DEI and Dale Ho: The Filipino American judge in NYC mayor’s corruption case

FILE – Dale Ho, a Filipino American attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, speaks to reporters after he argued before the Supreme Court against the Trump administration’s plan to ask about citizenship on the 2020 census, in Washington, April 23, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Donald Trump and the right are doing all they can to destroy DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion. And not just at the federal level, but everywhere in American society. DEI has become so reviled by some, it’s the new slur.

But why would you want to rid America of a phrase that has so many positive virtues as DEI?

It’s almost like destroying our governing democracy itself, which at times is what this administration seems hell-bent on doing.

Every American should want to embrace a sense of diversity. It is the basis of America’s motto, “E Pluribus Unum,” Latin for “out of many one.” In our land of immigrants, we’ve come together to form one united country.

The phrase in its 13 letters, is also seen as a symbol of each American colony that rebelled against the rule of a king.

Ironically, any positive idea of diversity is being turned on its head by a man who not only wants to abolish the penny where the phrase is emblazoned, he’s the guy who by his actions wants to be king of a country where everyone thinks and looks like him. He calls it loyalty. It’s more like subservience with a hyper-combover.

Enter Federal Judge Dale Ho

Fortunately, Trump and our country will benefit from the good of diversity soon.

The ascendance of federal Judge Dale Ho into the news is a great example of the virtues of diversity.

Ho is the judge presiding over the corruption case of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a major case in this FMOT (first month of Trump).

Ho is Asian American as the name may imply. But even my advanced Filipino-dar failed me. Ho is a Filipino American, who grew up in New Jersey and whose Filipino grandfather fought in World War II.

Yes, of course, those facts are  irrelevant to the case as it should be.

But it’s not irrelevant when it comes to a functioning American democracy.

Ho is proof that Asian American Filipinos can rise to levels of prominence in society.

A big deal in 2025?

You bet.

When do you see a Filipino anything in American society?

I mention many in my columns. There’s California Attorney General Rob Bonta. And then there’s pop super star Olivia Rodrigo, half-Filipino from her father’s side. We claim them all.

And now Ho. He’s a bigger deal than you think.

Four million Filipinos in the US and this one judge will decide the case of the mayor of New York City.

But look at what Trump’s done to the notion of diversity, equity and inclusion in America.

He wants to eradicate it so badly, you’d think it was a bad thing to be a person of color of achievement.

The Trump anti-DEI sentiment has cast suspicion on us all.

Instead of the positive, “Congrats; You earned it; You belong.” People look at us and question.

How did you get here? What are you doing here?

They wonder if we’re here on merit.

News flash: We’ve always been.

In fact, successful people of color have always had to achieve twice as much.

To go from below “See level” to compete where the competition begins is our amazing journey.

Look at a number line. If we start at negative 20 and get to the base of zero, we’ve climbed 20 points.

When we go another 20 points, we’ve gone up 40 points.

The white person we’ve competed with started at zero and has gone up 20 points.

And now we’re in the same position.

Who is better on the merits?

That’s how hard we have to work to deflect the stigma placed on us. And Trump is only making it worse.

But it’s the reason Ho is the kind of judge you want presiding over a case like Adams.

 The Eric Adams case 

Adams is accused of corruption including five counts of bribery, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. He has pleaded not guilty.

Reportedly, there were even more charges to come. But then the new second in command at the Justice Department, Emil Bove III,  no doubt under the influence of Trump,  decided to drop the case.

Eight federal prosecutors have refused to go along, and Bove has had to sign the order himself.

So you have the government and Adams’ attorney saying the case should be dropped. How does a judge rule? Go along to get along?

Do you even have enough to consider the case on its merits?

Adams is leveraging the only thing he has as mayor to ward off prosecution. Trump and the feds seek ICE to have access to Riker’s Island, the city’s prison, and everywhere else protected by the city’s adopted sanctuary rules. The better for ICE to round up all the undocumented criminals it believes are out there.

In exchange, the feds drop the case.

There’s a clip of border Czar Tom Homan talking with Adams on Fox News about the deal. Homan says semi-jokingly, if Adams doesn’t let ICE in, Homan would be “Up his butt.”

Vulgar but truth and evidence of the deal.

Which brings up another Latin phrase: Quid pro quo. A tit for tat. An exchange. It was used by federal prosecutor Danielle Sassoon, a conservative and Federalist Society member, who was the first of eight prosecutors to refuse to go along with Bove.

Sassoon, in a letter to Trump Attorney General Pam Bondi, said the quid pro quo, a deal made with Adams, would set a “dangerous precedent.”

In other words, you don’t fight corruption with more corruption, not in a society that honors the rule of law. Not even for ICE raids.

It’s also a lousy deal for the American people. And even a lousier deal for Adams because it keeps him on the hook. At any time, the feds can bring the case back up. Which means Adams’ loyalty has been bought. He’ll do anything Trump wants.

If that sounds like a good deal to you, then you are well on your way to living in a corrupt, dictatorial or authoritarian society.

If it sounds crazy and against the rule of law, then congratulations, you are an ethical and good person. Democracy needs you.

With everyone waiting for Ho’s decision last Friday, he did what any prudent person would do.

He asked for more facts. He wanted to hear the other side. Not the “slam dunk-everyone wants this ended-let’s all go home,” way of doing things.

Ho wanted to hear, the facts from the opposing side. He appointed a political conservative who served as US solicitor general during the second Bush’s administration. He wanted more briefs and said he’d hold an oral argument on March 14, if he thought it necessary.

This is a judge who wants truth and justice.

Compare him with Judge Aileen Cannon, the Colombian-born  federal judge in Florida, appointed by Trump in 2020 who has given Trump all the loyalty and deference in the world. She’s the judge who threw out the criminal case involving Trump’s illegal holding of secret documents in the bathroom at Mar-a-Lago.  It was a case considered the strongest against Trump.

That’s the kind of DEI hire Trump prefers. Like Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel. People whose loyalty exceeds their talents.

I’d prefer a judge like Ho who doesn’t play politics and just wants to get at the truth.

Oh, and by the way. He’s Filipino American.

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist, commentator and humorist. He writes for the Inquirer.net’s US Channel. He has written a weekly “Amok” column on Asian American issues since 1995. Find him on YouTube, patreon and substack.