Senators Fight Harder Against Restitution For DOJ Weaponization Than Against Weaponization Itself

Our Best Stuff on the ‘Weaponization’ Slush Fund

The president settled a lawsuit against the IRS in return for a fund that could benefit January 6 protesters.

The Men of Integrity Who Fight Against Antisemitism: Donald Trump, His Administration, and the NTFCA

Ron DeSantis runs from questions about Trump's anti-weaponization fund

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared to run away Friday when reporters asked about President Donald Trump's $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund." DeSantis broke into a sprint up stairs to exit onto the street. The fund in question was created as a settlement for Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit, despite the constitutional irregularity of Trump suing an agency he controls. Since its announcement, Jan. 6 rioters have expressed interest in applying for compensation, prompting criticism from Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Some GOP senators have proposed reconciliation bill provisions to limit fund eligibility. DeSantis's escape was captured on video and widely mocked on social media. Former Florida Agriculture Secretary Nikki Fried wrote on X, "He LITERALLY can't run faster away." Florida Politics editor Peter Schorsch joked about DeSantis struggling on the stairs on X. Economist Anders Åslund wrote on X, "To be a Trump loyalist is to be a coward & refuse to tell the truth or stick to the rule of law."Watch the video below. Your browser does not support the video tag.

Jan. 6 prosecutor, Trump administration targets sue over ‘weaponization’ fund

Jan. 6 prosecutor, Trump administration targets sue over ‘weaponization’ fund

Trump 'at war with Senate Republicans' will need a favor from GOP lawmaker he betrayed

President Donald Trump's move to push out a longtime Republican ally could backfire — because he now needs his help, according to reports on Friday.Burgess Everett, Semafor congressional bureau chief, pointed out that as Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation as director of national intelligence, it has left three openings for the Trump administration to fill all while he navigates a more tense relationship with GOP lawmakers in the economic fallout over the Iran war, the White House ballroom funding and his controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund."Upshot from Gabbard resigning: Trump now has three Cabinet vacancies (Labor, AG) while he's basically at war with Senate Republicans," Everett wrote in a post on X."And confirming a new DNI will require the votes of Sens. Collins and ... Cornyn in Senate Intelligence Committee, whom Trump just snubbed," Everett added.Interim leaders have been tapped to run the Labor Department and Justice Department until Trump names new nominees to the roles."Acting attorney general Todd Blanche faces a tough road to confirmation if Trump nominates him to a permanent role," according to a Semafor report."Any Gabbard replacement would have to get approval from the Senate Intelligence Committee, whose members include moderate Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who has voted against several Trump nominees and priorities, as well as Texas Sen. John Cornyn, recently snubbed by Trump in his primary. Gabbard’s successor would need both of their votes — and confirming her was a challenge to begin with at the peak of Trump’s power," Semafor reported.

DOJ vows to appeal after judge dismisses smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia as 'vindictive'

Kilmar Abrego Garcia's human smuggling indictment was dismissed by a federal judge who cited 'vindictive' prosecution. The DOJ says it will appeal.

'It's a joke': Expert warns grand jury misconduct has become routine under Trump DOJ

Misconduct in front of grand juries is now routine for the Department of Justice under Trump, warned a legal expert."Did grand jury abuses happen? Yes, but very, very rarely," Michael Popok said about previous administrations during the latest episode of his podcast, Legal AF. "But now, when you hollow out the Department of Justice, when tens of thousands of people and your brain drain happened, and they're not really replaced with anybody of anywhere close to competency...now, it's a joke." Popok was discussing allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in the DOJ's botched case against the "Broadview Six," a group of protesters who were federally charged in 2025 after demonstrating outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility. On Thursday, Judge April Perry called out DOJ prosecutors for prosecutorial misconduct. A U.S. Attorney dropped the charges against the Broadview Six later that day, and, on Friday, the former lead prosecutor for the case, Sheri Macklenburg, was dismissed from a temporary role with the Senate Judiciary Committee. "It's remarkable," Popok said. "The DOJ had to confess to Judge Perry that there was an extraordinary amount of grand jury misconduct by their own prosecutor." Popok said that even though grand jury transcripts would make "your eyes pop out of your head," it wasn't "the first time we've heard about a prosecutor who misled a grand jury and got caught." He went on to explain, alongside his guest, journalist Adam Klasfeld, that the other obvious example is DOJ prosecutor Lindsey Halligan's handling of a criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey. In November, a federal magistrate judge said "government misconduct" may have tainted Halligan's effort to bring an indictment against Comey, according to reporting by Politico. Klasfeld noted that "the full grand jury didn't see the final indictment." "When I look at the Broadview Six, the party that's making a mockery of the justice system here is the Trump Justice Department," Klasfeld said. "I haven't seen anything like this, and to Michael's point, this isn't the first time it happened in terms of funny business before a grand jury." Popok explained, "It's just a reflection that they're out of gas, and led by a feckless attorney general."The Popok Pop Up: Breaking; Joined by Adam Klasfeld (All Rise News) by Legal AFA recording from Legal AF's live videoRead on Substack

DOJ prosecutor accused of botching anti-ICE protest case ousted by Dem senator

A senator dismissed a Department of Justice prosecutor who led a botched case against six protesters and is now being accused of misconduct, according to new reports. Sheri Mecklenburg is a 20-year veteran DOJ prosecutor, according to Talking Points Memo reporter Josh Marshall. She led the case against the "Broadview Six," a group of protesters who were federally charged after demonstrating in front of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Illinois last year. In February, Mecklenburg suddenly withdrew from the case and took on a temporary assignment with the criminal justice team for Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, according to reporting by NOTUS. "She made no mention that she'd be leaving in a court hearing earlier in Feb. There was really no explanation for the suddenness of the move. Or at least the lack of heads up," Marshall explained in a post on Bluesky. "At the time I figured since the case seemed like such a loser maybe she just wanted out." Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced on Friday that Mecklenburg was dismissed from that role, according to NOTUS and Talking Points Memo. The decision comes on the heels of courtroom drama related to the Broadview Six case. On Thursday, Judge April Perry ordered DOJ prosecutors to appear in court to explain what she believed was misconduct in how they sought an indictment from a grand jury, and the case came to a swift and sudden end shortly after when a U.S. Attorney dropped all charges days before a trial was set to begin.Perry said she had "never seen the types of prosecutorial behavior" that were on display by DOJ prosecutors, including Mecklenburg, before a grand jury in 2025. According to Marshall's Thursday post on Bluesky, "if you look at the hearing transcript today most or all the alleged misconduct was hers."