USA Today: Group of federal judges calls emergency meeting over concerns about DOJ's intervention in 'politically sensitive cases' - CNN

Trump and Attorney General William Barr ignited fresh concerns about the impartiality of the Justice Department last week when Barr retracted a recommended sentence for Trump ally Roger Stone after the President criticized it on Twitter. Barr is also ordering a re-examination of several high-profile cases, including that of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

The actions prompted more than 2,000 former Justice Department officials who served in Republican as well as Democratic administrations to sign a statement calling on Barr to resign.

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Philadelphia US District Judge Cynthia Rufe, who serves as president of the 1,100-member Federal Judges Association, told USA Today that the group "could not wait" until a regularly scheduled April conference to discuss a "deepening crisis" involving the department and Barr. She said members called for Tuesday's meeting following Trump's criticism of the original sentencing recommendation for Stone, according to USA Today.

"There are plenty of issues that we are concerned about," Rufe said, according to the newspaper. "We'll talk all of this through."

Rufe, who was nominated by President George W. Bush, told the newspaper that the judges "are set to convene via a conference call involving 15 to 20 officers and members of the association's executive committee." She said the judges have not yet decided how or if they will report the "result" of the meeting.

CNN has reached out to the group for comment on the meeting.

Rufe told USA Today that the association is "not inclined to get involved with an ongoing case," but "voiced strong support" for Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is overseeing Stone's case.

"I am not concerned with how a particular judge will rule," she said while praising Jackson's reputation, according to the newspaper. "We are supportive of any federal judge who does what is required."

Jackson is set to sentence Stone on Thursday for seven charges of obstruction, lying to Congress and witness tampering.

Tuesday's meeting comes five days after the chief judge over the court on which Jackson sits issued a rare public statement following the Stone backlash. "Public criticism or pressure is not a factor" when judges sentence defendants, DC District Court Chief Judge Beryl Howell said.

CNN's Katelyn Polantz contributed to this report.

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