Doj

• The Department of Justice has asked the Supreme Court to allow a Trump-era USPS rule regarding the handling of mail-in ballots to proceed before the midterm elections. • A federal judge previously issued a temporary restraining order blocking parts of the rule from being implemented for the November 2026 election. • The outcome determines whether the USPS can implement specific requirements intended to prevent voter fraud and protect the integrity of the electoral process.

• A federal judge has ruled against forcing Google to sell its AdX advertising exchange, marking the third failed attempt by regulators to break up a Big Tech company. • Instead of a divestiture, the court has ordered Google to implement behavioral fixes to address antitrust concerns regarding its ad tech dominance. • This decision is a significant legal victory for Google, as it avoids a structural breakup that would have fundamentally altered its business model.

Liz Oyer says department fired her after she refused to recommend restoring gun rights of actor and Trump allyThe former pardon attorney for the US justice department, Elizabeth Oyer, filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the department and attorney general Todd Blanche, accusing them of “unlawfully” firing her last year after she said she refused to recommend restoring actor Mel Gibson’s gun rights.In the complaint, filed in the US district court for the District of Columbia, Oyer alleges that in early 2025, while she was serving as pardon attorney, she was asked to “disregard her duties and facilitate a political favor” for Gibson based on his “relationship with President Trump”. Continue reading...

Justice department is asked to weigh new charges against David Hearn after US attorney dropped vandalism chargesThe White House has asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to weigh new charges against a former Olympian accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, according to a person familiar with the matter, pushing to revive a case Donald Trump has fumed about ever since an ally dropped the case citing insufficient evidence.Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, dropped the charges against the man, David Hearn, on 31 July, blaming a contractor for a flawed installation. In a 20-page filing dismissing the charges, Pirro’s office said it had received evidence that damage to the pool occurred before Hearn visited it, and that “it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt.” Hearn has maintained that he reached in the water to touch a piece of already detached lining while he was on bike ride in June. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has deployed monitors to polling sites in Michigan to oversee the election process. • While FBI poll monitoring is a standard practice, U.S. lawmakers are raising alarms that the move could be politically motivated. • The controversy stems from former President Donald Trump's persistent, unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud in previous cycles.

Ruling vacates convictions of founder Stewart Rhodes and other militia members who took part in 2021 Capitol attackA US judge on Tuesday granted the justice department’s bid to dismiss cases against ‌members of the rightwing Oath Keepers militia who took part in the January 6 2021 attack ​on the US Capitol, according to a ​court filing.The ruling from Washington-based US district judge Amit Mehta tosses out convictions ​of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and other ​members of the group who were convicted of seditious conspiracy for plotting to stop the transfer of ​power after Donald Trump lost the ​2020 election. Continue reading...

• The Department of Justice abruptly dropped charges against former Olympian David Hearn in a case involving the Reflecting Pool. • Critics have blasted the DOJ's handling of the matter, characterizing the sudden dismissal as a "gross abuse" of power. • Separately, Elon Musk's political interventions in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election last year reportedly backfired, costing conservatives the race.

• The U.S. Department of Justice has subpoenaed a freelance journalist for The New York Times regarding a 2025 report on a failed U.S. military operation in North Korea. • In a separate development, the United States will implement new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on over 60 trading partners. • These tariffs are scheduled to take effect on July 24, signaling a significant shift in international trade policy.

State attorney general set 31 July deadline for documents relating to abuse of girls at Epstein-owned Zorro ranchThe US Department of Justice (DoJ) appeared to ignore a Friday deadline set by Raúl Torrez, the attorney general of New Mexico, to share information about the abuse of girls at a remote ranch formerly owned by the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Torrez’s office asked the DoJ in February for unredacted files after he reopened a dormant criminal investigation into activities at Zorro ranch, a remote 10,000-acre property in desert scrub outside New Mexico. Continue reading...

• A federal judge rejected the Trump-era Department of Justice's argument that certain evidence was "not relevant," despite claims involving "hundreds of federal crimes." • This ruling extends the government's losing streak to 18 cases within a specific state voter rolls lawsuit. • The decision highlights a continuing judicial clash over the transparency and legality of voter roll management and government oversight.

Emergency appeal comes after court upheld ruling blocking president’s order ahead of November midtermsThe Trump administration has asked the supreme court to clear the way for an executive order from Donald Trump that could dramatically change mail-in voting.The emergency appeal comes after an appeals court upheld a ruling blocking the president’s order in nearly half the country ahead of November’s midterm elections. Continue reading...

Lawyers predict ‘more suppression and no active investigations’ but victims’ groups determined to continue fightAs Donald Trump’s former defense lawyer Todd Blanche appears poised for confirmation as attorney general, numerous Jeffrey Epstein survivors have sounded the alarm that a US justice department helmed by him would derail their pursuit of justice.In a letter urging Republican senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn to reject his nomination, these survivors said that Blanche’s handling of the Epstein case as acting attorney general was characterized by misstep after misstep. Continue reading...

Liz Oyer tells of how she refused to ‘rubber-stamp a political favor’ in gun rights case involving Trump ally Mel GibsonFormer pardon attorney Liz Oyer condemned Todd Blanche, Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, over his Wednesday testimony to the Senate judiciary committee. Blanche fired Oyer after she refused to recommend restoring firearms rights to the actor and Trump ally Mel Gibson, who was previously convicted of domestic violence.“I declined to rubber-stamp a political favor for a friend of the president, and it cost me my job,” the former US pardon attorney told the committee on the second day of Blanche’s confirmation hearing. Continue reading...

• A federal judge delivered a scathing review of the process behind President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, criticizing the DOJ's use of grand jury powers. • Judge Ray warned that the DOJ's ability to appropriate private information without a legitimate purpose is a concern for all citizens, regardless of their political affiliation. • This follows a separate ruling in late June where Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz blocked subpoenas against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other Democrats, citing political motives.

US defense secretary says taskforce will ‘combat dangers’ of leaks in latest escalation of White House press crackdownThe US defense secretary, ⁠Pete Hegseth, ​announced on Monday that the Pentagon and the US Department of Justice have created a “joint taskforce ​to identify and ​prosecute” what he called the “unauthorized disclosure ​of sensitive” information to the press, marking the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s effort to crackdown on leaks.In a ⁠video ​posted on X, Hegseth said that “to combat the dangers that leaks pose, effectively immediately, I have ​delegated tasking authority ​to the war department’s ‌office ⁠of general counsel, empowering OGC to request and receive ​all ​information, ⁠records and support across the ​department concerning ​media ⁠leak investigations”. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Department of Justice, through "Operation Offsides," shut down nearly 400 illegal streaming sites broadcasting World Cup content. • The initiative involved a coalition including Homeland Security Investigations, international prosecutors, and private entities such as FIFA, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros. • Authorities targeted piracy operations across multiple countries, including Peru, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Poland, and Colombia, to protect intellectual property rights.

Federal judge rules subpoenas linked to immigration crackdown ‘issued for unlawful reasons’US politics live – latest updatesA federal judge agreed to quash the US federal government’s subpoenas of leaders in Minnesota issued during the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown on the state earlier this year.The US Department of Justice issued subpoenas to the Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, the attorney general, Keith Ellison, the Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey, and other local officials in the Twin Cities in January. Continue reading...

California governor says Trump is ‘coming after me because I am considering running for president’Gavin Newsom said on Monday that Donald Trump directed the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to investigate him and his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom.The California governor said in a video statement that federal agents had knocked on the doors of family friends and former employees in recent days as part of an effort to find a crime, demanding records and “abusing the grand jury process”. Continue reading...

Trump administration has asked DC circuit court of appeals to reverse lower court decision which blocked construction of $400m ballroomNo court has the authority to halt construction of Donald Trump’s White House ballroom and a secure underground facility, a Department of Justice lawyer has argued, suggesting only US Congress had the power to stop the project.The Trump administration has asked the Washington DC circuit court of appeals to reverse a lower court decision which blocked construction of a $400m ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing. Construction of a secure bunker for staff underground at the site was allowed to proceed while the dispute between Washington DC preservationists and the White House continues. Continue reading...

Announcement follows DoJ’s recent findings that medical schools at UCLA and Yale illegally used race in admissionsThe US Department of Justice’s civil rights division has launched investigations into 15 medical schools over allegations of potential race discrimination in their admissions processes.Thursday’s announcement follows the DoJ’s recent findings that the medical schools at the University of California, Los Angeles and Yale University illegally used race in their admissions. Continue reading...

Disgraced former congressman said to have put bet on whether he would be at Trump’s State of the Union speechFederal authorities are investigating whether George Santos, the disgraced former Republican congressman from New York, engaged in insider trading by betting on a prediction market on his own attendance to the State of the Union address, multiple news outlets reported on Tuesday.Santos allegedly placed a bet on Kalshi, a popular online prediction market, over whether he would be in attendance at Trump’s State of the Union address in February, according to NPR, which first reported on the investigation citing anonymous sources. Continue reading...

• Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced she will not run for president in 2028, while the DOJ launched a probe related to E. Jean Carroll. • A federal judge ruled against the Democratic Party by refusing to block an executive order that tightens rules on mail-in voting. • Tensions rose as Iran targeted a U.S. air base and President Trump signaled that an international agreement is not imminent despite economic and political pressures.

Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington state sued as ICE seeks plates in Trump’s immigration crackdownThe Trump administration is suing to challenge the refusal of four US states to issue confidential license plates to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, saying the states have long provided them to other law enforcement agencies conducting undercover operations.The US Department of Justice on Thursday said it had filed lawsuits against Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington state after states led by Democratic governors refused to rescind their policies. ICE is seeking access to such plates to carry out arrests as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown. Continue reading...

Carmen Mercedes Lineberger accused of hiding files related to Trump documents investigation as bundt cake recipeA former Department of Justice prosecutor is facing felony charges after emailing herself a sealed Biden-era investigative report concerning Donald Trump and attempting to hide the documents as cake recipes, federal authorities said on Wednesday.Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, who worked as a managing assistant US attorney in Florida, is facing two counts of theft of government money or property in addition to charges related to her alleged alteration of the documents, according to the indictment. Continue reading...

Palestinian activist is awaiting another legal decision on a separate track in a narrowing effort to stay in the USSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailA lawyer for Mahmoud Khalil, the first noncitizen activist arrested in the Trump administration crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech, called his client’s immigration proceedings “preordained and a complete sham” after it was revealed that the case was prioritized to be fast-tracked.“These revelations make clear that this case has been controlled from day one by higher-ups in the administration,” said Marc Van Der Hout, an attorney on Khalil’s legal team, in a statement. “The immigration judge was hand-picked and the Board of Immigration Appeals decision was predetermined. We will continue to fight for Mahmoud in every court we can.” Continue reading...

Lawyers for Cole Allen say Todd Blanche and Jeanine Pirro could be considered victims or witnesses in caseA man charged with attacking the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is seeking to disqualify top justice department officials from direct involvement in prosecuting him because they could be considered victims or witnesses in the case, creating a potential conflict of interest.The acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, and US attorney Jeanine Pirro were attending the 25 April event at the Washington Hilton hotel when Cole Tomas Allen allegedly ran through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer. Continue reading...

• The Department of Justice asked an appeals court to pause the $83 million verdict against Trump in the E. Jean Carroll case, hoping for Supreme Court review. • DOJ argues the federal government, not Trump personally, should bear responsibility for the $83.3 million award. • The move highlights ongoing legal battles over presidential immunity and liability post-presidency.

• The Department of Justice has filed suit against Denver challenging the city's longstanding 'assault weapon' ban, escalating the Trump administration's legal assault on local gun restrictions. • The lawsuit represents a major federal intervention in local gun control policy and signals aggressive pursuit of Second Amendment litigation priorities. • The action reflects the Trump administration's commitment to pre-empting state and local gun regulations through judicial challenge.