthouse, which is in the Southern District of Iowa.
Unfortunately, there is a problem which the Chief Judge acknowledged in his order. Criminal defendants have a right to be tried PHYSICALLY in the district in which the crime occurred. Therefore, they must EXPLICITLY consent to proceedings in Davenport. If they don’t, they must be transported 150 miles to Peoria, Illinois for trial.
I suggest both parties give up some of their favorite spending and instead use some of that money to build new courthouses around the country.
