Can Trump’s former defense lawyer protect the Justice Department from his wrath?

DOJ officials say Todd Blanche, a former federal prosecutor, knows its tradition of blocking politicians from influencing criminal investigations, but he faces a daunting task.

Trump Turns to His Personal Lawyers to Stock Top Ranks of Justice Dept.

The president-elect intends to nominate three members of his criminal defense team to senior roles, raising further concerns about politicization of the department.

Top stories - The New York Times - November 15

Will Justice Department and FBI officials carry out Trump’s prosecutions of his rivals?

Former officials fear that Donald Trump, if elected, will force out DOJ and FBI officials who defy him and replace them with loyalists. Chaos, division and paralysis could ensue.

Politics - NBC News - October 31

Trump Picks Todd Blanche, His Defense Lawyer, to Be Deputy Attorney General

Mr. Blanche, a former supervising federal prosecutor in Manhattan, oversaw the president-elect’s legal defense against multiple indictments.

Top stories - The New York Times - November 15

Trump to nominate his criminal defense lawyer for deputy attorney general

President-elect Donald Trump said he's nominating Todd Blanche, one of his criminal defense lawyers in the classified documents case, to be the deputy attorney general.

Politics - NBC News - November 15

What eliminating the Department of Education could mean for students, schools

President-elect Donald Trump has proposed a plan to eliminate the Department of Education to “send all education work and needs back to the States."

What Trump's reelection means for the Justice Department

Donald Trump on the campaign trail repeatedly accused Democrats of using the U.S. Justice Department to indict him for several crimes. So what exactly does this baseless claim signal about how the ...

Democratic governors vow to protect their states from Trump and his policies

Blue-state governors are preparing political and legal moves to shield their states’ policies and residents from Donald Trump's new administration.

Politics - NBC News - November 8

Justice Department demands records from sheriff after killing of Sonya Massey

The government made a list of demands in dozens of categories in a letter Thursday to the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office.

The Justice Department policy that could end some Trump prosecutions

A longstanding Justice Department policy could be applied to some of former President Donald Trump's legal cases as conversations are underway about winding down the prosecutions before Trump takes ...

Justice Department files charges in murder-for-hire scheme targeting Donald Trump

The Department of Justice announced charges against an Iranian man and two others in a plot to kill President-elect Donald Trump.

Politics - NBC News - November 8

Justice Department unseals alleged Iranian plot to kill Trump

The Justice Department on Friday revealed an alleged Iranian plot to kill President-elect Trump during his campaign this fall. A newly unsealed criminal complaint reveals that Farhad Shakeri, 51, ...

Politics - The Hill - November 8

Justice Department files charges in murder-for-hire scheme targeting Trump

The Department of Justice charged an Iranian man in a murder-for-hire plot to assassinate President-elect Trump while he was still a candidate and two others in a plot to kill an American ...

Jack Smith plans to leave Justice Department by the time Trump takes office

President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly said he plans to fire special counsel Jack Smith.

Justice Department officials react to Trump picking Matt Gaetz for attorney general

President-elect Donald Trump's pick of Rep. Matt Gaetz as his future attorney general has sent shockwaves through the Justice Department.

Trump’s Matt Gaetz Pick Unnerves an Already Jittery Justice Department and FBI

Senior law enforcement officials face a wave of uncertainty as Donald J. Trump moves to nominate a fierce partisan and a longtime ally to fill one of the most powerful cabinet posts.

Top stories - The New York Times - November 14

How a Trump Justice Department could shift legal positions at the Supreme Court

Trump's new lawyers will have to decide how to handle hot-button issues before the high court this term, including cases on treatments for transgender youth and on ghost guns.

Who is Pam Bondi, Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department?

With Matt Gaetz taking his name out of attorney general consideration, President-elect Donald Trump has named Pam Bondi as his pick to be the nation's next top law enforcement official. The former ...

Philippine defense secretary doesn't expect Trump will demand payment for protection

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro says he doesn't expect U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s next administration will demand the Philippines pay more for military protection because ...

World - ABC News - November 12

Moody’s former top lawyer made $54 million and didn’t file his taxes. Now he’s going to prison.

John Goggins was sentenced to eight months behind bars after pleading guilty to willfully failing to file tax returns between 2018 and 2021.

Business - MarketWatch - October 26

Trump taps former Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York to oversee the Environmental Protection Agency in his administration.

Trump health secretary choice is ‘courting catastrophe’, says rights group – as it happened

This blog is closed, thanks for following along. You can read more of our coverage below: . Reaction: RFK Jr condemned as ‘clear and present danger’ after Trump nomination Full report: Trump ...

World - The Guardian - November 15

How the states can protect public health from the federal fringe takeover

No matter where we live, we should ask what our state doing to protect our families against rancorous false cries against basic public health protections.

Politics - The Hill - November 14

US justice department files charges over alleged Iranian plot to kill Trump

Trump campaign said US officials warned him in September about suspected Iranian assassination plot. The US justice department is bringing criminal charges over an Iranian plot to kill the ...

World - The Guardian - November 8

How fierce Trump ally Kash Patel could help reshape the FBI or Justice Department

Trump ally Kash Patel, a former Defense Department official who wants to end the "Deep State," could make big changes if he's given a top spot at the FBI or DOJ.

Gaetz resigns from Congress — possibly skirting long-awaited Ethics report

His resignation came the same day Donald Trump nominated him to be attorney general, but some Republicans think he had other motivations.

Politics - Politico - November 13

Trump names Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary – live

Leavitt was Trump campaign’s national press secretary and assistant press secretary in first administration. Trump’s staffing picks and likely contenders – so far Republicans are set to take ...

World - The Guardian - November 16

Lawyers concerned about protection of Germany's Constitutional Court

World - Yahoo News - November 8

Can Trump dismantle the Department of Education? It won't be easy, experts say

"One thing I'll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C.," President-elect Trump vowed in 2023.

Dismantling the Department of Education? Trump's plan for schools in his second term

Trump has proposed featuring prayer in public schools and dismantling the Department of Education.

Matt Gaetz, a Bomb-Thrower for the Justice Department

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be attorney general has set a new bar for in-your-face nominations.

Top stories - The New York Times - November 14

Justice Department calls for breakup of Google and sale of Chrome

The proposed breakup calls for Google to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser and impose restrictions designed to prevent its Android smartphone software from favoring its search engine.

Justice Department targets Google's search engine monopoly

The Department of Justice on Wednesday filed a motion calling for Google to sell its Chrome search engine, arguing in court documents that "the playing field is not level." The Justice Department ...

Trump nominates Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead new efficiency department to ‘restructure federal agencies’ – live

Tesla CEO and onetime Republican presidential hopeful put forward to lead department to ‘dismantle government bureaucracy’ . Trump’s cabinet picks and likely contenders so far Joe Biden is ...

World - The Guardian - November 13

Trump claims he will ‘protect’ women — women need to protect themselves from Trump

Donald Trump’s infantilization of women, declaring "I’m going to do it, whether the women like it or not," is simply confirmation that he does not view women as capable, intelligent or equal.

Politics - The Hill - November 4

Sean Combs' lawyers claim prosecutors wrongly took notes from his jail cell

Lawyers for music mogul Sean Combs, who is charged with sex trafficking and other charges, claim that federal prosecutors improperly took possession of pages of notes from Combs' jail cell. The ...

EPA staff fear Trump will destroy how it protects Americans from pollution

Workers face being targets in what could be Environmental Protection Agency’s biggest upheaval since its founding. After several years of recovery after the tumult of Donald Trump ’s last ...

World - The Guardian - November 11

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