CJ Levine

-grand jury declined to re-indict NY AG Letitia James
-SCOTUS agreed to hear arguments on constitutionality of Trump’s order against birthright citizenship; hearings will take place spring 2026

-SCOTUS scheduled hearing for Nat’l Republican Senatorial Committee v FEC, where GOP arguing for removal of limits on $ given to candidate campaigns from nat’l political parties
-SCOTUS narrowly ruled in favor of gerrymandered Texas congressional map despite lower court ruling against

-fed appeals court ruled Alina Habba served unlawfully as US Attorney for New Jersey
-fed judge blocked the administration from widespread immigration arrests in DC area w/out warrants or probable cause

-legal experts state Pentagon can’t punish Sen Kelly for video urging US troops to defy “illegal orders”
-NY Times sued the Pentagon over new press rules instituted this year, says rules violate 1st Amendment

-Social Security Administration announced hopes to cut field office visits by half next yr; advocates fear news signals more closures
-fed agents arrested suspect accused of planting 2 pipe bombs near Capitol 5 Jan 2021, stated devices clearly timed to divert law enforcement during riot on 6 Jan

-Dept of Homeland Security “gutted” staff of Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, leaving 550 active investigations to be managed by only 9 people
-the administration notified Congress of plans to eliminate Voice of America radio services, despite court orders to preserve org

-White House website updated to include “Media Offenders of the Week”; critics note parallels to Hitler’s labeling independent media as “lying press”
-White House launched web portal to track media biased against its policies, asks people to submit examples of “false or misleading” stories

-Amnesty International reported detainees at “Alligator Alcatraz” describe bingo placed in “punishment box” so small could not sit, lie down, shift weight, & left for hours

-Trump & top officials made numerous comments disparaging large Somali community in Minnesota, hinted at targeted immigration enforcement op soon
-ICE officers began immigration sweeps in New Orleans

-previously, administration had stated would review cases of all refugees who arrived during Biden administration, a date still present in Tuesday’s announcement
-HHS Sect Noem announced expansion to earlier travel ban, said Trump “considering” which nations to include

-administration announced pause on all immigration applications from 19 countries banned from visiting US earlier this yr, will scrutinize individuals already in US, cites shooting of Nat’l Guard members last wk as cause

-federal watchdog released report concluding Defense Sect Hegseth put US forces at risk w/ use of Signal app to share sensitive op plans back in March

-Sect of State Rubio met w/ Ukrainian negotiators to cont hashing out details of Trump’s proposed peace framework w/ Russia
-Russia Pres Putin stated some parts of US proposal for peace w/ Ukraine unacceptable

-GOP Sen Wicker & Dem Sen Reed issued statement that Senate Armed Services Committee will be investigating ongoing military actions in & around Venezuela
-lawmakers from both parties voiced support for investigation into Hegseth’s orders re killing all survivors of a missile strike back in September

-Trump announced via social media that Venezuelan airspace should be considered closed; critics accuse Trump of undermining Venezuelan sovereignty & question if announcement new policy or reinforcing current actions
-FAA advised pilots be cautious flying near Venezuela

-Trump pardoned former Honduran president who was convicted in US of drug trafficking & weapons charges, sentenced to 45 yrs in prison; critics note hypocrisy of move as Trump cont to sanction attacks on alleged drug-runners off Venezuela

-Indiana House GOP released draft congressional map crafted to eliminate state’s 2 Democratic seats in nat’l House
-Justice Dept announced will sue 6 states over “failure” to turn over statewide voter rolls, bringing total of such actions to 14

-administration began touting “Trump accounts”, special bank accts that parents can open for children under 18, promised $1k bonus for all newborns w/ birthdates during current administration
-flyers & mailers in Tennessee listed incorrect date for 7th Congressional District election

-Trump promised would release results of MRI taken last month, doesn’t know what part of his body was scanned
-during Tuesday’s Cabinet mtg, Trump appeared sleepy, often closed eyes during presentations
-Trump’s name added to sign of US Institute of Peace HQ; critics note org independent nonprofit

🧵ICYMI: During weeks 46 of the current federal administration:🧵
-Trump ranted on social media that he will cancel all documents signed with an autopen during Biden’s term, claimed device used illegally
-Trump commuted prison sentence of former investment manager found guilty of defrauding investors

-Office of Personnel Management moved to finalize changes to fed workforce, specifically to roll back post-Watergate changes to protect fed workers’ civil rights & protect whistleblowers
-the administration announced it will no longer commemorate World AIDS Day on 1 December

-the administration halted an FDA effort to create consistent asbestos-testing standards for talc-based cosmetics
-NPR obtained a draft memo directing US military to retract logistics & support for Scouting America, citing org’s moves towards inclusivity over last 12 yrs

-the administration announced a cost increase starting 1 January for annual nat’l park passes for non-US residents from $80 to $250, & $100 surcharge (on top of entrance fee) for foreign visitors w/out an annual pass each time they visit 1 of 11 most popular nat’l parks

-the administration announced new efforts to roll back part of Endangered Species Act which grants protections to “threatened” species
-Trump exempted coal used in steel-making from Clean Air Act for 2 yrs, issued proclamation allow coke oven facilities to sidestep existing limits on toxic emissions

-the administration unveiled plan to significantly change qualifications for bodies of water to be protected by the Clean Water Act; critics point out changes would increase pollution & have huge impact on many ecosystems

-fed Dept of Education began moving operations out to various other depts, 1st step in Trump’s promised dismantling of dept
-official CDC website stated “claim “vaccines do not cause autism” is not an evidence-based claim”; critics note it is
-FBI head Patel & DHS Sect Noem spotted at Formula 1 race

-the Associated Press released draft of Trump’s proposal to end Russia/Ukraine war; draft calls for Ukraine to cede territory to Russia & not join NATO, among other points

-Trump welcomed Saudi crown prince to White House, discussed selling fighter jets & tanks to Middle East nation, designation of Saudi Arabia as major non-NATO ally; critics cont to raise concerns over nation’s human rights abuses, fact that Crown Prince implicated in death of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018

-FBI sought to interview 6 lawmakers re their messages to the US military
-GOP leaders & Trump cont to insist no “affordability crisis”, blame Dems for “highest inflation in history of [US]”

-6 Dem congress members called on US military to defy “illegal orders” & uphold Constitution; Trump responded w/ accusations of sedition & noted death penalty for same
-Dept of Defense opened investigation into Sen Mark Kelly for taking part in above messages