Randall Eliason

Top prosecutor is rejecting Trump pressure to charge New York AG A key federal prosecutor in Virginia, where James Comey was indicted, is resisting bringing charges against Letitia James.

Breaking MSNBC:

A top prosecutor in Virginia has informed colleagues she plans to decline to seek charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James — resisting intense pressure from Trump, according to two people familiar with her discussions. www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...

You can disagree with how Eric Adams ran the city, but you have to admit he did more to expose Emil Bove’s corruption than any other mayor.

Right now, I’m thinking of two career DOJ prosecutors I know who quit rather than participate in the Trump administration’s dirty deal with Adams.

The grand jury hears only the government's side. If prosecutors can't even convince all the grand jurors to find probable cause, there's almost no chance they can convince a unanimous jury at a contested trial of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

That's why career prosecutors said there is no case.

Authoritarian Trump may be able to order his lackey to get an indictment, but he can’t control the judge or the jury.

Zero chance Comey gets convicted.

Start taking bets on how many Scaramucci’s until the Comey indictment is thrown out.

Attorneys who ignore their ethical duties to do Trump's bidding risk being sanctioned and even disbarred. Happened to Giuliani, Powell, Chesebro.

I'm confident the career AUSAs in the EDVA will follow their oaths - even if it means resigning rather than helping obtain an unjust indictment.

Well, he got a case dismissed, which does not require the approval of the grand jury. So it's a bit different.

I don't think the opinions of other prosecutors that the case is weak constitutes exculpatory evidence within the meaning of this policy. Not that she has any intention of following DOJ policy in the first place, or even any clue what it is.

If Halligan tries to get an indictment, watch for two things:

1) Another mass resignation event of prosecutors who refuse to violate their ethical obligations by helping her;

2) The grand jury refuses to indict.

There’s a decent chance we will see one or both.

If this happens, the first defense motion is going to be to dismiss for malicious prosecution - and Trump’s social media post over the weekend will be defense exhibit one.

Ah - thanks!

Why anyone would take any kind of medication or health advice from Trump or RFK Jr. -- instead of from, you know, actual doctors and health experts -- is beyond me.

Trump Escalates His Weaponization of the Justice Department Punish your enemies, protect your friends

With no prosecution experience, Trump's new US Atty in VA won't know where the grand jury room is, much less how to get an indictment. To indict Trump's targets she will need help - and if prosecutors follow their own ethical obligations, they should refuse.

www.sidebarsblog.com/p/trump-esca...

Trump Escalates His Weaponization of the Justice Department Punish your enemies, protect your friends

My latest on Sidebars: Trump sees the criminal justice system as a tool to use to punish his enemies and protect his friends - and he’s escalating. It’s right out of the authoritarian playbook, and it’s scary stuff.

www.sidebarsblog.com/p/trump-esca...

Always a pleasure to speak with @thebradblog.bsky.social

There is only one way to resolve this.

RELEASE THE HOMAN TAPES!!!

Tom Homan was investigated for accepting $50,000 from undercover FBI agents. Trump's DOJ shut it down. The FBI and Justice officials closed the investigation, which a Justice Department appointee had called a “deep state” probe in early 2025.

"In an undercover operation last year, the FBI recorded Tom Homan, now the White House border czar, accepting $50,000 in cash after indicating he could help the agents — who were posing as business executives — win government contracts in a second Trump administration..."

The Grand Jury Emerges as a Check on Trump's DOJ Grand jurors are refusing to indict flimsy felonies

The Subway sandwich guy will now be charged with a misdemeanor after a grand jury refused to indict him for felony assault.

In a number of cases grand juries, as the voice of the community, are standing up to the excesses of Trump's DOJ.

www.sidebarsblog.com/p/the-grand-...

The Grand Jury Emerges as a Check on Trump's DOJ Grand jurors are refusing to indict flimsy felonies

My latest on Sidebars: critics claim the grand jury is just a rubber stamp. But imagine if Trump’s DOJ could pursue felony charges based solely on his grievances.

Right now the grand jury is acting as one of the key checks on abuses of power by Trump’s DOJ.

www.sidebarsblog.com/p/the-grand-...

I guess we're still not understanding each other. A no bill is always extraordinary because it almost never happens. Critics of the GJ say it always just does what the prosecution wants, but that was not the case here. And if the GJ would have approved a misdemeanor - that would be appropriate.

No, it's not legal, it just shouldn't be charged as an 8-year felony. Some kind of misdemeanor is probably appropriate.

But prosecutors wanted the felony. So if the grand jury rejected that, even based on their own "statutory interpretation" (which is unlikely) leaving only the misdemeanor, how is that not a check on prosecutorial power?

Not sure what you mean by this; the lesser charge would be a misdemeanor and the grand jury has no power to block that, it does not require a grand jury indictment.

Prosecutors Fail to Secure Indictment Against Man Who Threw Sandwich at Federal Agent

I hope those who traditionally claim the grand jury is merely a rubber stamp for prosecutors and serves no real purpose as a shield against government abuse are taking note.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/u...

This DOJ has not earned any trust. But we should be careful about assuming that b/c Bolton is a Trump critic, the search must be wrongful. That's what Trump does: if it's an act against me, by definition it is illegitimate. A judge found PC and signed the search warrant. Let's see the evidence.

Government papers found in an Alaskan hotel reveal new details of Trump-Putin summit Documents with sensitive details about the meeting between President Trump and Russian President Putin were left behind on a public hotel printer.

Amateur hour continues.

www.npr.org/2025/08/16/n...

Man who hurled sandwich at law enforcement in D.C. charged with felony “I did it. I threw a sandwich,” the man allegedly said to police after his arrest.

Law enforcement priorities under the Trump administration: storm the Capitol and actually injure law enforcement officers on Trump's behalf and you'll get a pardon. Throw a sandwich at an officer involved in Trump's DC police takeover and you'll be charged with a felony.

wapo.st/4oBVWFB

There is still a pending contempt of court proceeding before Judge Boasberg in D.C., temporarily paused by the D.C. Circuit, involving the planes of immigrants sent to prison in El Salvador.

When that finally resumes, new 3d Circuit judge Emil Bove may well find himself held in contempt.