Sharecopy linkThe National Association of Immigration Judges (NAIJ) sued the Trump administration on Wednesday over a policy that prohibits immigration judges from speaking in their personal capacities about immigration law or policies.The lawsuit, filed by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claims that the restrictions impose an unconstitutional system of prior restraint on the judges’ protected speech.A similar but less restrictive rule was first instituted in 2017 by the Executive Office for...…Sharecopy linkThe National Association of Immigration Judges (NAIJ) sued the Trump administration on Wednesday over a policy that prohibits immigration judges from speaking in their personal capacities about immigration law or policies.The lawsuit, filed by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claims that the restrictions impose an unconstitutional system of prior restraint on the judges’ protected speech.A similar but less restrictive rule was first instituted in 2017 by the Executive Office for...WW…

Sharecopy linkFollowing bombshell allegations that the Russian government offered Taliban militants secret bounties for killing U.S. troops, the Trump administration on Monday invited a bloc of eight GOP lawmakers to the White House for a briefing where administration officials insisted that there was conflicting intelligence on the matter. However, the White House reportedly refrained from divulging a key piece of evidence which legal experts claim casts further doubt both on the Trump administration’s  and the president’s claims that the entire story is a “.”According to a Tuesday...…Sharecopy linkFollowing bombshell allegations that the Russian government offered Taliban militants secret bounties for killing U.S. troops, the Trump administration on Monday invited a bloc of eight GOP lawmakers to the White House for a briefing where administration officials insisted that there was conflicting intelligence on the matter. However, the White House reportedly refrained from divulging a key piece of evidence which legal experts claim casts further doubt both on the Trump administration’s  and the president’s claims that the entire story is a “.”According to a Tuesday...WW…

Sharecopy linkA federal court on Thursday ruled that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) practice of detaining migrant children until they turn 18 only to transfer them to adult detention facilities was an “abuse of discretion” and clear violation of law.In a lengthy 180-page document detailing findings of fact and conclusions of law concerning liability, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras of the District of Columbia–an appointee of President Barack Obama–held that ICE officers failed to follow congressional mandates requiring minors who “age out” of facilities be placed in...…Sharecopy linkA federal court on Thursday ruled that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) practice of detaining migrant children until they turn 18 only to transfer them to adult detention facilities was an “abuse of discretion” and clear violation of law.In a lengthy 180-page document detailing findings of fact and conclusions of law concerning liability, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras of the District of Columbia–an appointee of President Barack Obama–held that ICE officers failed to follow congressional mandates requiring minors who “age out” of facilities be placed in...WW…

Sharecopy linkThe Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Commerce expressed “deep concern” over the department’s repeated attempts to prevent her office (OIG) from completing a critical report on its investigation into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 2019 statement concerning Hurricane Dorian, better known as “Sharpiegate.”In a memo to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, IG Peggy Gustafson – an appointee of President Barack Obama – wrote that the department has “distorted” its communications with the OIG and abandoned proper protocol by claiming “amorphous and...…Sharecopy linkThe Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Commerce expressed “deep concern” over the department’s repeated attempts to prevent her office (OIG) from completing a critical report on its investigation into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 2019 statement concerning Hurricane Dorian, better known as “Sharpiegate.”In a memo to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, IG Peggy Gustafson – an appointee of President Barack Obama – wrote that the department has “distorted” its communications with the OIG and abandoned proper protocol by claiming “amorphous and...WW…

Sharecopy linkThe U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request from the Texas Democratic Party to expand access to mail-in voting ballots to all of the state’s eligible voters. Republicans in the state government have repeatedly refused to increase access to mail-in ballots — which can currently only be obtained by persons who are out of state, are over age 65, or have disabilities — echoing the Trump administration’s that voting via mail leads to widespread fraud.Justice Samuel Alito issued the court’s order. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote separately to say she agreed with the decision...…Sharecopy linkThe U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request from the Texas Democratic Party to expand access to mail-in voting ballots to all of the state’s eligible voters. Republicans in the state government have repeatedly refused to increase access to mail-in ballots — which can currently only be obtained by persons who are out of state, are over age 65, or have disabilities — echoing the Trump administration’s that voting via mail leads to widespread fraud.Justice Samuel Alito issued the court’s order. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote separately to say she agreed with the decision...WW…

Sharecopy linkA coalition of 19 state attorneys general asked a federal court in Washington, D.C. to block the Department of Education (DoE) and Secretary Betsy DeVos from repealing a rule requiring for-profit schools to ensure their graduates are prepared for “gainful employment in a recognized occupation” and not left with a mountain of debt and no job prospects to help them repay it.Under the “Gainful Employment” Rule, which was promulgated by the DoE in 2014, for-profit programs were required to maintain a minimum debt-to-earnings ratio for their graduates. Schools that dropped below...…Sharecopy linkA coalition of 19 state attorneys general asked a federal court in Washington, D.C. to block the Department of Education (DoE) and Secretary Betsy DeVos from repealing a rule requiring for-profit schools to ensure their graduates are prepared for “gainful employment in a recognized occupation” and not left with a mountain of debt and no job prospects to help them repay it.Under the “Gainful Employment” Rule, which was promulgated by the DoE in 2014, for-profit programs were required to maintain a minimum debt-to-earnings ratio for their graduates. Schools that dropped below...WW…

Sharecopy linkThe U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the legal stricture preventing the president from firing the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was unconstitutional, reasoning that the provision violated separation of powers doctrine. While overshadowed by the release of the Court’s much-anticipated Louisiana abortion ruling, legal experts warned that the decision could have wide-reaching consequences concerning executive power that may play a significant role in the court’s pending decision concerning President Donald Trump’s tax returns.In the wake of the...…Sharecopy linkThe U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the legal stricture preventing the president from firing the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was unconstitutional, reasoning that the provision violated separation of powers doctrine. While overshadowed by the release of the Court’s much-anticipated Louisiana abortion ruling, legal experts warned that the decision could have wide-reaching consequences concerning executive power that may play a significant role in the court’s pending decision concerning President Donald Trump’s tax returns.In the wake of the...WW…

Sharecopy linkU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top deputy on Thursday again rejected allegations that the Pompeo fired former State Department inspector general Steve Linick in retaliation for opening a slew of investigations into Pompeo’s conduct. In a pair of letters to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Elliot Engel, Pompeo and Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun reiterated denials that Pompeo had any knowledge Linick’s office was investigating him on several fronts, including his role in a Saudi arms deal and allegations that he used his office for personal gain....…Sharecopy linkU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top deputy on Thursday again rejected allegations that the Pompeo fired former State Department inspector general Steve Linick in retaliation for opening a slew of investigations into Pompeo’s conduct. In a pair of letters to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Elliot Engel, Pompeo and Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun reiterated denials that Pompeo had any knowledge Linick’s office was investigating him on several fronts, including his role in a Saudi arms deal and allegations that he used his office for personal gain....WW…

Sharecopy linkFederal prosecutors are currently discussing whether to charge former national security advisor John Bolton with unlawfully disclosing classified information in his new memoir about his time serving President Donald Trump, the reported Wednesday.The DOJ filed a against Bolton on Tuesday seeking to delay the public release of his book, The Room Where it Happened, until officials were able to complete a prepublication review process.President Trump on Tuesday also predicted that Bolton would face some kind of “” saying he considered “every conversation with [him] as president...…Sharecopy linkFederal prosecutors are currently discussing whether to charge former national security advisor John Bolton with unlawfully disclosing classified information in his new memoir about his time serving President Donald Trump, the reported Wednesday.The DOJ filed a against Bolton on Tuesday seeking to delay the public release of his book, The Room Where it Happened, until officials were able to complete a prepublication review process.President Trump on Tuesday also predicted that Bolton would face some kind of “” saying he considered “every conversation with [him] as president...WW…

Sharecopy linkA bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Wednesday condemned President Donald Trump’s hand-picked director of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) Michael Pack, who took over the agency last month and proceeded to fire nearly all of the organization’s top leaders in what became known as the “.”In a letter to Pack penned by seven senators, including Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the lawmakers expressed “deep concern” over the sudden purge of the agency’s top employees, which many believe to be part of a larger effort to...…Sharecopy linkA bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Wednesday condemned President Donald Trump’s hand-picked director of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) Michael Pack, who took over the agency last month and proceeded to fire nearly all of the organization’s top leaders in what became known as the “.”In a letter to Pack penned by seven senators, including Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the lawmakers expressed “deep concern” over the sudden purge of the agency’s top employees, which many believe to be part of a larger effort to...WW…