Tuesday, December 10, 2024
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 1/ Trump’s first term Justice Department secretly obtained phone and text message records from two members of Congress, 43 staffers – including Kash Patel, his pick to lead the FBI – and eight journalists, according to a new report by the department’s internal watchdog. The report by Inspector General Michael Horowitz found that the Justice Department didn’t act with political motives, but instead failed to comply with its own procedures when it investigated who in the government had leaked classified information to journalists that detailed contacts between Trump and Russia. Prosecutors secretly used subpoenas and other legal processes to obtain communication records, including phone and email metadata but not the content itself, from third-party providers. They attached gag orders that barred the companies from informing their customers. “As a result, dozens of congressional staffers became part of the subject pool in a federal criminal investigation for nothing more than performing constitutionally authorized oversight of the executive branch,” the report said. Horowitz urged the Justice Department to strengthen policies to prevent future abuses against lawmakers, staff, and journalists, warning that its tactics “risks chilling Congress’ ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch” and could expose whistleblower activity or other sensitive information. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/10/politics/justice-department-spying-congress-patel-trump-ig-report">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/us/politics/trump-leaks-investigation-congress-justice-department.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trumps-doj-secretly-obtained-phone-text-message-logs-43-congressional-rcna183610">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/12/10/g-s1-37644/justice-department-subpoenae-trump">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/10/doj-inspector-general-leak-investigation-report-00193464">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-congress-leak-investigations-inspector-general/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/12/10/justice-department-communications-seizures-inspector-general/">Washington Post</a>)
2/ Trump’s “border czar” promised that mass deportation efforts would “start right here in Chicago” immediately after Trump’s inauguration. “Chicago’s in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks,” Tom Homan said, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “Do not impede us.” Homan also threatened to arrest “a hell of a lot more people than our priorities,” telling Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other Democratic officials to “get the hell out of the way.” While Homan said there was no plan to separate families, he acknowledged “it may happen” and “if you put yourself in that position it’s on you.” (<a href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/12/10/mass-deportations-will-start-right-here-in-chicago-trumps-border-czar-says/">Block Club Chicago</a> / <a href="https://www.wbez.org/immigration/2024/12/10/border-czar-tom-homan-donald-trump-chicago-pritzker-brandon-johnson-immigration">WBEZ</a> / <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/donald-trump-immigration-incoming-border-czar-tom-homan-promises-mass-deportation-says-hell-start-chicago-migrants/15633535/">ABC 7 Chicago</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/12/09/congress/border-czars-tough-talk-00193416">Politico</a>)
3/ A group of 77 Nobel laureates urged Senate lawmakers to reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. In an open letter, the group argued that putting Kennedy – one of the nation’s leading vaccine skeptics – in charge of HHS, which oversees agencies handling food and drug safety, disease epidemics, and health insurance would “put the pub...
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