Sam Levine

The ‘bizarre’ referral of the US housing finance agency chief to oust Lisa Cook Former officials and experts say Bill Pulte’s request for inquiry into Fed governor’s alleged fraud is ‘unusual’

New: Former FHFA and FHFAOIG officials raise questions about Bill Pulte’s criminal referral of Lisa Cook. One called it “bizarre.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

‘I’m not coming home’: Trump policy holds people in Ice custody without bail Restaurant worker’s case shows how Trump administration is ‘inflicting the maximum punishment’, experts say

New: An immigration judge ordered a New York waiter released on bond. ICE is refusing to release him.

How the Trump admin is taking advantage of a rarely used rule to keep people detained when judges grant them bond www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Pam Bondi fired him for prosecuting January 6 rioters. He’d do it again: ‘it’s about justice’ After volunteering to take on cases, Mike Gordon became known as a skilled litigator who took on high profile defendants

When Mike Gordon showed up for work on June 27, he was having one of the best weeks of his career. By the end of the day, he was fired.

I profiled Gordon, a career prosecutor who was fired for taking on high profile Jan 6 cases. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

How Trump has supercharged the immigration crackdown - in data Revealed: Guardian analysis provides a detailed picture of surging arrests and a detention system that’s stretched beyond capacity

Our analysis of detailed arrest and deportation data hows just how drastically the ICE immigration enforcement apparatus has transformed under Trump. With @wcraft.bsky.social
& Andrew Witherspoon.

US lawyers set up own firms to lead legal fightback in face of Trump onslaught Several law firms have capitulated to Trump pressure leaving but some lawyers have left to fight government cuts

New: As Trump wages an attack on the legal system, lawyers are setting up their own firms to defend those targeted by the administration www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US justice department asks civil rights division attorneys to stay after mass exits Officials also asked attorneys who were removed in April if they would consider returning to handle civil rights work

Scoop: DOJ officials asked some attorneys in the civil rights division to reconsider their decision to leave amid a mass exodus of lawyers www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Trump’s justice department appointees remove managers of voting unit Section is responsible for enforcing laws designed to prevent voter discrimination, raised alarm about voting rights enforcement

Scoop: All of the managers in DOJ's voting section have been remove and political appointees have told attorneys to dismiss all active cases without explanation www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

‘An existential threat to democracy’: the US judge facing a challenge to her election victory Allison Riggs won in November – but a court ruling has put ballots in North Carolina under threat. The stakes are high

I interviewed @allisonjriggs.bsky.social about efforts to overturn her election to the NC supreme court. “This is not just a North Carolina problem. This is an existential threat to democracy," she said. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

That's correct! Deleted post because I was confused. Thanks!

How DOGE may have improperly used Social Security data to push voter fraud narratives A DOGE staffer working in the Social Security Administration has been pushing questionable claims about noncitizens voting — apparently using data that court records suggest DOGE shouldn't have.

NEW on @npr.org:

A DOGE staffer working in the Social Security Administration has been pushing questionable claims about noncitizens voting — apparently using data that court records suggest DOGE shouldn't have.

More on the claims and the latest in DOGE access concerns:

US law firms quietly scrub DEI references from websites to appease Trump Changes at two dozen prestigious firms underscore Trump’s successful intimidation campaign against legal profession

New: Nearly two dozen law firms have quietly scrubbed deferences to diversity on their webpages, and some have revised their descriptions of pro-bono work to remove areas that don't align with Trump administration goals www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Early voting proposal killed on last day of Mississippi legislative session Mississippi will remain one of only three states without no-excuse early voting or absentee voting. Senate leaders decided on the last day of their 2025 session not to send a bill to Gov.

Both houses of the Mississippi legislature voted overwhelmingly to create an in-person early voting option, but a procedural block prevented it from being sent to Gov. Tate Reeves, killing the bill for this session.

apnews.com/us-news/tate...

North Carolina judges back Republican colleague in bid to toss votes and overturn election Appeals court sides with Jefferson Griffin, who lost supreme court election and wants thousands of ballots thrown out

North Carolina judges back Republican colleague in bid to toss votes and overturn election www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

More than 80 ex-staffers of top law firm express ‘deep outrage’ over Trump deal Former Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom employees say firm has ‘caved’ to the administration’s ‘bullying’ in letter

More than 80 ex-staffers of top law firm express ‘deep outrage’ over Trump deal www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Voting rights saga over race-based redistricting comes to US supreme court Case regarding Louisiana’s majority-Black districts could be vehicle for court to further weaken the Voting Rights Act

SCOTUS hears a dispute this morning over Louisiana’s congressional map with huge stakes for how race is used in redistricting www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Trump’s defiance of court orders is ‘testing the fences’ of the rule of law Administration’s ‘unprecedented degree of resistance’ to judiciary undercuts its authority and weakens democracy

“I will tell you that judges are human, just like everybody else. We have emotions, we have fears, we have concerns for our family members and for our own safety,” said Judge Esther Salas. “It does impact a judicial officer.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Sec. Noem sent a letter to the National Association of Secretaries of State *on Friday* that states would be able to "continue to receive products and services offered by CISA security advisors and through the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center."

North Carolina denies Republican request to disqualify 60,000 votes in state supreme court race Board turns away challenges to voters whose registrations Republicans targeted because they lacked social security or driver’s license number

North Carolina denies Republican request to disqualify 60,000 votes in state supreme court race www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024...

North Carolina to hear Republican plea to disqualify 60,000 votes in state supreme court race Allison Riggs, Democratic candidate, edged out Jefferson Griffin by 734 votes, with partial hand recount favoring her

NC state board of election is beginning hearing on request to throw out 60,000 votes in state supreme court contest that was decided by around 700 votes www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024...

Most recent Murdoch succession drama was reportedly set off by an episode of the HBO show "Succession" www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/b...

Northampton Co. officials recap November election with an eye toward future Northampton County elections officials recommended against buying more machines to combat long lines, and asked state legislators to let them work ahead on opening mail-in ballots.

lehighvalleynews.com/northampton-county/northampton-co-officials-recap-november-election-with-an-eye-toward-future

Understanding local election officials face a lot of pressure, it's a bit bizarre to see that officials in a key PA county say there's absolutely nothing they could have done differently to have prevented 6 hour wait & attributing delay to...the weather?

U.S. district judge Beryl Howell rejected a pro se request sent by Rudy Giuilani asking for an extension to respond to civil contempt request. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Lawyers for Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss say that Rudy Giuliani should be held in civil contempt by default because he never responded to their motion. Background: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024...

What is a presidential pardon and how has it been used in the US? The US is somewhat unique in letting its chief executive pardon without having to get signoff – here’s what to know

What is a presidential pardon and how has it been used in the US? www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024...

Need the receipt to believe this

The last recount for an Iowa legislative race wrapped up yesterday and confirmed Democratic State Rep Monica Kurth defeated Nathan Ramker by 45 votes in HD-98 (part of Davenport).
Republicans will have a 67-33 Iowa House majority, up from 64-36 for the past two years. #ialegis

JUST IN: A Minnesota recount confirms that Democrat Dan Wolgamott won reelection. This was last district to be recounted.

This means the state House will be tied, 67-67.

(A GOP win here would have given them the edge.)

Unclear what a power-sharing agreement will look like.

Another update (as of 2:23 PM on 11-25) in NC Associate Supreme Court Election Recount:

Now up to 70 out of 100 counties reporting their recount (63% of total ballots cast)

Riggs (D): -48 change
Griffin (R): +21 change

Recount ends Wednesday

Source: s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov... #ncpol

Great piece by @npr.org's Miles Parks -- will Trump's high turnout win cause Republicans to rethink opposition to voting access? www.npr.org/2024/11/18/n...