Hassan Ali Kanu

We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.

We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.

washingtonpost.com/politics/int...

Judge rules Meta doesn’t have a social media monopoly It’s the latest decision against the government's push to limit the size of Big Tech.

NEW: A federal judge rejected the FTC's claim that Facebook’s parent company monopolized the “personal social networking” market for connecting with friends and family, pointing to new, major competitors like TikTok.
via @aarontmak.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

Fannie Mae's fraud watchdogs doubted charges against James The newly-revealed communications add to mounting evidence of procedural and other flaws in the mortgage fraud case against New York Attorney General Letitia James.

NEW: Fannie Mae’s director of mortgage fraud investigations told the company’s VP of financial crimes in June that the evidence against New York Attorney General Letitia James "is certainly not clear and convincing evidence” of fraud.
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

Trump defends Saudi crown price, who U.S. intelligence found ordered killing of Washington Post columnist Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Jamal Khashoggi's killing “painful” for his country, after pledging nearly $1 trillion in investments in the U.S.

President Donald Trump welcomed the Saudi Crown Prince to the Oval Office and defended him against questions about American intelligence reports that found he ordered the killing of a Washington Post columnist.

Appeals court panel rejects Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ defamation lawsuit against CNN The three-judge panel, which included two Trump appointees, said the network’s use of the term didn’t amount to defamation.

JUST IN: Appeals court upholds ruling tossing out Trump libel suit against CNN for calling his approach to 2020 election a 'Big Lie.' Branch & Newsom (Trump) agree w/Jordan (Obama). Any guesses who filed the suit? Lindsey Halligan. w/ @kyledcheney.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

3 words in Letitia James’ mortgage contract could doom the fraud case against her James is charged with illegally collecting rental income on a second property. But her contract permits renting, according to POLITICO’s review of her contract and legal experts.

3 words in Letitia James' mortgage contract could doom the fraud case against her: James is charged with illegally collecting rental income on a second property. But her contract permits renting, according to POLITICO's review of her contract and legal experts.

The gang that couldn’t persecute straight.

3 words in Letitia James’ mortgage contract could doom the fraud case against her James is charged with illegally collecting rental income on a second property. But her contract permits renting, according to POLITICO’s review of her contract and legal experts.

3 words in Letitia James' mortgage contract could doom the fraud case against her:

James is charged with illegally collecting rental income on a second property. But her contract permits renting, according to POLITICO's review of her contract and legal experts. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

3 words in Letitia James’ mortgage contract could doom the fraud case against her James is charged with illegally collecting rental income on a second property. But her contract permits renting, according to POLITICO’s review of her contract and legal experts.

3 words in Letitia James’ mortgage contract could doom the fraud case against her.

Read more on our review of her contract and what legal and real estate experts have to say about it👇

Ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee Bennie G. Thompson said in a statement “Mobile Fortify is a dangerous tool in the hands of ICE, and it puts American citizens at risk of detention and even deportation.” He also said “ICE officials have told us that an apparent biometric match by Mobile Fortify is a ‘definitive’ determination of a person’s status and that an ICE officer may ignore evidence of American citizenship—including a birth certificate—if the app says the person is an alien. ICE using a mobile biometrics app in ways its developers at CBP never intended or tested is a frightening, repugnant, and unconstitutional attack on Americans’ rights and freedoms.”

New incredible detail here: ICE says a match in its facial recognition app Mobile Fortify is a "definitive" determination of a person's status, and that this overrides birth certificates. This is an app ICE is using in the field to scan people

www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...

3 words in Letitia James’ mortgage contract could doom the fraud case against her James is charged with illegally collecting rental income on a second property. But her contract permits renting, according to POLITICO’s review of her contract and legal experts.

NEW: NY Attorney General Letitia James was indicted for bank fraud because she allegedly bought a 2nd home under an agreement that bars renting & then rented out the place anyway. One issue could prove crucial: the contract does not in fact ban renting.
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

With Every Boat Strike, Trump Exploits a Power Asymmetry It is a moment of realpolitik for countries ranging from Venezuela to Dominica.

NEW COLUMN: Many Caribbean leaders are feeling sidelined & beaten up by the US military campaign in their backyard. But there's nothing they can do about it. President Trump is being blatant about something nations have long known: The strong will dominate the weak. www.politico.com/news/magazin...

Judge extends order barring mass firings of federal workers during shutdown U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said she found some accounts from impacted federal employees “very affecting.”

NEW: Judge extends ban on Trump's shutdown-related mass firings/RIFs at federal agencies. Also DOJ lawyer argues Americans voted for broad culling of federal workers bc of Trump's signature line on The Apprentice: 'You're fired.' w/@carmenpaun @hassankanu www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

BREAKING: Major setback for Trump National Guard moves as 7th Circuit declines to disturb block on deployment in Illinois. Judges Rovner, Hamilton, St. Eve (GHWBush/Obama/Trump) see no rebellion permitting use of Guard by prez. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

John Bolton is indicted for allegedly keeping and sharing classified information The charges against Trump's former national security adviser come as the president has pressured DOJ to pursue criminal indictments of his political foes.

NEW: Fmr Trump Nat Sec Adviser John Bolton charged w/18 felonies for allegedly sharing/retaining classified info. Unlike Comey/James, this has backing of career prosecutors. Indictment turns Bolton's words re Hillary & Signalgate against him w/@kyledcheney www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Gavin Newsom calls for congressional investigation into GOP chat messages The California governor’s formal request to the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to open an investigation comes a day after POLITICO's bombshell report revealed explicit messages f...

Gavin Newsom calls for a congressional investigation into GOP groups after leaked messages exposed antisemitic and racist comments in a Young Republicans group chat.

E&E News: Trump puts political appointees in charge of hiring feds An executive order directs agencies to prepare annual staffing plans to align new civil service appointments with the administration’s goals.

NEW: Trump signed an EO today requiring agencies to form strategic hiring committees. The panels will include top political appointees and are supposed to ensure hiring is consistent with the Trump administration’s priorities.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eene...

Capitol Police called to investigate swastika in GOP congressional office An American flag altered to include an image of a swastika was found in Rep. Dave Taylor’s office.

EXCLUSIVE: Capitol Police are investigating a swastika found in GOP Rep. Dave Taylor’s office.

“The content of that image does not reflect the values or standards of this office, my staff, or myself, and I condemn it in the strongest terms," Taylor said in a statement.

White House: Shutdown layoffs will be ‘north of 10,000’ Budget director Russ Vought emphasized the Trump administration would be “very aggressive where we can be in shuttering the bureaucracy.”

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

NEW: While Russ Vought was telling the world that 10K+ fed workers would be fired due to the shutdown, Trump's attorneys were telling a federal judge that the layoff plans aren't finalized, and many agencies "may well decide not to do RIFs at all."

Judge blocks Trump admin from laying off federal workers during government shutdown U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled that the administration isn’t following legal requirements for conducting reductions in force.

Russ Vought estimates more than 10k federal workers would be fired as a result of the shutdown.

His statement comes as a judge blocks the administration from laying off federal workers during the shutdown.

Judge blocks Trump admin from laying off federal workers during government shutdown U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled that the administration isn’t following legal requirements for conducting reductions in force.

BREAKING: A federal judge blocks the Trump administration from laying off thousands of federal workers during the government shutdown..

‘I love Hitler’: Leaked messages expose Young Republicans’ racist chat Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.

EXCLUSIVE: Thousands of leaked messages show leaders of Young Republican groups joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape in a private Telegram chat.

Inside rising GOP leaders’ racist chats — obtained by POLITICO and spanning more than 7 months👇

JUST IN: Judge Smith says the Trump administration is violating his order prohibiting FEMA from conditioning grants to states on their willingness to assist with immigration enforcement.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

ComeyHalliganNotice101425

JUST IN: Comey confirms plan to challenge legality of Trump's appointment of Lindsey Halligan as US Attorney for EDVA. Cites rulings in NJ/NV disqualifying US attorneys there. Motion coming Oct. 20. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

JUST IN: ICE official testifies Eswatini hasn't agreed to take Kilmar Abrego Garcia and US didn't ask until last day or 2.

When Trump demands prosecutions, his DOJ now obeys Donald Trump has long called for imprisoning his opponents. For the first time, he has a Justice Department willing to do his bidding.

NEW: Trump demanded prosecutions of his enemies in a public message to “Pam.”

His DOJ, which resisted similar entreaties in his first term, obeyed — shattering an already corroded guardrail against political prosecutions.

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

“.. the first time a Republican governor has questioned the interstate deployment of National Guard troops over a governor’s objections.”

@nytimes.com #OKgov
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...

JUST IN: A federal judge has granted the New York Times’ demand for a list of Elon Musk’s security clearances. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...