SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " The Department of Justice " 63 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Attorneys for Alaska say 'meritless' Trump demand to set aside Senate ballots 'not even possible'
The Department of Justice on Friday added a request that the judge separate all ballots showing votes for the second Dan Sullivan until it can be determined whether voters were fooled into wasting their votes for a spoiler candidate.
Analysis: More than 40% of names on DOJ list of alleged noncitizens not on California's voter rolls
It's the first outside analysis of a list that the Department of Justice has used to threaten prosecution of election officials. The analysis also found that thousands of U.S. citizens appear to be flagged as ineligible to vote on the government's list.
DEA Refuses To Approve Marijuana Businesses In States That Allow Dual Medical And Recreational Licensing
While the Department of Justice announced on Friday that it has given federal registration and protections to more than 900 medical cannabis businesses across the U.S., it is also refusing to extend such approvals to cannabis operators in certain states. According to an order DEA officials sent to a marijuana business in Minnesota, the agency […]
Top federal prosecutor in Alaska says criminal probe underway over would-be spoiler Senate candidate
The Department of Justice also filed with the court a list of proposed questions it seeks to compel the Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to answer about their reported role in recruiting the challenger Dan. J. Sullivan.
Election '26: Local officials discuss early voting, federal monitors
The Department of Justice is gearing up to send 1,000 election monitors to sites around the country on Election Day. Champaign County is expected to be among them, said County
Oakland County business accused of making false statements to obtain federal loan agrees to $1M+ settlement
A Wixom, Michigan, business accused of making false statements to obtain a loan it was ineligible for has agreed to pay a settlement of just over $1.5 million after it was sued by the federal government, according to the Department of Justice.
Trump administration drops legal fight to overhaul student loan forgiveness program
The Trump administration is moving to end its legal fight to overhaul a popular student loan forgiveness program. The Department of Justice appealed after federal judges ruled in June in
The Trump administration is doubling down on health care fraud investigations
At the STAT Summit, the Department of Justice offered up a warning for health care executives: Don’t be another Theranos.
Trump attacks Omar, blames Somali community for violence at Ohio rally
Federal agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington, D.C., home on Monday. Homeland Security Investigations agents conducted the search. The Department of Justice said in a statement that the raid was
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Recommends Science-Based Thresholds to Target Dangerous Enhanced Kratom Products
Kratom products credit: CDPH DEA takes action based on updated recommendation from HHS October 11, 2026 - WASHINGTON - On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services relesed the following: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided a new recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that establishes science-based thresholds for 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI), potent opioid compounds associated with products marketed as kratom. The Department of Justice today announced that DEA issued new Notices of Intent reflecting HHS’ updated scientific analysis and recommendations, including a new Notice of Intent for 7-OH and MGPI incorporating HHS’ recommended concentration and ratio thresholds. Following a review of available scientific data and comments, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brian Christine, M.D., recommended that DEA use concentration or ratio-based thresholds to determine which products containing 7-OH and MGPI are subject to Schedule I control for purposes of temporary scheduling of these substances under the Controlled Substances Act. The recommendation is designed to target concentrated or chemically altered products while distinguishing them from natural botanical kratom products, which may contain trace amounts of 7-OH and MGPI. “We are drawing a clear line between natural kratom and dangerous, enhanced opioid products,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We listened to the public, followed the science, and developed a clear recommended threshold for temporary scheduling that targets concentrated 7-OH and MGPI without sweeping natural botanical kratom into Schedule I. The Trump Administration will continue taking decisive action against dangerous products that fuel addiction while making sure our policies are grounded in rigorous science.” Under the recommendation, 7-OH and MGPI would be controlled in Schedule I for purposes of temporary scheduling when either substance alone, or their combined amount when both are present: Exceeds 1 milligram per gram in solid powders, encapsulated material, or other solid forms, or exceeds 1 milligram per milliliter in liquid preparations; or When the mass of mitragynine present divided by the mass of 7-OH, or MGPI, or the combined amount of 7-OH and MGPI if both present, is less than 100. The ratio-based approach reflects the alkaloid composition of natural kratom products and provides a way to identify products intentionally enhanced or concentrated with 7-OH or MGPI. Available scientific data indicate that 7-OH occurs naturally in botanical kratom at relatively low or trace levels, while some evidence reviewed by FDA suggests MGPI may also occur at trace levels in some natural or kratom-derived products. FDA's scientific review found that 7-OH is substantially more potent than morphine in preclinical studies, with available data indicating approximately two to nine times greater potency depending on the study. FDA also identified evidence supporting a meaningful risk of opioid-like physical dependence and withdrawal from MGPI. “Our recommendation gives DEA a scientifically supportable framework to distinguish natural botanical kratom from products that have been concentrated or manipulated to deliver dangerous levels of potent opioid compounds,” said Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brian Christine, M.D. “This approach allows us to focus on the products that pose the greatest threat to public health.” In July 2025, following an FDA scientific and medical evaluation, HHS recommended that 7-OH above a specified threshold be placed in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. In July 2026, DEA announced its intent to temporarily schedule 7-OH above a specified threshold, and HHS simultaneously sought public comment on the proposed threshold. DEA subsequently temporarily placed MGPI and two synthetic 7-OH derivatives, MGM-15 and MGM-16, in Schedule I. Since then, questions have emerged about how scheduling could affect natural botanical kratom products potentially containing trace amounts of MGPI. The new HHS recommendation responds to those concerns by providing DEA with a more precise threshold based on both the concentration of 7-OH and MGPI and their relationship to mitragynine, the predominant alkaloid in kratom. HHS and FDA will continue working with DEA to protect Americans from dangerous concentrated and synthetic opioid products while ensuring federal policy is grounded in the best available science. Source: HHS
Trump administration relaxes rules around political events for Blanche, other Senate-approved appointees
The Department of Justice is making it easier for Attorney General Todd Blanche and other Senate-confirmed DOJ appointees to participate in political activities, according to a new internal memo obtained by PBS News.
How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy
Hey all, Jason here. Money20/20 is still two weeks away, but I’ve already started packing (not procrastinating for once!). My calendar is already filling up with various sessions I want to catch, meetings, and of course happy hours, dinners, and other side events. If you’ll be in Vegas and want to catch up, let me know by replying to this email, and we can try to find a time amidst the chaos of the Venetian. A big if not totally unexpected piece of news dropped on Friday: the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group that represents smaller U.S. banks, filed a lawsuit against the OCC and Comptroller Jonathan Gould, arguing that the regulator’s move to grant trust bank charters to firms seeking to use them to conduct substantial non-fiduciary activities exceeds the authorities granted to the OCC by Congress. I haven’t had time to fully digest the legal filing or speak to folks in my network about it, but you can expect to see coverage and analysis on it in next week’s newsletter. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading The NerdCon agenda just dropped. It’s stacked. Partner content: Nubank built an AI-first bank. Chime built its own banking core. Figure and Valon are rebuilding the mortgage stack. At NerdCon, you’ll hear from the people behind those bets: what they chose, what they learned, and what they’re still figuring out. The agenda is live, with leaders from Nubank, Chime, OpenAI, Remitly, Mercury, Figure, Valon and more. Follow the mainstage conversations, bring the problem your team is wrestling with to a hands-on workshop, or pull up a chair at a roundtable. Pick your quests. Meet us in San Diego, November 18–20. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% with code FBW20. Explore the Agenda Things To Know & Other Good Reads Federal Reserve Board finalizes changes to enhance the transparency and public accountability of its stress test and reduce volatility in its stress test-related capital requirements (Federal Reserve Board of Governors) FDIC Announces Conclusion of Independent Monitorship (FDIC) Modernizing Financial Regulation: Initial Observations from eSLR (Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman) The Data Version of Godzilla versus Kong: FRED Takes on AI (Fed Governor Christopher Waller) Financing the AI buildout (Brookings) Q3’26: Rules for Banks but Not for Crypto (Fintech Takes Banking) The Inevitability of Local Stablecoins (Lombard Notes) Delusions of AI Governance: The Human-in-the-Loop Comfort Blanket (Fintech Snark Tank) Stripe agrees to acquire Parafin to expand revenue opportunities for platforms and help small businesses grow (Stripe) Listen: Fighting Fraud in the Age of AI, with SEON’s Tamas Kadar (Fintech Business Weekly) How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy If there is one overarching theme across the economy and politics in the U.S. at the moment, it’s “affordability.” The term is vague enough to encompass a panoply of factors shaping Americans’ day-to-day lives: rising costs for the hallmarks of being “middle class,” including healthcare, housing, childcare, and education, inflation and rising interest rates, and a job market with the specter of AI hovering over it. At the same time, policy shifts under the Trump administration have resulted in reduced subsidies to those who get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act and new restrictions on qualifying for Medicaid and SNAP, the impacts of which have yet to be fully felt. These factors are contributing to declining consumer confidence and general dissatisfaction with the economy, despite continuing GDP growth and stock market records. This divergence is encapsulated in the idea of the “K-shaped” economy, in which a small proportion of Americans have seen their wealth balloon, while the majority of American households struggle to preserve the lifestyle they have. Perhaps the greatest determinant of which branch of the “K” a household is on is whether their wealth and income are primarily derived from employment vs. from assets. Nearly two decades of low interest rates and, more recently, elevated rates of inflation have benefited asset owners, while those whose income is primarily or solely derived from labor have largely seen real purchasing power stagnate or decline. This is reflected in recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that labor share of U.S. GDP — the fraction of economic output that accrues to workers as compensation in exchange for their labor — dropped to just 52.8% in Q2 2026, the lowest since the BLS began keeping records. In 1947, approximately 2/3rds of economic output accrued to workers; even as recently as 2001, labor’s share of GDP was 64.1%. Against this backdrop, we’ve seen the rise of more credit and credit-like products: cash advance apps, “no-fee” overdraft, earned wage access, and buy now pay later, which are often used as small-dollar short-term borrowing mechanisms to meet immediate consumption needs or pay other bills (eg utilities, cell phone, other debt payments). With the markers of a middle class existence and, increasingly, basic financial stability seemingly out of reach for many, it should be no surprise there’s been an increase in “financial nihilism,” something industry peers like Alex Johnson and Frank Rotman have discussed and analyzed the roots of. The explosion of gambling and gambling-adjacent products and services — often marketed under the guise of being an “investment” — is inextricably intertwined with the rise of financial nihilism. Crypto, sports betting, and, more recently, prediction markets offer an escape or even hope of sorts, like a contemporary, digital version of a scratch-off lottery ticket, while leaving the overwhelming number of people who use such products worse off. Share of Households That Are Financially “Vulnerable” Ticks Up The Financial Health Network’s 2026 Financial Health Pulse® report adds context on how American households are faring. (I linked to this report in last week’s newsletter, but wanted to take time to further unpack the data in the report this week.) The Financial Health Network publishes the report annually, providing insight into how Americans’ financial circumstances are changing over time. The 2026 report is derived from a survey fielded in April and May 2026. The report leverages survey responses to assess indicators of financial health across spending, saving, borrowing, and planning/protecting and to determine a zero to 100 “FinHealth” score. Those with scores between 0 and 39 are considered “Financially Vulnerable,” consumers with scores ranging between 40 and 79 are defined as “Financially Coping,” and those with scores of 80 to 100 are “Financially Healthy.” The report found that moderate improvements in 2025 were reversed, with the share of respondents considered financially “vulnerable” rebounding to 17%. The longitudinal data reflect the impact of pandemic-era programs, like expanded unemployment, cash stimulus payments, and pauses of federal student loan payments. The positive impacts of those programs, as reflected in the Financial Health Pulse reports, had largely disappeared by 2023. While pandemic-era inflation — to be fair, in part caused by the various support and stimulus measures — had come down from as high as 9% in 2022, it has rebounded since the start of Trump’s second term, with tariffs and energy market disruptions owing to the war in Iran pushing prices back up. Specific indicators in the survey that deteriorated from 2025 to 2026 include the share of respondents spending less than their income over the past 12 months, the share paying all bills on time over the past 12 months, the share that have a manageable amount or no debt, the share that are “moderately” or “very” confident their insurance is adequate to cover them in an emergency, and the share that “somewhat” or “strongly” agree that their household plans ahead financially. Unsurprisingly, lower- and moderate-income households are more likely to struggle to pay their bills on time and have any funds leftover to save. The share of low-income households whose income exceeded their spending dropped from 35% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, while the share of upper-income households whose income exceeded expenses remained unchanged at 63%. Households with student loans or revolving credit card debt reported having “a bit more” or “far more” debt than was manageable at rates far higher than those not carrying these types of debts. The share of those with student loan debt indicating their debt load was too high to manage increased from 50% in 2025 to 55% in 2026, while the share of those with revolving credit card debt saying the same ticked up from 51% in 2025 to 54% in 2026. Households that had student loans were markedly more likely to be financially “coping” or “vulnerable” vs. those without student loans. In 2026, 27% of households with student loans were considered financially vulnerable, a jump of 6% points vs. 2025. Households without student loans saw just a 1% point increase (not statistically significant) in those considered financially vulnerable. Households’ perception of the affordability of categories of goods and services paints a stark picture, with less than one-fourth considering higher education affordable, about a third deeming childcare affordable, and less than half viewing healthcare as affordable. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Democratic Senate Report Highlights How Iran Uses Tether to Evade U.S. Sanctions Iran uses stablecoins, specifically Tether, to evade sanctions, fund regional proxies, and to purchase military drones, a report released last week by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says. The report was authored by committee ranking member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and the minority staff. Crypto and stablecoin proponents will often push back on criticism that criminals make use of these assets by arguing that, on an absolute dollar basis, far more illicit funds flow through traditional banking systems and payment rails than via crypto and stablecoins. And while that is likely true, it elides the reality presented in news story after news story: whether state actors — Russia, Iran, North Korea — or criminal groups, those looking to engage in illicit transactions increasingly favor stablecoins and, specifically, Tether (USDT). The report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released last week adds context to how Iran uses Tether has a lynchpin in its shadow banking system. The report analyzed 846 wallets that have been sanctioned or targeted for seizure, finding that 84% of them transacted exclusively or primarily in Tether. The ability to create near limitless, anonymous wallets and to move funds effectively instantaneously and irreversibly have made crypto a favored financial mechanism for bad actors. Stablecoins solved key drawbacks of bitcoin, namely, the original cryptocurrency’s highly volatile value in dollars. And while Tether (the company) has the technical ability to “freeze” or destroy funds, the company is often limited and reactive in its approach to doing so, the Senate report argues. Tether, which is nominally based in crypto-friendly El Salvador, “has stated that its compliance with OFAC sanctions is ‘voluntary’ and that it follows ‘OFAC guidelines,’” the Senate report says. Owing to these favorable attributes, Tether “became a primary cryptocurrency for Iran, Hamas, Hizballah, and the Houthis beginning in 2023 and has expanded in scale since,” according to the report. Tether’s role in Iran’s shadow banking system, the report says, is enhanced by crypto exchanges like Bybit, Kyrrex, OKX, Gate, and Binance, and through “over the counter” exchanges and hawala networks. The consequences of these financial flows aren’t hypothetical. The Senate report links Tether as a funds transfer mechanism to Iranian proxies in the region, including Hizballah, the Houthis, and Hamas. Tether has also been used to make payments to secure components necessary to manufacture drones, the report says. The report concludes by arguing that “[s]tablecoin issuers with a significant nexus to the United States, particularly those that offer dollar-denominated stablecoins, should be subject to American sanctions law rather than being allowed to hide behind foreign jurisdictions.” Stablecoin issuers like Tether must be held accountable for repeated failures to prevent illicit finance and sanctions violations by law enforcement, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and OFAC, the report argues. [Paying Subscriber Exclusive] OUSD Goes Live, Make Your Own Neobank, U.S. Sanctions Russia’s A7 Network As “Transnational Criminal Organization” OpenUSD, the stablecoin issued by the Open Standard consortium that includes Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, core providers, crypto firms, and numerous banks, went live last week. Social commerce platform Whop raised eyebrows in fintech by offering creators on its platform the ability to launch their own neobanks, which the company describes as “great businesses that are easy to run,” in just 15 minutes. And OFAC and FinCEN target Russia’s “shadow banking” A7 Network — more on these stories after the paywall.
Iowa attorney sentenced to federal prison for health care fraud
A 67-year-old Iowa attorney has been sentenced to six months in federal prison after pleading guilty in a health care fraud case. Timothy Mark Anderson of Garner worked with clients with nursing home expenses who hoped to qualify for Medicaid. According to the Department of Justice, Anderson is also “an avid collector of luxury vehicles” […]
Concerns about misuse of flock cameras cross Alabama’s political aisle
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Alabama, joined colleague Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Georgia, in asking the Department of Justice to give guidance on flock cameras.
Democrats pounce on report tying Collins to defense contractor
It all started when ProPublica investigated the impacts of President Donald Trump’s decision to clean house at the FBI and the Department of Justice in 2024.
House votes to hold billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress over Epstein investigation
The House approved a resolution Wednesday holding billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress, referring the matter to the Department of Justice after he defied the Oversight Committee's subpoenas in its investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Toney vows to put public safety over politics in AG campaign stop
The GOP candidate for state attorney general visited Rice Lake on Saturday, telling Republicans he will right the Department of Justice ship and prioritize public safety over politics.
New wave of healthcare fraud enforcement
In past years, federal and state authorities typically initiated healthcare fraud investigations based on whistleblower complaints and audits. While that still occurs, the model is changing. Federal enforcement agencies are increasingly using sophisticated data analytics, artificial intelligence, and coordinated investigative efforts to identify potential fraud. The Department of Justice (DOJ),…
Judge strikes down Trump administration lawsuit against trans-inclusive sports in California
The Department of Justice had sought to strip California of $44 billion if schools didn’t eject trans girls from girls’ sports teams.
Federal judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit challenging California policy allowing biological males in girls’ sports
A federal judge dismissed the Department of Justice lawsuit against California over transgender athletes competing in girls' sports on procedural grounds.
What's at stake for Dodgers' owner Mark Walter as authorities probe his businesses
With the Department of Justice, the SEC and state insurance regulators probing Mark Walter's businesses, the Dodgers owner has a lot on the line.
What's at stake for Dodgers' owner Mark Walter as authorities probe his businesses
With the Department of Justice, the SEC and state insurance regulators probing Mark Walter's businesses, the Dodgers owner has a lot on the line.
DOJ identifies home health, hospice fraud as key healthcare enforcement priority
In a new memo outlining the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s enforcement priorities in a variety of industries, the Department of Justice called out home health and hospice fraud as an area of focus in the healthcare sector.
Former SPLC official charged in Justice Department's broader criminal case against group
A former Southern Poverty Law Center official has been charged in the Department of Justice’s broader criminal case against the Alabama-based civil rights group, a frequent target of conservative critics who claim the nonprofit is politically biased.
Jacksonville-based Complete Health to pay $14M in Medicare Advantage settlement
Complete Health Partners Holdings has agreed to pay $14.1 million to settle allegations that it caused false diagnosis codes to be submitted to boost payments from the Medicare Advantage program, the Department of Justice said.
California Politics 360 full episode | Governor, First Partner release tax returns
The move comes as the Department of Justice is apparently investigating them and their nonprofits.
U.S. sports executive buys minority stake in second-tier Bolton after Donald Trump pardon
The stake in the Championship club is Tim Leiweke's latest venture into sport since the Department of Justice accused him of corruption.
Politics Unplugged (Full Episode) July 5, 2026
State Senator Analise Ortiz discusses No Safe Seats, an effort to raise money for progressive Democrats who are challenging establishment Democrats in the state. Plus, former Democratic lawmaker Reginald Bolding and Republican businesswoman Christine Jones discuss the Supreme Court ruling upholding birthright citizenship. Then, Reginald and Christine talk about the Department of Justice investigation into Senator Roben Gallego.
Singham funding one of 'most subversive political networks' in America: former senior Treasury advisor
Sam Lyman, former Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speechwriter, called the Department of Justice grand jury probe into the Neville Roy Singham network an "enormous development."
Dozens in Florida among hundreds charged in a DOJ crackdown on healthcare fraud
The two-week operation uncovered more than $6.5 billion in false claims submitted to insurers, according to the Department of Justice. Nearly two dozen arrests were made by state authorities.
Two in Hawaii charged in nationwide health care fraud, opioid crackdown
The Department of Justice charged 455 health care professionals nationwide — including two in Hawaiʻi — in alleged fraud and opioid schemes totaling $6.5 billion.
DOJ announces $6.5B healthcare fraud takedown with record Medicaid enforcement
The Department of Justice unveiled charges against 455 people, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in healthcare schemes that involved mor | Law enforcement unveiled charges against 455 defendants for their alleged participation in healthcare schemes, among which fraudulent amniotic wound allografts and undelivered Medicaid services were spotlighted.
DOJ unveils charges for $6.5 billion in health fraud schemes
The Department of Justice (DOJ) unveiled on Tuesday charges against more than 450 defendants for alleged health care fraud totaling over $6.5 billion in false claims, as part of the Trump administr…
Justice Department opens civil rights probe after Giants’ Pride protest
The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into MLB, claiming discrimination against Giants pitchers after the team’s Pride Night.
Newsom sees Trump DOJ investigation as a political gift
An investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) could have put California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on defense. Instead, it is giving Newsom, seen as a leading Democratic White House contender…
Trump moves oversight of special education, civil rights out of Education Dept.
The Department of Justice will take on enforcement of civil rights in education, while the Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education
Trump moves oversight of special education, civil rights out of Education Dept.
The Department of Justice will take on enforcement of civil rights in education, while the Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education
Gavin Newsom says Trump Justice Department is investigating him
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the Department of Justice is investigating him, claiming that President Donald Trump is targeting a “political enemy” despite no evidence the Democratic potential 2028 presidential contender has committed a crime.
Vance recommends DOJ criminal investigation into Tim Walz and Minnesota AG over state’s fraud scandal
Vice President JD Vance, who leads the White House anti-fraud task force, has referred allegations of complicity surrounding fraud in Minnesota, including against Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation.
Trump says he will nominate acting AG Todd Blanche to permanently lead Justice Department
President Trump announces plans to nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to permanently lead the Department of Justice after Pam Bondi's firing.
Trump's DOJ sues 4 Democratic-run states over denying undercover license plates for federal agents
The Department of Justice alleges in separate lawsuits announced Thursday that Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington state are imposing unconstitutional restrictions that it says impede law enforcement and threaten agents’ safety.
Trump appoints former AG Pam Bondi to White House science panel
President Trump has appointed former Attorney General Pam Bondi to his panel on science and technology, nearly two months after he fired her as the head of the Department of Justice. …
Bonus 228: The $1.776B Political Question
Every so often a story comes along that is so brazen, so cleanly emblematic of the moment we are living through, that staying quiet about it feels like a kind of complicity unto itself. Monday’s announcement by the Department of Justice that the Acting Attorney General has unilaterally created a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate so-called “victims of lawfare” is one of those stories. And the reason I want to write about it here, in a newsletter ostensibly devoted to the Supreme Court and the law and politics surrounding it, is that I’m increasingly worried that we’re asking the wrong institution to save us from one of the most offensive, alarming, and anti-constitutional things we’ve seen from any president in American history. As I explain below the fold, the Anti-Weaponization Fund is not principally a legal problem awaiting a judicial fix. It is a shockingly egregious political abuse—the President suing his own government, purporting to settle with himself, and routing nearly $2 billion from the Treasury to his own supporters as a not-so-subtle (and not-so-formal) reward, if not an incentive, for political violence. And the Constitution’s answer to political abuses of this kind and magnitude is a political remedy, not a legal one. In his majority opinion in NFIB v. Sebelius (the Affordable Care Act case from 2012), Chief Justice Roberts defended the Court’s endorsement of Congress’s power to adopt the individual mandate by noting that it is “not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.” As much of a judicial supremacist as I am, that sentiment is, for better or worse, an entirely correct (and, in the long term, normatively desirable) institutional assessment. One can believe in substantial judicial power without believing that literally every political dispute in our country can and should be resolved by unelected judges. The real upshot of this latest headline (among so, so many other similar headlines) is that it is past time to reinvigorate impeachment—not because conviction is realistic in this Senate, or even because impeachment itself is feasible in this House, but because forcing every member of Congress to vote on the record whether this brazen, corrosive, and affirmatively dangerous corruption is impeachable is itself a point worth fighting for (and fighting with our friends over). Assuming the courts will save us absolves our political leaders of both responsibility and accountability for allowing this kind of mischief to continue, and it absolves all of us of our responsibility to refuse to tolerate those who would just as quickly shrug their shoulders and move on. For those who aren’t paid subscribers, we’ll be back (no later than) Monday with our continuing coverage of the Supreme Court. For those who are, please read on.
U.S. government agrees to drop tax claims against Trump in broadening of IRS lawsuit settlement
The one-page document posted to the Department of Justice website Tuesday says the U.S. is “forever barred and precluded” from examining or prosecuting Trump, his sons and the Trump organization’s current tax issues.
<em>Science </em>magazine investigates FBI’s witch-hunt against Chinese researchers</em>
Science magazine, one of the most prestigious peer-reviewed publications in the world, has published an investigative report titled “Researching While Chinese,” detailing the Department of Justice (DOJ) persecution of Chinese researchers at the University of Michigan and Indiana University.
Families File Class Action to Block DOJ from Illegally Obtaining Protected Health Records from Hospitals Across the Country
The Department of Justice has been trying to force hospitals to share private medical records of transgender youth.
The Department of Justice might be the big loser in the Comey charges
Trump’s revenge prosecutions are impairing its credibility
The King and Trump, and Why It Matters | WSJ Politics Newsletter for April 29
Plus, the Department of Justice charges James Comey for a second time and the Trump family crypto firm linked with business that had ties to a scamming ring.
US justice department blocking Met police investigation into Mandelson, reports say
The department of justice has refused to hand over key evidence from the Jeffrey Epstein files and could delay Scotland Yard’s criminal inquiry.
SPLC indictment ‘nakedly political’: Morial
National Urban League President Marc Morial on Thursday slammed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as a “nakedly political” move to strike civil …
Constitutional Challenges to the False Claims Act: an Opportunity to Reconsider DOJ’s “Money Over Everything” Approach to Health Care Enforcement - Petrie-Flom Center
The False Claims Act — the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) efforts to combat health care fraud — is under constitutional attack.
Todd Blanche says Americans should be 'happy' Trump is deeply involved in DOJ
The acting attorney general said in an interview with NBC News that he's not concerned when Trump "encourages or directs or expects the Department of Justice to do its job."
The Department of Justice’s investigation is the latest in Trump’s decades-long feud with the NFL
By targeting the NFL for allegedly forcing customers into expensive streaming options, Trump’s DOJ extends a long-running animosity
Several people arrested for $50M health care fraud across Southern California
Federal authorities arrested eight people for defrauding Medicare and other insurance companies with many of them using hospices as a front to bilk millions of dollars, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday. Collectively, the eight people are accused of stealing from $50 million dollars from different locations across Southern California from Anaheim to Simi Valley. Calling Southern California a…
GOP lawmaker says Muslims 'don't belong' in US, draws harsh criticism
Rep. Andy Ogles posted the statement the same day the Department of Justice indicted two men on federal charges of attempting to support ISIS.
What to know about the ongoing antitrust trial against Live Nation
The time has come. After years of ticketing scrutiny, the Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation started its trial this week. Here's what's at stake.
DOJ v. OhioHealth Confirms Antitrust Enforcers’ Continued Focus on Health Care Markets
On February 20, 2026, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division (DOJ) and Ohio Attorney General (Ohio AG) sued OhioHealth Corporation (OhioHealth), alleging that OhioHealth had unlawfully…
Health Regulators Ask DOJ to Investigate Hims & Hers. The Stock Plunges.
The Department of Health and Human Services referred the consumer wellness company to the Department of Justice for investigation, wrote HHS general counsel Mike Stuart in a post on X Friday afternoon.
The Department of Justice announces release of more than 3 million pages of files related to Epstein investigation
‘Phoenix heat melts ICE’: Zipps Sports Grill Bar raids raise questions
Although the Department of Justice said it was not an official immigration action, Raul Piña, who serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Melendres v. MCSO case about racial profiling, disagreed. Piña said this technique of detaining undocumented immigrants was pioneered by former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Trump's Weaponization of the Department of Justice to Bring Political Investigations and Indictments Threatens our Democratic System
Given the political chaos that now exists from the “flood the zone” approach of the Trump Administration, it is easy to be only dimly aware.
Trump Can Prosecute Anyone Now
The Department of Justice is his personal law firm.
How the Trump Justice Department is targeting his perceived opponents : The NPR Politics Podcast
From the NPR podcast Consider This:The Department of Justice is once again at the center of the news.At least five federal lawmakers say they have been contacted for questioning from federal prosecutors. So has the chairman of the Federal Reserve.And in Minnesota, career federal prosecutors resigned after being asked to investigate not the shooting that killed Renee Macklin Good, but her widow’s potential ties to activist groups.NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro and NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson break down the latest in Justice Department news.