Barb McQuade

Comey, James cases dismissed as judge disqualifies interim US attorney Lindsey Halligan A judge concluded Halligan’s appointment violated laws that limit the ability of DOJ to install top prosecutors without Senate confirmation.

What’s next now that a judge has dismissed indictments against Jim Comey and Letitia James? I’ll discuss with Rachel Maddow at 9:40 pm ET on MS NOW.
@maddow.bsky.social
@msnownews.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

Many Top MAGA Trolls Aren’t Even in the U.S. Elon Musk’s new X feature has been very revealing.

Is anyone surprised that the top MAGA trolls on X are posting from outside the U.S.?
newrepublic.com/post/203562/...

For holiday gifts, I’ll be signing copies of my book, “Attack from Within,” at @literatibookstore.bsky.social. Order by Dec 8 for mail orders and Dec 15 for in-store pickup. Order here and add customer comment for personalized request.
literatibookstore.com/book/9781644...

Opinion | No, Mr. President, We Cannot ‘Leave It at That’ Working with imperfect partners does not mean that the United States should cover up and lie about their misdeeds.

Fawning over an alleged murderer is not a good look for an American president.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/o...

Heidi Stevens: After Trump’s ‘Quiet, piggy’ moment, we’re done asking why survivors don’t come forward, right? If we’re going to become a nation that truly protects children and women, we have to stop giving a pass to sexual abusers, writes Heidi Stevens.

Great piece on Trump's 'Quiet, piggy' moment. This phrase could be the new shorthand way to explain how abusers silence their victims. Keep quiet or be punished cruelly.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/19/h...

America was great when America was good. Make America good again.

In new episode of #SistersInLaw, we broke down some of the 11(!) errors the judge identified in the prosecution of Jim Comey.. And that’s even before you get to the likely fatal flaws in the case on the merits.  You can listen here.
www.politicon.com/podcast-epis...

YouTube video by Women's March Reading the Revolution: Propaganda, Disinformation, and Wicked Witches

Enjoyed talking with @womensmarch.com last night about how disinformation is used to stoke division in society. We can build resilience by spotting the tactics. You can watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JofU...

Just finished reading The Gales of November by @JohnUBacon about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. I truly could not put it down. Riveting history of the Great Lakes and the people behind the legend. A+.

Yes, we aren’t even getting to the merits of the case. These are all about procedural mistakes. On the merits, the alleged lie doesn’t even match the transcript.

Yep, I think that one might be fatal. Also, it appears she also told the grand jury Jim Comey could explain himself at trial. Of course, he has an absolute right to remain silent a trial. That could lead to a dismissal as well.

I don’t think Halligan did anything anything criminal, but her incompetence could lead to dismissal of the indictment, particularly her misstatements to the grand jury about the law.

An indictment may be amended as to form, but not substance. If the new indictment has language that is identical to the language the grand jury approved, then I think it can be characterized as an amendment as to form.

After reading the government’s brief in the Comey case, I think the indictment is valid even if the grand jurors never actually saw the final version. Of course, there are still the other 11 (!) errors the judge identified in this case that could doom it before trial. 


Unknown. Sounds like maybe they had left for the day and the foreperson signed off on their behalf?

Lindsey Halligan Admits Grand Jury Never Saw Final Comey Indictment Grand jurors have to vote on indictments to approve them, but a prosecutor told the judge in the case that only the foreperson formally approved the second charging document, a move that could…

I will confess, I have never seen a situation before where the grand jury never saw the indictment, so the remedy is unknown, but I can’t believe an unseen indictment could be valid.
Times www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/u...

Trump’s reference to a reporter as “insubordinate” is all you need to know about his view of the right to a free press.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...

Trump says he supports release of Epstein files Trump says he supports release of Epstein files

Trump says he supports release of Epstein files, but remember, DOJ still possesses and control them. AG Bondi could “pluck” some out in the name of grand jury secrecy or privacy laws. I’ll discuss on MSNOW at 11 AM ET.
www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts...

I’ll be continuing as a legal analyst for MS NOW, the successor to MSNBC. New name. Same mission. I explain the law so you can form your own opinion.
@msnowreports.bsky.social
@msnowcomms.bsky.social
@MSNOW.com

60 Attorneys on the Year of Chaos Inside Trump’s Justice Department (Gift Article) Sixty former staffers describe an environment of suspicion and intimidation within the nation’s most powerful law enforcement agency.

Gift link to NYT article about the corruption of DOJ. One former insider says “I wouldn’t even call it the Justice Department anymore. It’s become Trump’s personal law firm. … [T]he American people should be enraged.”
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Trump’s order to DOJ to open an investigation into connections between Epstein and “Democrats” is wrong in so many ways. I’ll discuss with Alex Witt on MSNOW at 3:15 PM ET. 

What do you mean? Evil genius? Cruel con? Pick your descriptor. It is a deceptive ploy that just might work.

Trump Boat Bombings Take Dark, Unnerving Turn with Leaked Memo Stunner A new Trump administration memo argues that those carrying out the boat attacks can’t be prosecuted. Why? Because the administration says so!

Trump seems to be claiming US is in an “armed conflict” with Venezuelan cartels to justify bombing boats. Congress needs to demand production of legal memo because this just doesn’t add up. “War on Drugs” was just a slogan, but Trump seems to be using it literally.
newrepublic.com/article/2032...

I didn’t sign her name, but when they tell me, they love me, “Joyce,”I usually just go with it

Thank you. You are clearly an astute observer.

I do consider a compliment to be confused with Joyce. As long as she behaves herself and represents the brand well! 

Justice Department to Investigate Epstein Ties, but Not to Trump President Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate the dealings of Democrats with Jeffrey Epstein, after a week in which his own relationship with the convicted sex offender was in the…

Trump’s order that DOJ investigate ties between Epstein and Democrats is deviously brilliant—an ongoing investigation can be used as a reason, even if pretextual, to block public disclosure of the file.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/u...

Proving that we are indeed two different people, here I am with Joyce Vance at the Texas Tribune Festival. I can’t tell you how many people stopped me and asked me to sign her book! 

I know I sound like a rube from the Midwest, but there’s no one driving this Waymo taxi! 🤯

In new episode of #SistersInLaw, we discussed questionable US Attorney appointments, pardons as revisionist history, and the Epstein files. You can listen here.
www.politicon.com/podcast-epis...