Latest Attorney General News | ӣ��Ƶ

DOJ cites White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting in push to drop lawsuit against ballroom

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:25:12 -0400

The Justice Department is pressing the leading opposition to President Donald Trump's $400 million privately funded ballroom project, calling on lawyers for the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) to drop their lawsuit.

"[Y]our lawsuit puts the lives of the president, his family, and his staff at grave risk," Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general in DOJ's Civil Division, wrote in a Sunday letter to opposing counsel, shared on X by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.

"Enough is enough," Shumate continued. "Your client should voluntarily dismiss this frivolous lawsuit today in light of last night's assassination attempt on President Trump."

Shumate vowed that if the NTHP did not move to dismiss by 9 a.m. Monday, he would move to dissolve the injunction against the ballroom's construction and to dismiss the case.

WALZ REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM THAT TRUMP CONSIDERS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM 'TOP PRIORITY'

"It’s time to build the ballroom," Blanche agreed, in his X post, echoing Trump's words during the impromptu White House briefing after dodging his third assassination attempt by a gunman who rushed the White House Correspondents Association Dinner on Saturday night.

"The shooter targeted President Trump at the Washington Hilton, the only ballroom in Washington, D.C., suitable to host large gatherings for the President, where another shooter targeted President Reagan 45 years ago," Shumate noted in his letter to Greg B. Craig of Foley Hoag LLP, pointing to the historical context of former President Ronald Reagan's near-assassination at the same location.

"As history proves, that venue is demonstrably unsafe for the President of the United States because its size presents extraordinary security challenges for the Secret Service.

"[Saturday’s] assassination attempt on President Trump proves, yet again, that the White House ballroom is essential for the safety and security of the President, his family, his cabinet, and his staff."

CHECKS AND BALANCES: TRUMP, SUPPORTERS SEEK TO PUSH BACK AGAINST 'ACTIVIST' JUDGES

"I hope [Saturday’s] narrow miss will help you finally realize that filing a lawsuit that literally serves no purpose except to stop President Trump no matter the cost," Shumate wrote.

National Trust President and CEO Carol Quillen issued a response to Shumate's letter on Monday.

"We’re grateful to the Secret Service and DC law enforcement officers for keeping the President and all guests safe at this weekend’s White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. We are not planning to voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit, which endangers no one and which respectfully asks the Administration to follow the law," Quillen said. "Ballroom construction is continuing unabated until June 5th at the earliest because the injunction is on hold. We have always acknowledged the utility of a larger meeting space at the White House. Building it lawfully requires the approval of Congress, which the Administration could seek at any time."

WHITE HOUSE TOUTS TRUMP’S ‘BOLD VISION’ FOR TOWERING INDEPENDENCE ARCH FOR AMERICA 250

The NTHP sued the National Park Service in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing for a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom.

The group claimed Trump exceeded his authority when he demolished the East Wing — built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency and expanded in 1942 — arguing the president needed congressional authorization to do so.

Trump has said the president has historically had say over the White House remodeling, and has long noted that Congress does not have to pay for the privately funded project.

A lower court had issued a March 31 injunction to halt ballroom construction, but it also paused that injunction to allow for an appeal.

The White House argued the obstruction left the White House "open and exposed," threatening security for the building, the president and his family and staff.

TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING SURVIVORS TURN ATTACK INTO MOTIVATION YEAR LATER: ‘GO OUT THERE AND LIVE LIFE’

"When the White House ballroom is complete, President Trump and his successors will no longer need to venture beyond the safety of the White House perimeter to attend large gatherings at the Washington Hilton ballroom," Shumate wrote.

Forcing the president and Cabinet to attend events outside the White House grounds is too dangerous in this political climate, Trump himself argued Sunday night on CBS' "60 Minutes."

"I'm building a safe ballroom," Trump said. "And one of the reasons I'm building it is exactly what happened last night.

DHS LOOKS TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC ST. ELIZABETHS BUILDINGS DUE TO 'UNACCEPTABLE' RISKS

"This is exactly why the military, and this is exactly why Secret Service and all law enforcement want it. Because you have maybe 1,000 hotel rooms above the ballroom we were in [Saturday] night. And I'm not knocking it. I'm just saying in terms of maximum security – it's not the best thing. You can do it, but you can have problems like this."

The obstruction by lawsuits is potentially delaying the project, Trump added.

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"I wish it could be even sooner," Trump said. "We're months ahead of schedule, but it doesn't open till '28."

Justice Department announces it's readopting the firing squad as a means of execution

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:02:07 -0400

The Department of Justice on Friday directed the Bureau of Prisons to expand death penalty protocols to include pentobarbital injections and firing squads as part of broader actions to strengthen the federal death penalty.

"Today, the Department of Justice acted to restore its solemn duty to seek, obtain, and implement lawful capital sentences — clearing the way for the Department to carry out executions once death-sentenced inmates have exhausted their appeals," the DOJ memo obtained by ӣ��Ƶ read.

"Among the actions taken are readopting the lethal injection protocol utilized during the first Trump Administration, expanding the protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad, and streamlining internal processes to expedite death penalty cases," the memo read.

In addition to recommending the new methods of execution, the DOJ is also directing BOP to look into expanding the federal death row and constructing additional execution facilities.

HOW TRUMP COULD RESTORE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN WASHINGTON AMID CRIME CRACKDOWN

The DOJ also plans to consider a rule that will help states to streamline federal habeas review of capital cases which, if adopted, the DOJ says will reduce the period between conviction and execution in state capital cases by years. Death row inmates can often wait decades after receiving their sentence to face execution.

On President Donald Trump's first day of his second term, he issued an executive order "to ensure that the laws that authorize capital punishment are respected and faithfully implemented."

In 2025 the Trump administration rescinded a moratorium on federal executions instituted by former President Joe Biden's DOJ.

Biden also commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 death row inmates in December 2024, a move widely condemned by Republicans as dangerous but praised by Democrats as an act of justice and mercy.

POTENTIAL 2028 DEM HOPEFUL FOLLOWS BIDEN LEAD, COMMUTES 15 DEATH-ROW SENTENCES ON FINAL DAY AS GOVERNOR

The DOJ's Friday memo slammed the Biden administration. "The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue and carry out the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and cop killers," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote.

The federal government has never executed a person by firing squad, though some states still use firing squads to execute death row inmates at the state level. South Carolina carried out three firing squad executions in 2025.

Pentobarbital is a central nervous system suppressant that many states use as a fallback to the standard three-drug cocktail for lethal injections. The Biden administration barred its use, arguing that it caused "unnecessary pain and suffering." The DOJ, however, claimed its use is in line with the 8th amendment, which states that cruel and unusual punishment is unconstitutional.

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"These steps are critical to deterring the most barbaric crimes, delivering justice for victims, and providing long-overdue closure to surviving loved ones," the DOJ memo read.

Trump ally diGenova tapped to lead DOJ probe into Brennan over Russia probe origins

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:08:31 -0400

The Justice Department is turning to former Trump attorney Joeseph diGenova to spearhead a probe into ex-CIA Director John Brennan and others over the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, as the department reshuffles leadership of the sprawling inquiry.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has tapped diGenova to serve as counsel overseeing the matter, putting a former Trump attorney in a key role in the high-profile probe. A federal grand jury seated in Miami has been impaneled since late last year.

The Department of Justice confirmed the move to ӣ��Ƶ Digital but declined to comment further.

DOJ ACTIVELY PREPARING TO ISSUE GRAND JURY SUBPOENAS RELATING TO JOHN BRENNAN INVESTIGATION: SOURCES

DiGenova, a former U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., who represented Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, has repeatedly accused Brennan of misconduct tied to the origins of the Russia probe—allegations that have not resulted in criminal charges.

He also said in a 2018 appearance on ӣ��Ƶ that Brennan colluded with the FBI and DOJ to frame Trump.

The origins of the Russia investigation have been the subject of ongoing scrutiny by Trump allies, who have argued that intelligence and law enforcement officials improperly launched the probe.

BRENNAN INDICTMENT COULD COME WITHIN 'WEEKS' AS PROSECUTORS REQUEST OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS

DiGenova’s appointment follows the ouster of Maria Medetis Long, a national security prosecutor in the South Florida U.S. attorney’s office. She had been overseeing the inquiry, including a false statements probe related to Brennan and broader conspiracy-related investigations.

As the investigation continues, federal investigators have issued subpoenas seeking information related to intelligence assessments of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

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Brennan has previously denied wrongdoing related to the Russia investigation and has defended the intelligence community’s assessment that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election.

Trump administration's Federal Reserve HQ probe escalates with unannounced site visit by prosecutors

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:56:35 -0400

Deputies from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (USADC) showed up earlier this week, unannounced, at the Federal Reserve's construction site in Washington, D.C., which is part of an investigation tied to congressional testimony from Chairman Jerome Powell.

After speaking with construction workers, two prosecutors from the USADC were reportedly turned away and told they could not be permitted access because they had not gotten preauthorized clearance, the Wall Street Journal first reported. They were then reportedly given the contact information of the appropriate Fed staff to reach out to.

The visit underscores U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's view of the case the Trump administration launched in November against Powell. In January, the Trump administration's Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas amid an investigation into the Federal Reserve's $2.5 billion headquarters renovation that began in November. The investigation centers on whether Powell lied to Congress about the renovation or failed to comply with the appropriate permitting rules.

BOASBERG BLOCKS SUBPOENAS AGAINST FED CHAIR JEROME POWELL

A Fed spokesperson did not immediately respond to ӣ��Ƶ Digital's inquiry and it declined to comment when contacted by the WSJ.

"Any construction project that has cost overruns of almost 80% over the original construction budget deserves some serious review," Pirro said in a statement to ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "And these people are in charge of monetary policy in the United States?"

An outside attorney for the Federal Reserve, Robert Hur, reportedly objected to the visit in a letter to Pirro's office.

Hur, in his letter, pointed to U.S. District Judge James Boasberg's ruling last month that threw out the subpoenas in a 27-page ruling describing them as an effort to "harass and pressure Powell." Boasberg is an appointee of former President Barack Obama.

TRUMP'S PICK TO LEAD THE FEDERAL RESERVE MEETS GOP SENATOR HOLDING UP HIS CONFIRMATION

Powell has been pressured by President Donald Trump to lower interest rates and to step down as chairman of the Federal Reserve. His term as chair ends in May, but the probe also threatens Trump's pick to replace him, Kevin Warsh.

Outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has said he would withhold his vote to confirm Warsh if the Fed investigation is not dropped.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., head of the Senate Banking Committee, proposed that Pirro's investigation would be completed in a few weeks during an interview with ӣ��Ƶ. However, when pressed on whether he knew for sure the investigation would end, Scott indicated he did not have any evidence of that.

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President Trump, meanwhile, thanked Pirro and others for having "courage" to persevere in the investigation.

"We have a moron at the Fed. Who wouldn’t be lowering interest rates right now?" Trump said last month. "I want to thank Jeanine Pirro and Pam and her group for having the courage to bring this suit. And I believe that the contractor on that job is probably one of the richest men in the country right now. I believe that it’s not possible to spend that kind of money – $3 billion, $4 billion – nobody knows, nobody has any idea what it is. But it’s over $3 billion and it's probably going to be over $4 billion by the time they finish and it may never get finished, unless I take it over. I’ll get it finished. But it can never be what it was."

Pro-life dad whose home was raided by FBI wins $1 mil settlement from DOJ

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:54 -0400

A pro-life activist whose 2022 arrest by the FBI under the Biden administration drew national headlines has reached a seven-figure settlement after suing the Justice Department over his arrest and prosecution.

Mark Houck filed a lawsuit against the department in 2023 seeking restitution for what he called "a faulty investigation" and "excessive force" after a SWAT team of around 25 people arrested him in front of his children at his home on Sept. 23, 2022, allegedly with guns drawn.

The shocking details of his arrest spurred criticism from conservatives that the Justice Department under then-President Joe Biden was targeting pro-life activists.

After a three-year legal battle, 40 Days for Life President Shawn Carney announced April 9 that Houck had reached a settlement with the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump and had been awarded more than $1 million.

TRUMP DOJ FIRES PROSECUTORS TIED TO FACE ACT CASES AFTER REPORT ALLEGES BIAS AND MISCONDUCT

Steve Crampton, one of Houck's attorneys at the Thomas More Society, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that the outcome was long overdue and they were pleased with the Trump administration's efforts to bring forth justice in the case.

"We are very pleased with a Department of Justice that seems to be genuinely interested in doing justice," Crampton said. "That's rare enough these days, and we look forward to Mark not being the only wrongfully accused defendant to receive some kind of remuneration and recognition for the wrongs that were done to him."

Crampton said the Trump administration should be commended for "attempting to at least acknowledge, if not completely right, the wrongs that were done" to pro-life activists under the Biden administration.

DOJ SETTLES WITH MICHAEL FLYNN OVER RUSSIA PROBE AFTER WRONGFUL PROSECUTION CLAIM: 'HISTORIC INJUSTICE'

Houck had been praying outside a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood clinic in 2021 when a Planned Parenthood volunteer allegedly harassed his son. Houck was accused of pushing the volunteer during the encounter, and federal prosecutors charged him months later with allegedly violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act.

The act makes it a federal crime to "use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services."

Houck was later acquitted by a Philadelphia jury, but could have faced up to 11 years in prison if convicted.

FINAL CHARGE DROPPED IN YEARSLONG HARRIS-ERA CASE AGAINST PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST

Houck later sued the Justice Department over the ordeal, accusing law enforcement personnel of conducting a "faulty investigation" against him, and accusing law enforcement of using "excessive force" in the FBI raid on his family home.

Last year, Houck said told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that an "activist judge" had blocked negotiations between Houck and the Trump-led Justice Department.

The legal settlement comes amid a report released Tuesday by the Justice Department alleging the Biden administration selectively prosecuted pro-life activists under the FACE Act, following a review of more than 700,000 internal records.

BIDEN PUSH TO REVIVE TED KENNEDY-ERA LAW NOW HAUNTS DEMOCRATS AS CHARGES LOOM IN MINNESOTA CHURCH RIOT

DOJ officials said prosecutors coordinated with abortion-rights groups to track activists, sought harsher sentences for pro-life defendants and, in some cases, withheld evidence or tried to exclude jurors based on religion.

The report found officials under the Biden administration worked closely with groups, including Planned Parenthood, the National Abortion Federation and the Feminist Majority Foundation, which the department said helped compile information on pro-life activists used in investigations and prosecutions.

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"The Biden DOJ prosecutors knowingly withheld evidence that defense counsel requested to prepare an affirmative defense," according to the report.

Department of Justice Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche commented on the prosecutions and Houck case in a statement to ӣ��Ƶ Digital: "This Department will not tolerate a two-tiered system of justice. No Department should conduct selective prosecution based on beliefs. The weaponization that happened under the Biden Administration will not happen again, as we restore integrity to our prosecutorial system."

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ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to Biden's office for comment.

ӣ��Ƶ' Peter Pinedo and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

Trump DOJ fires prosecutors tied to FACE Act cases after report alleges bias and misconduct

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:25:53 -0400

The Trump administration has fired multiple prosecutors who handled cases that resulted in prison sentences for pro-life activists under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, as the Justice Department moves to overhaul enforcement of the law.

The Justice Department confirmed to ӣ��Ƶ Digital that four prosecutors tied to those cases were dismissed, following a CBS News report on the firings.

The department’s rapid response account on X said the Justice Department "has terminated the employment of personnel responsible for weaponizing the FACE Act who still remained at the department."

The personnel moves come after the Justice Department released a report Tuesday alleging the Biden administration "weaponized" federal law by selectively prosecuting pro-life activists under the FACE Act, which was designed to protect access to abortion clinics and pregnancy resource centers.

BIDEN PUSH TO REVIVE TED KENNEDY-ERA LAW NOW HAUNTS DEMOCRATS AS CHARGES LOOM IN MINNESOTA CHURCH RIOT

According to the report, based on a review of more than 700,000 internal records, prosecutors coordinated with abortion-rights groups to identify activists, sought harsher sentences for pro-life defendants and, in some cases, withheld evidence from defense attorneys.

"This department will not tolerate a two-tiered system of justice," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. "No Department should conduct selective prosecution based on beliefs. The weaponization that happened under the Biden Administration will not happen again, as we restore integrity to our prosecutorial system."

The report also alleged prosecutors attempted to screen out jurors based on religious beliefs and, in some cases, pursued aggressive arrest tactics rather than allowing defendants to voluntarily surrender.

FINAL CHARGE DROPPED IN YEARSLONG HARRIS-ERA CASE AGAINST PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST

For instance, the report cited a case involving pro-life activist Mark Houck in which prosecutors declined a request for him to self-surrender and instead authorized an FBI arrest at his home.

Justice Department officials said sentencing recommendations for pro-life defendants averaged 26.8 months in prison, compared to 12.3 months for individuals accused of attacks on pro-life organizations.

The report argued FACE Act enforcement under the Biden administration was uneven, with authorities prioritizing cases involving abortion clinics while failing to adequately pursue attacks on pregnancy resource centers and churches.

MINNESOTA AG KEITH ELLISON DENIES DON LEMON, ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS VIOLATED FACE ACT AS DOJ MULLS CHARGES

Assistant Attorney General Daniel Burrows said the findings raised serious concerns about department attorneys.

"The behavior unearthed in this report is shameful," Burrows said, adding that some prosecutors "withheld evidence" and worked to exclude religious jurors.

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The Trump administration has already taken steps to reverse course, including issuing pardons for pro-life activists convicted under the prior administration, dismissing several civil cases and limiting future FACE Act prosecutions to "extraordinary circumstances."

The FACE Act, passed in 1994, prohibits the use of force, threats or physical obstruction to interfere with access to reproductive health services.

Biden DOJ weaponized FACE Act against pro-life Americans, 882-report alleges

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:29:34 -0400

The Justice Department released a report Tuesday alleging the Biden administration weaponized federal law by selectively prosecuting pro-life activists under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, following a review of more than 700,000 internal records.

PRO-LIFE JOURNALIST ASSAULTED ON STREET ASSIGNS BLAME TO DEMOCRATIC RHETORIC

The Justice Department’s "Weaponization Working Group" — a review team created under the Trump administration to examine whether federal law was used in a biased or politically motivated way — said it reviewed internal communications, case files and prosecutorial decisions tied to enforcement of the FACE Act, a law intended to protect access to abortion clinics and pregnancy resource centers.

The report found officials under the Biden administration worked closely with groups including Planned Parenthood, the National Abortion Federation and the Feminist Majority Foundation, which helped compile information on pro-life activists used in investigations and prosecutions.

The report said, "The Biden DOJ prosecutors knowingly withheld evidence that defense counsel requested to prepare an affirmative defense."

In one case, a DOJ official told defense counsel, "I do not keep the kind of records you requested and, as a result, I do not believe that we will provide them to you," when asked for data to support a selective prosecution defense.

The report said the official had the information "readily available" but declined to share it with the defense.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD APOLOGIZES FOR 'INADVERTENTLY' GIVING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT COLORING BOOK TO CHILDREN

The report also alleged prosecutors attempted to screen out jurors based on religious beliefs and, in some cases, opted for aggressive arrest tactics rather than allowing defendants to voluntarily surrender.

For instance, the report cited a case involving pro-life activist Mark Houck in which prosecutors declined a request for him to self-surrender and instead authorized an FBI arrest at his home.

DOJ officials further claimed pro-life defendants faced significantly harsher sentencing requests, with prosecutors seeking an average of 26.8 months in prison compared to 12.3 months for defendants accused of violence against pro-life organizations.

The report argued the Biden administration’s enforcement of the FACE Act was uneven, with authorities prioritizing cases involving abortion clinics while failing to adequately pursue attacks on pregnancy resource centers and churches.

The Justice Department said the Trump administration has already taken steps to reverse course, including issuing pardons for pro-life activists convicted under the prior administration, dismissing several civil cases and limiting future FACE Act prosecutions to "extraordinary circumstances" involving significant aggravating factors.

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Assistant Attorney General Daniel Burrows said the findings raised serious concerns about the conduct of department attorneys.

"The behavior unearthed in this report is shameful," Burrows said in a statement. "Lawyers who should have known better withheld evidence, worked to keep committed religious people off juries and generally allowed the Department of Justice to be used as the enforcement arm of pro-abortion special interests."

Ousted AG Bondi declines Epstein deposition, but lawmakers say subpoena still holds

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:35:32 -0400

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not sit for a planned deposition before the House Oversight Committee as part of its probe into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the panel’s Republican majority said Wednesday.

"The Department of Justice has stated Pam Bondi will not appear on April 14 for a deposition since she is no longer Attorney General and was subpoenaed in her capacity as Attorney General," a House Oversight Committee spokeswoman told ӣ��Ƶ Digital in a statement. "The Committee will contact Pam Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition."

The committee has not withdrawn the subpoena, meaning Bondi could still be required to sit for a deposition.

Democrats on the committee pushed back on the Justice Department’s explanation in a statement to ӣ��Ƶ Digital.

EPSTEIN'S ACCOUNTANT AND LAWYER REVEAL DOJ NEVER QUESTIONED THEM ABOUT DISGRACED FINANCIER'S CRIMES

"Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, she’s trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify before the Oversight Committee about the Epstein files and the White House cover-up," Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia, D-Calif., fired back Wednesday. "Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not."

President Donald Trump ousted Bondi from the Justice Department last week after she faced bipartisan scrutiny of her handling of the Epstein files.

Garcia added that he would move to hold Bondi in contempt of Congress if she does not comply with the subpoena to appear before the panel.

The House Oversight Committee could recommend criminal charges against Bondi for defying a subpoena, but the measure would be subject to a chamber-wide vote and would ultimately be up to the DOJ whether to file charges.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to weigh in on whether Bondi should comply with the subpoena during a news conference Tuesday.

"What happens now that she’s the former attorney general and there’s the subpoena out there is, I think I’ll leave to Chairman Comer and others to figure out. I don’t have an answer to that," the nation’s new top prosecutor said.

The brewing legal battle comes after five Republicans voted with Democrats to subpoena Bondi as part of the committee’s Epstein probe over Comer’s objections in March. The lawmakers were Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Scott Perry, R-Pa., and Michael Cloud, R-Texas.

BONDI OUSTER IGNITES BIPARTISAN UPROAR: 'PARTISAN, PETULANT, POLITICAL HACK'

Mace and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., another member of the powerful committee, sent Comer a letter Wednesday asking him to "publicly reaffirm" Bondi’s "legal obligation" to testify before the committee in the April 14 deposition.

"Bondi’s removal as Attorney General doesn’t erase her obligation to testify," the bipartisan duo wrote. "If anything, it makes her sworn testimony even more critical. Congress’s oversight doesn’t stop when an official leaves office."

"Pam Bondi was subpoenaed by name, not by title," Mace added in a separate statement.

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Former Attorney General Bill Barr and former Health and Human Services Secretary Alexander Acosta, who served in Trump’s Cabinet during his first term, have testified before the Oversight Committee as part of its Epstein probe.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment.

WATCH: Bondi successor reveals shocking number of fraud cases with eye-popping taxpayer theft

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:45:54 -0400

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed that the Justice Department is investigating more than 8,000 fraud cases, which he said represent over $1 trillion in taxpayer funds potentially stolen each year by "increasingly sophisticated and opportunistic fraudsters."

Blanche, who is filling in for the role after former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s sudden ouster last week, said just a few of the fraud schemes being investigated by the DOJ recently resulted in a guilty plea by fraudsters for "stealing over half a billion dollars from taxpayers." He noted that the 8,000 cases "represent a fraction of the fraud ripping off our country every day."

He said the recently launched DOJ National Fraud Enforcement Division will "work closely" with the Vice President JD Vance-led Task Force to Eliminate Fraud to pursue a "comprehensive and coordinated approach" to investigating fraud.

"Because of this administration's leadership, fraudsters, scammers, tax cheats or anyone who lies to get rich off the generosity of the American people should be on notice," he said, noting, "Our goal is to prevent this from ever happening again."

VANCE SAYS BIDEN ADMIN 'TURNED OFF' ANTI-FRAUD PROTECTIONS, DEBUTS NEW TASK FORCE WITH FOCUS ON SOMALI SCHEMES

Blanche delivered the remarks Tuesday in what was his first press conference as acting head of the DOJ. The conference came days after Bondi was abruptly removed from her role as attorney general by President Donald Trump. Blanche refused to speculate on the reason for Bondi’s removal, saying, "Nobody has any idea … except for the president."

Though Bondi’s leadership of the DOJ has been heavily criticized, especially by Democrats, Blanche praised her "vision and her commitment to justice." He signaled continuity between her leadership and his, particularly on fraud investigations.

The Trump administration has made such investigations a priority following revelations about rampant Medicaid and childcare fraud in Minnesota involving the state’s Somali immigrant community. Just last week, Trump named Vance fraud czar and tasked him with tackling fraud schemes, which he said are most rampant in blue states.

BLANCHE ARGUES TRUMP CAN INFLUENCE DOJ INVESTIGATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE INVOLVING POLITICAL FOES

Blanche said, "Every day, Department of Justice investigators and prosecutors work to punish those who commit fraud."

"For example, just this week, and it's only Tuesday, a criminal defendant was sentenced, and the department obtained two additional guilty pleas and matters totaling over half 1 billion dollars in health care and COVID fraud," he said. "If you think about that, just since yesterday, we had a guilty plea in a $160 million health care enrollment fraud scheme, a sentencing in a $100 million COVID-19 fraud case, and a guilty plea in a $160 million health care fraud scheme as well."

He said the DOJ is "supercharging" its efforts through the new division, involving every U.S. attorney across the country in efforts to "take down every fraudster and bring them to justice."

BLANCHE INVOKES TRUMP ‘LOVE’ WHEN ASKED ABOUT STAYING ON AFTER BONDI

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"With over $1 trillion at stake every single year, threatened by increasingly sophisticated and opportunistic fraudsters, the time for this comprehensive and coordinated approach is now," he said, adding, "So, to the fraudsters who seek to take advantage of our nation, let this be a warning."

Top cops out: The attorney general firings and forced exits that made history

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:01:25 -0400

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s departure last week was the latest in a series of high-profile firings or resignations of America’s top law enforcement officer, from a key Watergate figure to a well-respected attorney whose differences with the president became irreconcilable.

Former President George Washington appointed Founding Father and former Virginia Gov. Edmund Randolph the nation’s first attorney general in 1789, and in the years since, there have been dozens of successors, some lost to history and others more memorable.

Eliot Richardson and Richard Kleindienst — Nixon

Eliot Richardson, the secretary of defense at the time of the Watergate burglary, was named to succeed Attorney General Richard Kleindienst, who resigned amid the scandal after reportedly being pressured by a member of the Watergate "plumbers" to assuage the situation.

"Plumbers" was the moniker for the group accused in the burglary at the DNC headquarters, then located at the Watergate Hotel in Foggy Bottom, D.C. They were organized by CIA officer E. Howard Hunt and FBI agent-turned-future conservative talk radio star G. Gordon Liddy. The name purportedly came from the dual meaning of "leaks" — political versus pipes.

TOP DOJ OFFICIALS TO BRIEF HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR JEFFREY EPSTEIN PROBE

Kleindienst was playing golf at Burning Tree in Bethesda, Md., in June 1972 when Liddy reportedly approached him to say that the Committee to Re-elect the President (Nixon’s committee) was involved in the burglary, according to an account from the UK Guardian.

Kleindienst reportedly told the G-man to get lost, and the federal investigation ensued as normal.

As the scandal raged on April 30, 1973, Nixon announced he had accepted the resignations of Kleindienst, and presidential assistants John Ehrlichman and H.R. Haldeman — and fired White House Counsel John Dean — who has often called President Donald Trump’s tenure worse than that of his old boss.

"Mr. Kleindienst asked to be relieved as Attorney General because he felt that he could not appropriately continue as head of the Justice Department now that it appears its investigation of the Watergate and related cases may implicate individuals with whom he has had a close personal and professional association," Nixon said in a public letter that day.

Richardson’s tenure began thereafter and ended with one of the most significant executive branch departures in history: the "Saturday Night Massacre."

On October 20, 1973, Nixon ordered Richardson to fire Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox shortly after Cox subpoenaed the Oval Office recordings. Richardson, who appointed Cox and reportedly pledged not to fire him without cause, refused and resigned.

TRUMP FIRES JUDGE-PICKED US ATTORNEY AS TOP DOJ OFFICIAL WARNS COURTS TO STAY IN THEIR LANE

Nixon then asked Richardson’s deputy, William Ruckelshaus, to fire Cox, and he also resigned instead of carrying out the order.

Nixon then ordered Ruckelshaus’ deputy, Solicitor General Robert Bork, who is better known for his unsuccessful nomination to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan, to fire Cox. Bork did so and reportedly considered resigning but stayed on at the urging of his predecessors to ensure stability at the DOJ.

That November, an LBJ-appointed federal judge found that Cox’s firing had been unlawful.

Nixon himself ultimately resigned almost one year later on August 9, 1974.

Richardson’s legacy became that of a cabinet official who, in times of crisis, sacrificed professional status for personal integrity, as described by the Constitution Center and others.

Alberto Gonzales — G.W. Bush

Alberto Gonzales was one of President George W. Bush’s closest advisers, going back to his time as Texas governor. He was also the first Hispanic attorney general and the highest-ranking Hispanic cabinet official until Trump named Marco Rubio to secretary of state in 2025.

Gonzales ultimately resigned the top cop post in 2007 amid mounting bipartisan criticism of the DOJ’s firing of several U.S. attorneys and allegations that he was not forthright during congressional inquiries about whether politics played a role in the firings.

Bush lamented his friend’s resignation, saying "it is sad that we live in a time when a talented and honorable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeded from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the mud for political reasons."

Gonzales faced mounting pressure and criticism amid the firings and regarding comments defending enhanced interrogation techniques against suspected terrorists.

He stated "I do not recall" or similar framings of the statement dozens of times during a contentious Senate hearing where he battled Republicans like Pennsylvania’s Arlen Specter and Democrats including California’s Dianne Feinstein.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., later confronted Gonzales over his responses.

KARL ROVE: TRUMP DROPPED BONDI, BUT THE REAL POLITICAL FIGHT IS JUST BEGINNING

"You’ve answered ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I can’t recall’ to close to a hundred questions. You’re not familiar with much of the workings of your own department. And we still don’t have convincing explanations of the who, when and why, in regard to the firing of the majority of the eight U.S. attorneys," Schumer fumed, according to a transcript posted to the left-wing outlet DemocracyNow.

In his testimony, Gonzales said U.S. Attorneys indeed serve at the pleasure of the president, and that the Justice Department makes "decisions based on the evidence, not whether the target is a Republican or a Democrat."

"I know that I did not, and would not, ask for a resignation of any individual in order to interfere with or influence a particular prosecution for partisan political gain," Gonzales said. "I also have no basis to believe that anyone involved in this process sought the removal of a U.S. Attorney for an improper reason."

Bush nonetheless remained behind his pick, rebuking a "no confidence" resolution drafted by Schumer, Feinstein and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. as the controversy continued.

Ultimately, Gonzales announced on August 27, 2007, that he would be stepping down on September 17.

"Yesterday I met with President Bush and informed him of my decision to conclude my government service as attorney general… let me say that it's been one of my greatest privileges to lead the Department of Justice," Gonzales said in his resignation announcement.

"I have great admiration and respect for the men and women who work here. I have made a point as attorney general to personally meet as many of them as possible, and today I want to again thank them for their service to our nation."

Jeff Sessions — Trump

Former Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions was the first in the upper chamber to endorse then-developer Donald Trump in his 2016 presidential bid.

The immigration enforcement hardliner and Trump loyalist, however, saw his relationship with the new president fray early in their term.

Sessions recused himself from the Trump-Russia investigation, citing his own campaigning for Trump amid reports he also met personally with Russian envoy Sergey Kislyak.

The recusal incensed Trump and led him to regularly bash Sessions in the press, and also to blame Sessions for the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller III as special counsel in the Russia case.

Trump also faulted Sessions for declining to criminally pursue Hillary Clinton.

Sessions’ tenure ended the day after Republicans lost the House in the 2018 midterm elections, but left the Alabamian with a successful professional record in reversing Obama-era policies and cracking down on sanctuary city policies.

US INTERIM ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE CALLS SPECULATION SURROUNDING BONDI'S FIRING 'SIMPLY NOT TRUE'

But Trump’s firing of Sessions only further invigorated his Democratic critics, as New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker called it an "alarming development that brings us one step closer to a constitutional crisis."

Booker claimed Trump fired Sessions because he was scared Mueller would "implicat[e]" him in the Russia investigation.

William Barr — Trump

Former Attorney General William Barr resigned from his second tenure as the nation’s top cop in December 2020, amid disputes over whether the prior month’s election had been subject to widespread fraud.

Barr, who previously served under President George H.W. Bush, appeared to irritate Trump when he told The Associated Press he had not seen "fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election."

In announcing the departure, Trump tweeted that he had a "nice meeting" with Barr and that his relationship "has been a very good one; he has done an outstanding job."

Barr also touted Trump’s first-term record amid what he called a "partisan onslaught" and "relentless, implacable resistance."

In comments to NBC News in 2022 ahead of the release of his book "One Damn Thing After Another," Barr said he told Trump at the White House that he understood the president was frustrated with him, and that he was willing to submit his resignation.

"Accepted," Trump supposedly said, but the president himself reportedly claimed he asked for Barr’s resignation, not that the AG quit.

PAM BONDI IS OUT AS AG — HERE ARE THE CONTENDERS WHO COULD REPLACE HER

"The absurd lengths to which he took his stolen election claim led to the rioting on Capitol Hill," Barr said, while adding that Trump’s actions still wouldn’t reach the legal level of "incitement" as claimed by Democrats.

In his resignation letter, Barr applauded Trump’s ability to "weather" the Russia investigation and Democrats’ attempts to "cripple if not oust [the] administration," and said the president restored the U.S. military and curbed illegal immigration.

Harry Daugherty — Harding and Coolidge

The first attorney general of the modern era to be ousted was Harry Daugherty, a member of President Warren Harding’s administration.

Daugherty was part of the so-called "Ohio Gang" of longtime Harding confidants from his home state.

Daugherty’s fall began amid the Teapot Dome Scandal — the most infamous incident prior to Watergate — which led to the imprisonment of Interior Secretary Albert Fall.

Fall was implicated in low- or no-bid oil leases at Teapot Dome, Wyoming, in 1923, and jailed for accepting bribes from energy companies.

Daugherty was later investigated for allegedly failing to prosecute people involved in Teapot Dome, and was allegedly implicated in a handful of other scandals, including being charged with conspiracy amid the sale of illegal liquor permits during prohibition.

He was also accused of influence peddling and members of the "Ohio Gang" were accused of selling government appointments.

Daugherty’s brother Mal was president of a bank, which was later closed by the state of Ohio after the Senate was unable to "pry" during its investigation into Attorney General Daugherty, according to a 1930 TIME report.

The sibling’s bank recorded "heavy withdrawals" during that time, which caught the attention of regulators in Columbus.

Harry Daugherty ultimately met his ouster after Harding died in office in August 1923.

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New President Calvin Coolidge booted him from the DOJ over loss of public trust and refusal to turn over departmental records regarding alleged corruption.

Daugherty was never convicted.

Trump eyes next attorney general as key GOP senator signals potential roadblock

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:47:42 -0400

President Donald Trump's decision to fire Attorney General Pam Bondi tees up another whirlwind confirmation in the Senate, and some in the upper chamber are already drawing lines in the sand.

The Senate confirmed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin last month after a sprint to elevate him from lawmaker to Cabinet official following Kristi Noem’s firing. Lawmakers will again be tasked with confirming Bondi’s replacement in the coming weeks.

While Trump has selected Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) on an interim basis, speculation is swirling over who he will tap as the next attorney general.

PAM BONDI ALREADY FIRED AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, CABINET OFFICIAL TEED UP AS REPLACEMENT: SOURCES

Whoever he picks will have to go through the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said in an interview with CNN that the next nominee must align with his views on the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol.

"The threshold for somebody following Pam Bondi ends the moment I hear they say one thing that excused the events of January 6," Tillis said. "I’ve been very clear on that. So I hope whoever they have in mind to follow General Bondi is very clear-eyed about my position on January 6."

"That’s why I didn’t support two other nominees who were coming through the Judiciary Committee, and I won’t support any nominee who thinks any element of January 6 was excusable," he continued.

MULLIN CONFIRMED AS DHS CHIEF AS LAWMAKERS NEAR SOLUTION ON SHUTDOWN STANDOFF

Tillis will have a key vote on the Republican-led panel that could make or break any nominee’s chances of reaching a full Senate vote. Last year, he notably tanked Trump’s pick for top prosecutor in Washington, D.C., Ed Martin, over his comments on Jan. 6.

Trump is reportedly eyeing Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for the job, but whether he taps another sitting senator remains an open question.

Some lawmakers in the upper chamber are reportedly pushing for Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to get the job. But Lee — who is pushing for the Senate to pass the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act — doesn’t appear keen on the idea.

BONDI OUSTER IGNITES BIPARTISAN UPROAR: 'PARTISAN, PETULANT, POLITICAL HACK'

"I’m not going anywhere," Lee said on X.

Then there is Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who was previously under consideration for the job when Trump won in 2024.

Schmitt has a strong relationship with the president that dates back to his first campaign and has developed into regular invitations to join Trump for rounds of golf. But he turned down the job, opting to stay in the Senate after just winning his seat in 2022.

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He confirmed his decision on X at the time, saying he was "just getting started" in the Senate.

"We need America First fighters who don’t just say they support the agenda but are willing to stand in the breach and actually fight for it — and for the hopes and dreams of the American people," Schmitt said. "I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and be a champion for President Trump in the Senate."

JONATHAN TURLEY: Why Trump fired Bondi and chose this moment for a Justice Department reset

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:00:56 -0400

There is an old joke that scientists switched from lab rats to lawyers because you do not get as attached to lawyers. President Donald Trump has shown the same tendency to avoid becoming attached to either private or government counsel. Attorney General Pam Bondi is only the latest in a long line of lawyers let go by a president who was made famous with the tagline "You're fired."

There is no evidence of bad blood between President Trump and Bondi. The attorney general has been attacked over her loyalty to the president and has been by his side in some of the most precarious moments, from impeachment to criminal defense. As his "apprentices" learned, this is not personal. It's business.

Jeff Sessions. Rex Tillerson. Bill Barr. Mark Esper. Kristi Noem. Trump's Cabinet picks are known more for shelving than storage.

Indeed, being a Cabinet member in a Trump administration is about as secure as being a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

BONDI OUSTER IGNITES BIPARTISAN UPROAR: 'PARTISAN, PETULANT, POLITICAL HACK'

Trump has always viewed terminations as a way to spur higher performance levels.

There is a reason why Trump may have wanted to move now in swapping out attorneys general. There are growing predictions that Republicans will lose the House and could also lose the Senate.

Democrats are running on pledges to unleash a new spasm of investigations and impeachments, targeting not just President Trump but anyone who supports him.

BONDI HEARING DEVOLVES INTO CHAOS OF SHOUTS AS AG ACCUSES TOP DEMOCRATS OF 'THEATRICS'

Figures like Susan Rice, top policy adviser to both Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, have promised "revenge" against all those who pushed Democrats out of power and warned that "it’s not going to end well for them."

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., pledged that, as soon as they regain power, they will start throwing Trump people in jail when they retake Congress.

Democratic strategist James Carville previously threatened that "collaborators" may be treated in the same way as they were after World War II.

TOP 5 MOMENTS AS BONDI CLASHES WITH DEMOCRATS IN FIERY HOUSE HEARING

Trump's ability to secure confirmation of a successor will become far more challenging as he approaches the midterm elections.

Trump has to decide who will be the best hand on the wheel in those choppy waters ahead.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has the street cred that Trump values. An accomplished litigator and former prosecutor, Blanche is neither flashy nor gregarious. He is a lethal litigator who can gut you like a trout without breaking a sweat. He has been at the president's side in and out of court. While he will be a lightning rod for Democrats who have attacked him for his role in the release of the Epstein files, his firmness in dealing with a hostile media likely appealed to the president.

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Blanche offers a seamless transition for the department. He literally only has to walk down the hallway to take the reins from Bondi.

Another name reportedly under consideration is EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who would likely be the easiest to confirm and the most popular with members of Congress. Zeldin transformed the EPA in short order, including clearing away barriers to increasing energy production. Almost elected governor of New York, Zeldin has cross-over appeal in Washington as someone who cut his teeth in this town.

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Other candidates include state attorneys general, as well as wild cards like U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a former judge with a tough-as-nails reputation in Washington, D.C. It is a deep bench.

There will be no shortage of applicants for the job. The office of the attorney general in the Trump administration has everything that one could want in Washington. Everything, that is, except job security.

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KARL ROVE: Trump dropped Bondi, but the real political fight is just beginning

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:00:56 -0400

In a way, President Donald J. Trump’s firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi should not have been a surprise, especially after the president’s Truth Social post in September criticizing her for failing to prosecute his political opponents.

He told her she was "all talk, no action" and declared that her inaction was "killing our reputation and credibility."

Whether that post was meant to be private or public, it’s clear the president was unhappy with the attorney general. And this was on top of her disastrous handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and the release of the government’s files on him.

The next few months will be interesting. The acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, can run the Justice Department for 210 days. That means he can remain in the post until late November, after the midterms. That would save the White House from a confirmation battle in the midst of an election.

BONDI OUSTER IGNITES BIPARTISAN UPROAR: 'PARTISAN, PETULANT, POLITICAL HACK'

Maybe, having ripped the bandage off by firing Bondi, the president might want to elevate Blanche. Can Senate Republicans get him through confirmation hearings before the August break?

Senate Democrats could be counted on to grill him about the two issues that Trump was unhappy with Attorney General Bondi over, namely the Epstein files and going after the president’s enemies.

How effective will Democrats be in roughing up Blanche? And since he’s likely to be confirmed by the 53 Senate Republicans, will any issues raised in the confirmation hearing help Democrats in the midterms?

Then there’s also talk that the president might be leaning toward Environmental Protection Agency Administrator and former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin as the new attorney general. Zeldin is liked by his former House colleagues, who don’t get to vote on his confirmation but would be a supportive chorus for him. Democrats would still pound him on Epstein and the potential prosecution of the president’s enemies.

None of these questions are going away, especially since Bondi has an April 14 deposition scheduled before the House Oversight Committee.

The Republican chairman may find it impossible to cancel her appearance now, since Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., led the effort to subpoena Bondi. She was joined by three other Republicans on the committee in voting with all the committee’s Democrats to force Ms. Bondi to appear.

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Yes, we shouldn’t be surprised that the president dumped his attorney general. But her firing doesn’t end the issues that led to her removal. It’s just expanded the cast of political players who will now have to answer tough questions about those same issues.

Get your popcorn. Pam Bondi’s firing was just one episode.

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The next act of this drama is about to begin.

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JONATHAN TURLEY: Jack Smith’s secret surveillance of Patel and Wiles should alarm us all

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:50:20 -0500

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith has long operated under the Irish poet, playwright and novelist Oscar Wilde’s rule that "the only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it."

Over the last few months, the public has learned of a wide array of secret orders targeting members of Congress, Trump allies and others. Now, the Trump administration has learned that FBI Director Kash Patel and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles were also targeted by Smith in 2022 and 2023 when they were private citizens.

Smith was a controversial choice as special counsel because of his history of aggressive legal arguments and tactics, including his unanimous loss before the Supreme Court in the case that overturned the conviction of former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell.

JACK SMITH SUBPOENAED FOR DEPOSITION WITH HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

His tendency to stretch the law to the breaking point also did not play well with juries in high-profile cases, including his case against former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who was accused of using campaign funds to hide an extramarital affair. That case ended in an acquittal.

Despite such criticisms, Smith immediately returned to his past pattern of tossing aside any restraint or caution. Even Democrats earlier this year expressed objections to his targeting of Republican members of Congress, including former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Smith told carriers not to tell members of Congress that their calls were being seized. Not only did such records reveal potentially confidential sources, ranging from journalists to whistleblowers, but Smith's gag order prevented Congress from responding to or challenging the allegedly abusive demand.

GOP LAWMAKER ACCUSES JACK SMITH OF ‘SPYING’ ON CONGRESS AT TENSE HOUSE HEARING OVER TRUMP PROBE

Now, the Trump administration is alleging that Smith and the prior Biden administration effectively buried the targeting of Patel and Wiles. It took a year into the new Trump administration for these orders to be uncovered.

The early accounts of the orders contained equally disturbing elements. Reuters reported that "In 2023, the FBI recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney, according to two FBI officials. Wiles’ attorney was aware that the call was being recorded and consented to it, but Susie Wiles was not."

It is astonishing to hear of a lawyer agreeing to the FBI recording of an attorney-client conversation as a general matter. However, recording such a call without informing the client would be a breathtaking invasion of protected communications.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM JACK SMITH'S TESTIMONY TO HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

There is much we still do not know.

On its face, these orders appear consistent with the earlier allegedly abusive demands. Smith had virtually no basis for targeting Republican members and Trump allies. It was a fishing expedition in which Smith simply compiled lists of every well-known ally of President Donald Trump.

There are also concerns over the response to this controversy. There are reports of 10 FBI employees being fired. Agents often carry out the orders of superiors in such investigations. The administration should assure the public that these agents were afforded due process before being ousted for their roles in carrying out orders.

AT&T GAVE JACK SMITH THEN-HOUSE SPEAKER MCCARTHY'S PERSONAL CELLPHONE RECORDS AMID J6 INVESTIGATION

The recently disclosed files from these investigations are an indictment of Smith himself. He was given a historic mandate to investigate a former president. Rather than exercise a modicum of restraint to show the public that this was not a partisan effort, Smith yielded to his worst temptations in targeting a long list of Republicans.

In his prior testimony, Smith offered little to justify these orders beyond a shrug that such secret orders routinely occur. However, he was targeting a "who’s who" of top political opponents of President Biden and the Democrats.

To make matters worse, Smith struggled to release damaging information — and even schedule a trial — on the very eve of the 2024 presidential election. Every action by Smith only magnified the perception that he sought to influence the election. He became a prosecutor consumed by his antagonism toward Trump and his unchecked power.

Nothing was sacred for Smith. His demands in the investigation from the courts included a wholesale attack on free speech principles.

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Ultimately, these files are not only an indictment of Jack Smith but also of former Attorney General Merrick Garland, who failed to exercise his authority to oversee Smith and protect core constitutional values.

It is essential that Congress and the Trump administration fully investigate Smith's surveillance demands. Smith has long demanded accountability for others while evading such accountability for his own actions.

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If past orders are any indication, the Patel and Wiles orders were likely based on sweeping generalities and demands for absolute secrecy. That is the signature of Jack Smith. Indeed, Smith appears to have replicated his increasingly infamous record, with the collapse of two high-profile cases and lingering questions over his judgment and actions.

He has again yielded to his temptations — and the public has paid the price.

Firebrand conservatives set to duke it out in GOP Texas AG debate

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:52:01 -0500

Several firebrand conservatives are set to duke it out in what promises to be a particularly explosive debate ahead of the GOP primary election for Texas attorney general.

The debate will be held at the famed Granada Theater in Dallas on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Central Time. It will be hosted by the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) and moderated by conservative podcaster and Texas native Allie Beth Stuckey. ӣ��Ƶ Digital will stream the debate.

With early voting having already started, the Lone Star State is in the midst of a highly contentious primary election season.

Four Republicans are gunning for the role of Texas’ top attorney, a slot that is being vacated by Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate. In the running are Congressman Chip Roy, R-Texas, who is running on a limited government platform, Aaron Reitz, a former Trump Department of Justice official and assistant attorney general under Paxton, state Sen. Mayes Middleton, an oil executive running on an America first platform, and state Sen. Joan Huffman, who has emphasized respect for the rule of law in her campaign.

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As a fourth-term congressman, Roy has the most time in the national spotlight. A member of the House Freedom Caucus, he has at times found himself at odds with President Donald Trump and the GOP establishment.

On Dec. 19, 2024, amid a high-stakes standoff over government funding and the federal debt ceiling, Trump railed against Roy in a Truth Social post in which he called him one of several "Republican obstructionists" who he said, "Have to be done away with."

Both Reitz and Middleton, who have positioned themselves as the Trump loyalists in the race, have used this line of attack against him. Reitz has accused Roy of being "belligerently anti-Trump" and a party antagonizer, while Middleton has echoed the obstructionist theme.

TEXAS GOVERNOR EXPOSES ‘HYPOCRISY’ OF DEM PUSH FOR STATES’ RIGHTS IN MINNESOTA AFTER BIDEN YEARS

Stuckey has said the debate questions will focus on the national legal battles the Texas attorney general must lead regarding the border and constitutional rights. In an X post, she said that her team and RAGA have been working to make sure that "every single question is not only relevant to Texas voters but also to Americans as a whole."

She promised a "fiery, fun and informative night."

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Addressing the debate, RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper said in a statement that the Texas attorney general "plays a critical role locally and nationally from protecting Texans to promoting the rule of law and preserving freedom for future generations."

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Piper said that "RAGA looks forward to providing Texans the opportunity to hear all four Attorneys General candidates answer questions on the important issues facing the state."

Arizona Dem AG blasted for 'dangerous' claim residents can shoot ICE agents under state laws

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:09:49 -0500

Arizona’s Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes emphasized the state’s stand-your-ground laws while criticizing ICE operations, saying that people could shoot agents if they’re wearing masks and can’t be identified as law enforcement.

During an interview with 12 News anchor Brahm Resnik on Monday, Mayes explained why ICE agents could be shot at under Arizona law.

"You know, it’s kind of a recipe for disaster because you have these masked federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks," Mayes explained.

"We have a stand-your-ground law that says if you reasonably believe your life is in danger, and you’re in your house or your car or on your property, that you can defend yourself with lethal force," Mayes added.

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The host interjected to ensure that the AG wasn’t imploring people to shoot at federal officers.

"I want to be careful with that and understand what you’re saying because you know how that could be interpreted," the host clarified.

Mayes asserted she wasn’t directly encouraging individuals to shoot officers, but said if law enforcement couldn’t be identified that, under the law, people could fire.

NOEM PRAISES DHS OFFICERS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY AS ATTACKS ON FEDERAL AGENTS SPIKE NATIONWIDE

"Well, it’s the fact," Mayes responded. "We have a stand-your-ground law, and we have, in other states, un-uniformed masked people who can’t be identified as police officers."

The host again asks the AG if she is telling Arizonans to shoot ICE agents, to which Mayes responds, "Well… no, but again, if you’re being attacked by someone who is not identified as a peace officer, how do you know? I mean if somebody comes at me wearing a mask, by the way, I’m a gun owner, and I can’t tell whether they’re a police officer, what am I supposed to do?"

The attorney general is also leading an initiative to report ICE behavior, launching a portal on her government website for individuals to report "an incident where ICE engages in assault, or murder, or unlawful imprisonment" that her office will use for investigations.

Mayes clarified she is not telling people to take up arms, but noted that stand-your-ground laws would permit someone to shoot an officer if they are not identifiable as law enforcement.

"No, I am not suggesting people pull out their guns, but this is a don't tread on me state," Mayes added.

Richie Taylor, spokesperson from Mayes' office, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital the attorney general is concerned about "combustible situations" when ICE is present in the state.

"Attorney General Mayes is deeply concerned about how a potential ICE escalation in Arizona could create combustible situations," Taylor told ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "This week in Minnesota, masked armed agents busted down the door of a U.S. citizen without a warrant and dragged him out in his underwear. With ICE recruiting thousands of new agents and giving them minimal training they are risking public safety. It is exactly the type of situation Attorney General Mayes believes must be avoided at all costs in Arizona."

'CRINGE' SOROS-BACKED PHILLY DA BRUTALLY TORCHED FOR DROPPING ‘FAFO’ IN CHEST-THUMPING WARNING TO ICE

Mayes was elected attorney general of Arizona in 2022 and is up for re-election in 2026.

Rodney Glassman, a Republican running against Mayes for the seat, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that she is "openly suggesting how to kill ICE officers and avoid prosecution under Arizona’s stand-your-ground law" and accused her of betraying the oath of office of the attorney general.

"From running the Attorney General’s Office like an anti-Trump law firm, to now saying ICE ‘isn’t real law enforcement’ and suggesting plain-clothed ICE officers can lawfully be shot," Glassman told ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "Kris Mayes is more interested in building a resistance resume, instead of working for Arizonans. Arizonans deserve an attorney general who works for them — not one who trashes law enforcement and is maniacally obsessed with taking down a president Arizona just elected."

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U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, an Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate, also called Mayes’ comments "dangerous" and "attention-seeking."

"Kris Mayes' dangerous comments on Arizona's stand-your-ground law were an outrageous and attention-seeking provocation done to pander to her radical leftist supporters," Schweikert told ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "Her comments not only jeopardized the safety of federal law enforcement agents, but state and local law enforcement as well."

ICE has been active in the Grand Canyon State, reporting in December that 46 illegal aliens were arrested in Tucson, Arizona, and an additional 2 individuals were arrested for impeding law enforcement.

PHILADELPHIA’S THREAT TO PROSECUTE ICE COULD TRIGGER LANDMARK COURT FIGHT OVER AUTHORITY, EXPERTS WARN

The special agent in charge of the operation addressed mass protests that involved assaults on ICE agents as well as federal vehicles having their tires slashed and barricades being built to impede operations.

"These enforcement actions have unequivocally disrupted this criminal organization’s ability to exploit our lawful labor and system of commerce," Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede said in a statement.

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"This agency will not stand for it and those seeking to continue such practices are on notice — there will be more enforcement operations in Arizona," Rede added.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and Mayes but did not receive responses in time for publication.

Letitia James sues HHS over tying federal funds to transgender policy

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:55:45 -0500

New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of state attorneys general sued the federal government Tuesday, claiming a new Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policy illegally pressures states to discriminate against transgender people or risk losing critical funding.

The lawsuit challenges a new federal policy that conditions billions of dollars in health, education and research funding on compliance with a presidential executive order regarding sex and gender-related treatments.

"The federal government is trying to force states to choose between their values and the vital funding their residents depend on," James said in a statement. "This policy threatens healthcare for families, life-saving research, and education programs that help young people thrive in favor of denying the dignity and existence of transgender people."

Last month, HHS announced a sweeping package of proposed regulatory actions to end "sex-rejecting procedures" on minors as part of President Donald Trump's January 2025 executive order calling on the department to protect children from "chemical and surgical mutilation."

NEARLY 20 STATES SUE HHS OVER DECLARATION TO RESTRICT GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENT FOR MINORS

The HHS declaration warned doctors that they could be excluded from federal health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, if they provide treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender surgeries to minors.

Failure to comply with the policy could lead to termination of grants, repayment of funds already spent, or potential civil or criminal penalties, according to the lawsuit.

The attorneys general argue that HHS lacks the authority to impose the conditions and is attempting to rewrite federal law through executive action.

SCOTUS RULES ON STATE BAN ON GENDER TRANSITION 'TREATMENTS' FOR MINORS IN LANDMARK CASE

The lawsuit claims that HHS has failed to clearly define what compliance requires, leaving recipients uncertain about which policies or actions could jeopardize funding.

James and the coalition further argue that the executive order conflicts with laws in several states that protect transgender individuals from discrimination.

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The lawsuit asks a federal court to declare the policy unlawful and block HHS from enforcing it, allowing states and institutions to continue receiving federal funding without changing existing policies.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital’s Emma Colton and Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Soros-backed Dem reveals he and coalition of anti-Trump AGs met 'daily' to strategize lawsuits

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 10:00:15 -0500

A coalition of anti-Trump state attorneys general met "daily" during 2025 to brainstorm and organize ways to foil the administration, according to George Soros-backed New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who has been an active member of the group.

In an interview with Source New Mexico published on Dec. 31, Torrez said that he and other Democratic attorneys general "were meeting on a daily basis for the first 90 or so days" of President Donald Trump’s second term. Since then, Torrez told the outlet, "We have since taken that down to every other day."

According to Source New Mexico, the result has been that Torrez has led or signed onto 36 legal challenges against the Trump administration since January 2025. This has included a challenge to the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., as well as contesting the Department of Government Efficiency and opposition to some of the administration’s immigration actions.

In the interview, Torrez described this opposition to Trump as an enormous undertaking and an "ever-growing resource challenge to track and monitor the pending status of all that litigation."

TRUMP FOE LETITIA JAMES LEADING CHARGE ON NEW MULTISTATE LAWSUIT OVER HHS CUTS

Torrez has been New Mexico’s attorney general since 2023. He got his political start in 2016 when he successfully ran for Bernalillo County district attorney. During his 2016 campaign, he received the support of left-leaning super PAC New Mexico Safety & Justice, which was bankrolled by Soros.

According to a June 2016 expenditures and contributions report publicly available on the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website, New Mexico Safety & Justice received a $107,000 donation from Soros. The same filing shows the group spent $92,526.84 on media buys and media production costs in support of Torrez. The group also spent $9,555.00 on "In-Kind Polling to Progressive Champions NM PAC" and $1,951.40 on "polling."

Torrez’s Republican opponent, Simon Kubiak, dropped out of the race after the contribution. According to 2016 reporting by the New Mexico Political Report, Kubiak cited Torrez’s campaign finances as the reason for his dropping out.

The outlet reported Kubiak saying that "New Mexicans cannot afford to challenge anyone who has unlimited resources and support from a multibillionaire from another country," in an apparent reference to Soros, who is originally from Hungary and lives in New York.

After serving two terms as Bernalillo County district attorney, Torrez was elected attorney general of New Mexico in 2022. He took office in 2023.

DEMOCRAT AGS SUE TRUMP FOR 'UNCONSCIONABLE' FREEZE ON $6.8B IN K-12 SPENDING

Torrez launched his first lawsuit against the administration one day after Trump returned to the Oval Office. On Jan. 21, Torrez joined 17 other state attorneys general and the attorney general of D.C. in challenging Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

In a statement released at the time, Torrez called Trump’s order "a direct attack on the Constitution and the fundamental rights it guarantees to every child born on American soil." The order is currently blocked while the case is ongoing.

The next month, Torrez led a lawsuit against the Trump administration over DOGE, arguing that Elon Musk and the department were unlawfully granted authority to carry out the planned budget cuts.

In April, Torrez joined 19 other attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging Trump’s executive order requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Then in September, Torrez filed an amicus brief in support of another lawsuit challenging the administration’s deployment of troops to D.C.

'DANGEROUS AND ILLEGAL': DEMOCRAT AGS SUE TRUMP OVER EFFORT TO USE SNAP TO LOCATE MIGRANTS

According to the interview, Torrez and others in the coalition began preparing for a Trump administration in "early 2024." Since then, Torrez said, "We have kept our foot on the gas."

At the same time, Torrez lamented that "the sad part" is that "some of these actions that were pursued by the administration through executive orders are now being built into the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill,’ so even if we win on the restoration of funding from the first fiscal year, we’ll be overtaken by federal legislation."

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Torrez told the outlet that "none of the institutions in our government have been built to respond and react to the scale and speed of the destruction that’s being wrought by the Trump administration."

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to Torrez’s office and campaign and Soros’ Open Society Foundation for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Justice Department sues public school district over allegedly discriminatory policies

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:36:43 -0500

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Minneapolis Public Schools (Board), Special School District No. 1, the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) and MPS Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams over alleged racial discrimination against teachers.

The DOJ claims that since July 1, 2021, the defendants have worked with a teacher's union to provide "black teachers, teachers of color, and 'underrepresented' teachers preferential treatment in employment decisions." Meaning that teachers who were deemed to be members of "underrepresented groups" were skipped for things such as reassignments and even layoffs, according to the DOJ.

"Discrimination is unacceptable in all forms, especially when it comes to hiring decisions. Our public education system in Minnesota and across the country must be a bastion of merit and equal opportunity — not DEI," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a DOJ statement.

EX-WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY DEI STAFFER WINS $265K SETTLEMENT AFTER ALLEGING DISCRIMINATION FOR BEING WHITE

The collective bargaining agreement also includes the defendants' relationship with a third-party group known as "Black Men Teach." Fellows of "Black Men Teach" were allotted extra paid training days and were exempt from "normal layoff policies, according to the DOJ. The department pointed out that, as the name implies, only black men are allowed to become "Black Men Teach" fellows.

"While Defendants claim that these provisions are to stop discrimination, they require Defendants to blatantly discriminate against teachers based on their race, color, sex and national origin," the DOJ complaint reads.

TRUMP-APPOINTED JUDGE STRIKES DOWN ANTI-DEI MEASURES FROM EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

The department also claims that MPS documents show the district is aiming to increase the number of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) staff by 40%. Additionally, the DOJ says the documents show that MPS is working to ensure that by 2026–2027 that at least 54.3% of new teacher hires are BIPOC.

"Employers may not provide more favorable terms and conditions of employment based on an employee’s race and sex," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will vigorously pursue employers who deny their employees equal opportunities and benefits by classifying and limiting them based on their race, color, national origin or sex."

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In the complaint, the DOJ urges the court to declare the policies to be discriminatory and in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and to prevent the district from implementing similar provisions in a future collective bargaining agreement.

MPS told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that it does not comment on pending litigation.

Jay Jones targeted as AGs urge national groups to deny membership over scandals: ‘Stain on our institution’

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:39:15 -0500

EXCLUSIVE: A slew of state attorneys general led by Austin Knudsen of Montana are urging two major national prosecutor associations to deny newly-minted Virginia Attorney General-elect Jay Jones membership over what they call disqualifying examples of bad judgment and "fitness" to serve in his new role.

Jones, a former Democratic state delegate from Norfolk, upset popular Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares – a race that was considered a bellwether for an eventual disastrous election night for the GOP across the commonwealth.

Knudsen, along with a growing list of at least five other state attorneys general, are urging the Attorney General Alliance and the National Association of Attorneys General to deny Jones’ membership.

"We write with grave concern about Virginia Attorney General-elect Jay Jones," the letter begins.

VIRGINIA SLAMMED FOR ‘TRULY DEMONIC’ ELECTION THAT EXCUSED POLITICAL VIOLENCE TO SPITE TRUMP, CRITICS SAY

"His conduct raises serious questions about his judgment, temperament, and fitness to serve as a state attorney general."

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton all signed the missive to representatives for both national associations.

The letter described how Jones in 2022 sent messages to outgoing Virginia Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Hopewell, that were "explicit fantasies of violence" against then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah.

VA DEMS REJECT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING POLITICAL VIOLENCE WHILE HOUSE SPEAKER CUTS OFF JAY JONES REFERENCES

"Most disturbingly, he expressed his desire to see his political opponents’ children die so that they could ‘feel pain personally’ – all because Jones considered his political opponents ‘evil’ people who were ‘breeding little fascists,'" Knudsen and his colleagues wrote.

"Further demonstrating his depravity, Mr. Jones expressed his desire to go to the funerals of his political opponents ‘to p[---] on their graves’ and ‘send them out awash in something.'"

The attorneys general claimed that Jones has exhibited a pattern of garnering "political success" by "wishing death" on others.

WHAT JAY JONES' VICTORY MEANS FOR DEMOCRATS AND THE 'NEW ERA OF VIOLENT RHETORIC,' ACCORDING TO EXPERTS

They cited reporting from the Virginia Scope that Jones remarked in a 2020 phone call with Coyner, while he defended supporting an end to qualified immunity, that if a "few" officers died, "maybe they would stop killing people."

Jones, however, adamantly denied he ever said that – telling the Scope that he has "never believed and do not believe that any harm should come to law enforcement, period."

"While Mr. Jones has issued an apology, it fails to convey genuine contrition. He does not fully acknowledge the danger posed by his words, nor the profound breach of public trust they represent," Knudsen and his fellow prosecutors countered.

SOROS-BACKED PROSECUTOR DOWNPLAYS DEM AG NOMINEE'S VIOLENT RHETORIC AS 'FALSE OUTRAGE'

"This is not a trivial lapse in judgment; it is a red flag about temperament, accountability, and fitness for office."

The attorneys general pointed to the assassinations of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, D-Brooklyn Park, and the multiple assassination attempts on President Donald Trump as reasons for concern over Jones’ rhetoric.

They concluded that their effort was not based on partisan politics but public trust and "basic human decency."

TRUMP CALLS JAY JONES AN 'ANIMAL,' SAYS 'ANYBODY WOULD BE PUT IN PRISON FOR WHAT HE SAID'

"Allowing Mr. Jones to participate would be a stain on our institutions and an abject moral failure. Your response will demonstrate whether our profession holds all members accountable, or whether violent rhetoric will go unchecked," they said.

After his text scandal blew up, Jones publicly said he was "embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry" for the messages.

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Jones also said he later contacted Gilbert to apologize.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to Jones via his campaign for further comment.

MIKE DAVIS: Why SCOTUS must reinstate Trump US Attorneys Alina Habba and Lindsey Halligan

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:01:59 -0500

On about two dozen occasions, the Supreme Court had to step in during President Trump’s second term because many inferior courts refused to accept that he is the president. The justices must do so again, after lower courts invalidated the appointments of acting U.S. attorneys Alina Habba of the District of New Jersey and Lindsey Halligan of the Eastern District of Virginia.

The Senate has a tradition that is over a century old called the blue slip. Home-state senators have an extraordinary power: the ability to veto U.S. marshals, U.S. attorneys, and U.S. district judges. In order for nominees to proceed, home-state senators must return a blue slip approving the nominations. Senators will never let this power go, so administrations have to bear the consequences. In New Jersey, leftist senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim have refused to allow the nomination of Alina Habba to serve as U.S. Attorney. Likewise, in Virginia, their fellow leftist senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner will not acquiesce to the nomination of Lindsey Halligan to serve as U.S. Attorney. As such, Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Habba and Halligan to 120-day terms to serve on an interim basis, as 28 U.S.C. § 546 allows. Halligan replaced another interim prosecutor, Eric Siebert, who departed shortly before his 120 days lapsed.

After 120 days have expired, leftists asserted that Bondi can make no more appointments, only district judges can. The Executive Branch, this argument goes, has no say whatsoever after 120 days. This result would lead to a scheme where leftist senators can block President Trump’s nominees. Then, courts composed mostly of leftist judges in these blue states can install leftist puppet U.S. attorneys, and the Executive Branch must grin and bear it, just as with the blue slip process.

The 120-day limit first appeared in a statute in 1986. During the years of presidents Clinton and Bush, attorneys general made successive 120-day appointments under the statutory scheme in effect from 1986-2006, the same scheme as today. Yet, Clinton Judge Cameron Currie of South Carolina did not view this historical evidence as persuasive when she invalidated Halligan’s appointment. Halligan secured indictments against New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud and former FBI Director James Comey for false statements to and obstruction of Congress concerning the Russiagate hoax.

TRUMP NOMINEES SQUEEZED BETWEEN 'BLUE SLIPS' AND BLUE OBSTRUCTION

Those indictments are, for the moment, invalid. Currie’s opinion drips with disdain for Halligan, noting Halligan’s lack of prosecutorial experience. This issue is irrelevant to the legal question. Halligan, under Currie’s analysis, could have had three decades of prosecutorial experience, and her appointment would still have violated the Constitution’s Appointments Clause. Currie also quoted another irrelevant piece of evidence: President Trump’s social media post demanding Bondi move faster on prosecutions. Whether Halligan’s appointment is valid has nothing to do with that post. Its inclusion thus has no valid legal purpose.

The Appointments Clause vests appointment power in a president, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for principal officers. Congress can also require the advice and consent process to apply to inferior officers, and it did so with respect to U.S. attorneys. As such, presidents nominate U.S. attorneys, and the Senate confirms them. When there are vacancies, attorneys general can fill them for 120 days at a time, and a separate part of Section 546 allows for district courts to make appointments after the 120 days have expired. The Constitution grants department heads and courts the power to appoint inferior officers. District judges, for example, appoint magistrate judges.

Section 546 does not vest the authority to appoint U.S. attorneys exclusively in district courts. Under the reading of the judges who have invalidated the appointments of Habba and Halligan, a future President J.D. Vance’s attorney general could not make a 120-day appointment, either. The text of Section 546 does not specify a 120-day appointment per president. When one president’s attorney general makes a 120-day appointment, these judges absurdly prevent any future president’s attorney general from doing so in that district. District judges therefore have all the power until the Senate confirms a nominee one of these years or decades.

THESE ARE THE JUDGES GOING TOE TO TOE AGAINST TRUMP'S AGENDA

Fortunately, the issue now is ripe for Supreme Court review. This week, a Third Circuit panel ruled that Habba’s appointment is invalid. The justices should decide the cases together, even though the Fourth Circuit has not ruled on the Halligan appeal. There is only one circuit with all states that have Republican senators: the Fifth. This district court control could continue into the terms of a President Vance.

The easiest way to correct the lower court’s error is for the Supreme Court to hold that Section 546 allows attorneys general to make more than one 120-day appointment. Alternatively, the justices could hold that Section 546’s stripping of appointment power from the Executive Branch with respect to its officials violates the separation of powers.

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In the face of immense criticism from Democrat politicians, the leftist media, and academic elites, the justices have intervened time and again to thwart unlawful interference by resistance lower courts. Because of the Supreme Court’s intervention on issues ranging from the ability to fire Executive Branch employees to the ability of the president to revoke temporary protected status from illegal immigrants, President Trump has been able to do his job far more effectively.

Bondi, Solicitor General John Sauer, and their team of stellar lawyers have amassed a success rate of over 90% at the Supreme Court. The justices must restore Habba and Halligan to preserve the separation of powers and prevent U.S. attorneys from being servants of district courts instead of presidents.

Nearly all Republican AGs add firepower to Trump's birthright citizenship push

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:48:59 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Nearly all Republican attorneys general asked the Supreme Court on Friday to side with President Donald Trump in his fight to curtail birthright citizenship, offering a wide show of support for one of the president’s most controversial agenda items.

The 24 states, led by Iowa’s Brenna Bird and Tennessee’s Jonathan Skrmetti, argued in an amicus brief that the 14th Amendment, which addresses birthright citizenship, was not designed to give automatic citizenship to babies born to mothers living in the country illegally or temporarily visiting.

The state attorneys wrote that they have a unique interest in seeing birthright citizenship limited because it incentivizes illegal immigration, which they said has negatively affected their states.

"Recent years have seen an influx of illegal aliens — over 9 million — overwhelming our nation’s infrastructure and its capacity to assimilate," they wrote, adding that their states therefore face "significant economic, health, and public-safety issues from policies holding out a ‘powerful incentive for illegal migration,’ … beyond what the Citizenship Clause requires."

HOW THE SUPREME COURT’S INJUNCTION RULING ADVANCES TRUMP’S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP FIGHT

The states are rallying behind Trump with the Supreme Court expected to decide in the coming weeks whether it will take up the president's petition that argues that the high court should reinterpret the 150-year-old amendment to do away with automatic citizenship.

Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio and New Hampshire did not join Friday's amicus brief. ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to their offices for comment. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is facing a tight race for re-election in the blue-leaning state.

Skrmetti of Tennessee pointed out in a statement that the post-Civil War citizenship amendment was designed to address children of people in the country legally, including formerly enslaved people.

"If you look at the law at the time, citizenship attached to kids whose parents were lawfully in the country," Skrmetti said. "Each child born in this country is precious no matter their parents’ immigration status, but not every child is entitled to American citizenship. This case could allow the Supreme Court to resolve a constitutional question with far-reaching implications for the States and our nation."

Trump signed an executive order as soon as he took office declaring that newborns of certain noncitizen mothers, including those living in the country illegally, do not get automatic citizenship, unless their father is a citizen.

The order was immediately met with several lawsuits. In response to judges uniformly blocking it, the Supreme Court ruled that nationwide injunctions like the ones in the birthright citizenship cases were unconstitutional.

But the high court left alternatives, including class action lawsuits, in place, prompting the plaintiffs to challenge Trump’s order to bring their cases again in a way that aligned with the justices’ order. The Supreme Court has not yet weighed in on the merits of Trump's plan.

SCOTUS RULES ON TRUMP'S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER, TESTING LOWER COURT POWERS

Lower court judges have said Trump's plan is far-fetched despite Republicans showing wide support for it.

Seattle-based federal Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, chastised government attorneys during a hearing over the matter earlier this year.

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"It has become ever more apparent that, to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals," the judge said. "The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain."

Coughenour said that if Trump wanted to change the "exceptional American grant of birthright citizenship," then the president would need to work with Congress to amend the Constitution rather than attempt to redefine the amendment through an executive order.

Jay Jones text scandal sparks donation surge as GOP group pours millions more into VA race

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:11:40 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: A top fundraising group in the Virginia election doubled its investment in the state’s attorney general race following the revelation of Democrat Jay Jones’ violent text messages, a sign that the controversy could be having concrete effects on his candidacy.

The Republican Attorneys General Association invested $2.5 million in Republican incumbent Jason Miyares on Friday, after dropping $2 million in the race earlier this week, ӣ��Ƶ Digital has learned. Those figures bring the group’s total contributions to Miyares to a historic $8.5 million.

Spokesman Adam Piper said the texting incident has driven new interest from donors, which has allowed the group to up its investment in the race.

YOUNGKIN PRESSES DEMS TO PUSH JAY JONES OFF VIRGINIA AG TICKET AFTER 'BEYOND DISQUALIFYING' MESSAGES SURFACE

Piper, the group's executive director, said the Republican Attorneys General Association has been "all in" on Miyares from the outset but that the text messages "completely changed the dynamics" of the race.

"Jason Miyares is surging in the polls and RAGA has been overwhelmed with millions in new donations, allowing us to double our investment in Virginia over the last week," Piper told ӣ��Ƶ Digital.

The group has outspent all other political committees up and down the gubernatorial race ticket, according to the most updated data from the Virginia Public Access Project. It also broke its prior record of $7 million, which it spent on their attorney general candidate in 2017.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS RELEASES ‘TWO BULLETS’ AD SCATHING OPPONENT FOR FAILING TO DEMAND JAY JONES’ OUSTER

The incidence of down-ticket donations overshadowing those for the governor’s race comes after Jones, a lawyer and former state delegate, fantasized in newly surfaced texts from 2022 about the violent death of a Republican lawmaker.

The GOP attorneys general group this week released internal polling, conducted Oct. 6-7 by Cygnal, that found a sharp drop of 21 points in Jones' favorability compared to one month ago. The poll found Miyares leading Jones by two points with one month until Election Day.

At the top of the ticket, recent polls have shown Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger leading Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by roughly ten points while the attorney general race is slightly tighter.

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With early voting well underway, it is unclear how much, if it all, the texts from Jones will hurt him and other Democratic candidates' chances of winning in a blue-leaning state. Jones has apologized for the texts but continues to face fierce backlash over them.

In addition to the new fundraising headwinds, Jones has been hit with widespread calls by Republicans to drop out of the race amid a heightened national concern over political violence. Democrats, including Spanberger, have disavowed the texts but stopped short of asking Jones to bow out.

Trump’s cashless bail reform is a good first step. There are 5 more we need right now

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 05:00:17 -0400

Cashless bail is a start. But to truly turn the tide on rising crime in America, President Donald Trump will have to focus on the entire criminal justice system, not just pretrial release. Five key stages must be addressed if he wants to Make America Safe Again: police, prosecutors, the judiciary, corrections and parole and probation.

This won’t be an easy task. But if he uses the same approach he’s taking on bail reform — tying compliance to federal funding — he can force change in jurisdictions that refuse to prioritize public safety. If this is done right, these reforms won’t just make headlines; they can make a lasting difference that protects Americans for generations.

On Aug. 25, 2025, Trump signed the executive order, "Taking Steps to End Cashless Bail to Protect Americans." I applaud him for directing the attorney general to identify states and localities that have eliminated cash bail for crimes that clearly threaten public safety.

TRUMP'S CASHLESS BAIL CRACKDOWN GETS EXPERT BACKING: 'POWER OF THE PURSE STRINGS' CAN FORCE COMPLIANCE

Cashless bail allows defendants to be arrested, appear before a judge and walk free without putting up a dime. There’s no monetary consequence for skipping court. This has fueled a revolving-door justice system in which repeat offenders are back on the streets before the police have even finished their paperwork. Ending this reckless policy is a critical first step — but it’s only the beginning.

Without well-trained, properly equipped police, arrests don’t stick. Good policing is more than putting handcuffs on a suspect; it’s building a case that can survive in court. As a former prosecutor, I know that meeting the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard is tough enough. But when officers cut corners on evidence collection or fail to secure witnesses, prosecutors are left with cases they can’t win. That means dangerous criminals go free. Training, accountability and resources for police departments are essential if we want convictions, not dismissals.

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Even with strong police work, justice fails when rogue prosecutors refuse to enforce the law. We’ve seen this in cities like Los Angeles under District Attorney George Gascón, where the priority seemed to be freeing offenders rather than protecting the public. Contrast that with Nathan Hochman, who, upon becoming L.A.’s district attorney in 2024, declared: "District attorneys must have only two things as their North Stars: the facts and the law." That’s the kind of prosecutorial mentality Americans deserve: prosecutors who put victims and communities first, not their own ideology.

CONGRESS TAKES AIM AT 'CASHLESS BAIL DISASTER' WITH NEW WHITE HOUSE-BACKED PROPOSALS

Trial judges wield enormous power in determining justice. Yet in many states, appointments and elections have filled benches with judges who care more about politics than public safety. The solution? Mandatory minimums. Legislatures are already realizing that unchecked judicial leniency has swung the pendulum too far. By setting clear sentencing floors for serious crimes, lawmakers can prevent judges from turning criminals loose and ensure real consequences for dangerous behavior.

Corrections isn’t just about warehousing inmates. It’s about ensuring that prisons, jails and correctional systems don’t become revolving doors. Too often, early-release programs put violent offenders back on the streets long before their time is up. Strong oversight and real consequences inside the corrections system are critical to protecting the public.

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Finally, we must fix parole and probation. These agencies are supposed to monitor offenders after release and keep them from re-offending. Instead, lax supervision has become a back door for criminals to commit new crimes while technically still "under state supervision." If parole officers and probation departments aren’t enforcing the rules, the public pays the price.

Cashless bail reform was an essential first step. But it only addresses what happens before trial. To truly make America Safe Again, President Trump must apply the same no-nonsense strategy, tying funding to results, across the entire justice system: from arrest to trial to sentencing to release. If he does, America won’t just see safer streets tomorrow. We’ll see a safer nation for decades to come.

Louisiana sues online gaming platform Roblox for allegedly enabling child predators

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:30:09 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Louisiana’s attorney general brought a lawsuit Thursday against Roblox, alleging the widely-used online gaming platform is rife with child predators and harmful content.

State Attorney General Liz Murrill said Roblox, an interactive online gaming program for children that touts more than 80 million users, cared more about driving profits than installing safeguards that would help protect young gamers.

"Due to Roblox’s lack of safety protocols, it endangers the safety of the children of Louisiana," Murrill said in a statement provided to ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety."

205 ARRESTED IN FBI CHILD SEX OPERATION, PATEL AND BONDI ANNOUNCE

The petition, filed in the Livingston Parish district court, cited an instance of local law enforcement in the town of Livingston executing a search warrant last month on the home of a man suspected of possessing child sex abuse material.

At the time of the arrest, the petition stated, the man was actively using Roblox and also possessed voice-altering technology to make himself sound like a young woman.

The company, worth $90 billion, has faced numerous other lawsuits from individuals, including a recent one brought by a Georgia mother who alleged her nine-year-old son was sexually exploited through his use of Roblox. The mother alleged that a user "extorted" her son into sending explicit images of himself to peers.

READ A COPY OF THE LAWSUIT. APP USERS: CLICK HERE

Louisiana's attorney general has zeroed in on Roblox's sign-up process, alleging the company does not verify a user's age and therefore makes it easy for child predators to pose as children and interact with them.

"The end result is that Defendant, through its failure to implement adequate safety features and its failure to provide notice of the danger, provides the perfect place for pedophiles," state attorneys wrote in the petition.

A Roblox spokesperson told ӣ��Ƶ Digital in a statement after this story was published that it does not comment on pending litigation but that it has dedicated "substantial resources" to preventing inappropriate content on its platform.

"While no system is perfect, Roblox has implemented rigorous technology and enforcement safeguards, including restrictions on sharing personal information, links, and user-to-user image sharing," the spokesperson said. "The safety of our community is a top priority."

Murrill also alleged that the platform includes "experiences" that are sometimes not age appropriate but yet are not labeled as such.

YOUNGKIN CREDITS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WITH BOLSTERING ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING EFFORTS

State attorneys claimed in the petition that Roblox fails to provide age designations on experiences "in order to increase the number of uses per experience for the purpose of increasing revenue," in violation of consumer protection laws.

The attorneys said the platform offers minors the ability to play in "condo games" in which their avatars can enter homes and remove their virtual clothing and engage in simulated sex acts with other users' avatars.

According to a study cited in the petition, at one point the platform hosted more than 600 "Diddy" games centered on famous rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs' criminal charges and featured hundreds of references to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was a registered sex offender alleged to have sex trafficked underage women.

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Murrill unveiled the lawsuit in a press conference and credited the state's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force with investigating the company. More than 40% of Roblox's users are under the age of 12, she said, adding that the lawsuit was part of a broader effort to address an uptick in sex crimes against minors.

"The number of tips that come in now compared to the number of tips that we used to get about 10 years ago, it's stunning," Murrill said. "The numbers have gone up exponentially. … It's become so much harder because of social media sites that not only invite our children in but they facilitate their exploitation."

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Jay Jones targeted as AGs urge national groups to deny membership over scandals: ‘Stain on our institution’

MIKE DAVIS: Why SCOTUS must reinstate Trump US Attorneys Alina Habba and Lindsey Halligan

Nearly all Republican AGs add firepower to Trump's birthright citizenship push

Jay Jones text scandal sparks donation surge as GOP group pours millions more into VA race

Trump’s cashless bail reform is a good first step. There are 5 more we need right now

Louisiana sues online gaming platform Roblox for allegedly enabling child predators

READ A COPY OF THE LAWSUIT. APP USERS: CLICK HERE

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