Josh Gerstein
@joshgerstein.bsky.social
Sr. Legal Affairs Reporter, @POLITICO Priors: ABC White House & China correspondent, CNN, NY Sun 🇺🇸🇦🇺josh@joshgerstein.com. Signal: joshgerstein.46
JUST IN: US Atty's office in Seattle, whose judge-appointed head Trump fired last month, benchslapped for asking for 2-week extension at 4:14 PM on day PI opposition due in case of Army Corps union Trump is stripping of recognition. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
JUST IN: Trump signals plan to reframe his suit against BBC. Likely to narrow Trump's claim to take out ref to damage to his businesses/brand. Needs judge's OK, but may limit BBC access to his financial data Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
Motion to Seal (Public) – #106 in Trump v. British Broadcasting Corporation (S.D. Fla., 1:25-cv-25894) – CourtListener.com
Motion to Seal (Public)
storage.courtlistener.com
UPDATE: The group that posted the audio of the religious activists' call with Blanche online, @IFAPray, has taken it down following POLITICO's story last night. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSgP...
youtube.com
Josh Gerstein@joshgerstein.bsky.social · 2d agoNEW: Amid AG confirmation battle, Todd Blanche assured anti-abortion activists that he's working to make Dobbs 'permanent in every single state.' Admin will act 'soon' to limit mail-order abortion drugs. w/ @alicemiranda.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/08...
For those interested in more on this "BREAKING" story, here's a link to the story in POLITICO last night by @alicemiranda.bsky.social & myself on Blanche's comments in a private call with anti-abortion activists www.politico.com/news/2026/08...
Blanche assures anti-abortion supporters that Dobbs will be ‘permanent in every single state’
The acting attorney general made the remarks during a private call with faith leaders.
politico.com
Strict Scrutiny Podcast@strictscrutiny.bsky.social · 19h agoOn Todd Blanche: (1) his written statement on the weaponization fund is a meaningless joke and (2) the danger(s) he poses to abortion access: m.youtube.com/watch?v=fJAY...
NEW: Amid AG confirmation battle, Todd Blanche assured anti-abortion activists that he's working to make Dobbs 'permanent in every single state.' Admin will act 'soon' to limit mail-order abortion drugs. w/ @alicemiranda.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/08...
Blanche assures anti-abortion supporters that Dobbs will be ‘permanent in every single state’
The acting attorney general made the remarks during a private call with faith leaders.
politico.com
Not at all clear that the narrowing of the IRS claims waiver in the Trump settlement is "binding." That's simply Blanche's interpretation at this point. Nothing to stop other Trump family members, affiliates, trusts, etc., from claiming they can rely on the original wording
JUST IN: Tillis confirms he is on board with Cornyn to vote yes on Blanche for AG, after Blanche renounces Anti-Weaponization Fund in writing & asserts that the waiver of any past taxes due is limited to POTUS, Don Jr., Eric & Trump Org. Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/08...
All I can say is: Read this piece. It’s extraordinary.
Greg Jaffe@gregjaffe.bsky.social · 2d ago"The Pentagon has treated the trans separation board hearings with levels of security and silence usually reserved for state secrets... In some cases, service members’ spouses and even the service members themselves are kept out." w/ Dave Philipps www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...
Trump allies at Heritage celebrating the Cornyn cave on Blanche because you actually need both parties to sign off on changing the “settlement.”
Smart and dumb aspects of Trump's Dulles plan, via @robpegoraro.com robpegoraro.com/2026/07/31/d...
Dulles Airport does need a reboot, but the two dumbest parts of its $22.5 billion redesign need to get the boot first
For decades, it was screamingly obvious that Washington Dulles International Airport desperately needed three upgrades: extending Metro to there, replacing its horribly cramped C/D concourse, and r…
robpegoraro.com
DEJA VU?: Trump says, again, that he's calling off a massive wave of attacks in Iran due to a purported agreement in principle of some sort with the Iranian regime, that he just called "crazy."
UPDATE: Burgum joins Trump-Pirro fray, says "evidence is clear" that vandals damaged reflecting pool, despite Pirro saying that until recently Burgum's agency withheld info that undercut criminal prosecution www.politico.com/news/2026/08...
Trump dings longtime ally Jeanine Pirro for dropping Reflecting Pool vandalism case
The president said he disagreed “100%” with the top Washington prosecutor after her office abandoned vandalism charges for the former Olympian.
politico.com
Politico@politico.com · 4d agoTrump dings longtime ally Jeanine Pirro for dropping Reflecting Pool vandalism case
JUST IN: Judge Kathleen Williams (Obama/FLSD) notes that DOJ/IRS don't intend to respond to Trump lawyers'' motion to stay sanctions in the Trump v. IRS settlement case. She asks court-appointed amici to respond instead. Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
Not mentioned in story but same reporter, Matthew Cole, was at the center of another story two decades ago about so-called enhanced interrogations. Probe of that leak led to CIA officer John Kiriakou getting 2 1/2 years in prison www.politico.com/story/2013/0...
Ex-CIA officer sentenced in leak case
John Kiriakou is the first CIA employee sent to jail for releasing classified information to the media.
politico.com
The New York Times@nytimes.com · 4d agoA freelance reporter has been fighting a subpoena from the Trump administration seeking to force him to reveal his sources for a New York Times article about a failed top secret mission in North Korea, according to people familiar with the matter.
Trump dings longtime ally Jeanine Pirro for dropping Reflecting Pool vandalism case
Trump dings longtime ally Jeanine Pirro for dropping Reflecting Pool vandalism case
The president said he disagreed “100%” with the top Washington prosecutor after her office abandoned vandalism charges for the former Olympian.
dlvr.it
JUST IN: Trump "100%" rejects Pirro's decision to drop reflecting pool vandalism prosecution, says he's confident that's what happened despite the detailed, 19-page motion Pirro filed Friday blaming the contractor. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
NEW: Trump takes erratic path on Blanche confirmation, threatening to push legislation to enact his Anti-Weaponization Fund if his AG pick isn't confirmed. But the Fund is broadly opposed, at least in the Senate. Via @G_Svirnovskiy @benjohansen3 www.politico.com/news/2026/08...
Trump puts his ‘anti-weaponization fund’ back on the table
The missive comes a day after Trump declared the fund “dead” in a Cabinet meeting at Camp David.
politico.com
NEW: DOJ now says it was was snookered by Interior Department into indicting Olympian David Hearn when officials "clearly" knew of multitude of issues w/reflecting pool renovation by Trump's 'pool guy.' @USAttyPirro drops the case. More via @eperezibarguen www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
JUST IN: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley notices a business meeting for Tuesday at 9 AM for a potential panel vote on Trump's nomination of Todd Blanche as AG. But but but, a spokesperson suggests no deal yet w/Cornyn & Tillis. Earlier: www.politico.com/live-updates...
JUST IN: Trump lawyers appeal judge's sanctions over Trump v. IRS lawsuit + ban on invoking settlement. They're blasting Judge Kathleen Williams' (Obama SDFL) collusion finding & asking her to stay her ruling. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
TrumpIRSStayMot073126
documentcloud.org
NEW: #SCOTUS reformers should drop focus on term limits & zero in on guaranteeing each president at least a couple of high court nominations, veteran DC attorney Matthew Hoffman argues on his new Substack thelegalrealist.substack.com/p/supreme-co...
Supreme Court Term Limits Are Wishful Thinking. Why Not Just Regularize Court Appointments?
When people talk about reforming the Supreme Court, term limits are usually the first idea that comes up.
thelegalrealist.substack.com
Trump doubles down on Anti-Weaponization Fund Blanche has declared 'dead.' Tillis also said this aspect was settled. Doesn't seem positive for reaching a deal on Blanche AG nomination. Via @gregsvirnovskiy.bsky.social www.politico.com/live-updates...
Trump needles Cornyn as Blanche remains blocked
The president defended his $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” which Blanche insisted this month is not moving forward.
politico.com
JUST IN: Judge Stanley Bastian (Obama/EDWA) declines DOJ request he recuse from suit filed by Roger Rogoff, court-appointed US Atty Trump fired in WDWA. Bastian says his occasional service there is no basis to recuse/recusals don't have to go to circuit storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Order on Motion for Recusal – #19 in Rogoff v. Trump (W.D. Wash., 2:26-cv-02566) – CourtListener.com
ORDER denying Defendants' 17 Motion for Recusal or Reassignment by Ninth Circuit Order. Signed by Judge Stanley A. Bastian.(CJS) (Entered: 07/30/2026)
storage.courtlistener.com
JUST IN: Palestinian Authorty/PLO says it faces financial ruin and interruption of 'critical government services' from $655 million judgment in terrorism-related suit, asks #SCOTUS for emergency relief. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
26A141
documentcloud.org
JUST IN: Court-appointed US attorney in Seattle, who sued after Trump tried to fire him earlier this month, sidesteps recusal fight. Roger Rogoff says he doesn't mind if reassignment of suit is done again by 9th Cir, as DOJ wants. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Response to Motion – #18 in Rogoff v. Trump (W.D. Wash., 2:26-cv-02566) – CourtListener.com
RESPONSE, by Plaintiff Roger Rogoff, to 17 MOTION for Recusal or Reassignment by Ninth Circuit Order. (Rittereiser, Jason) (Entered: 07/30/2026)
storage.courtlistener.com
NEW: 1st public hearing for Alien Terrorist Removal Court unfolds at federal courthouse in DC. Lawyer for Afghan immigrant facing deportation tells judge there's good a reason the court hasn't been used for 3 decades: It's flagrantly unconstitutional www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
Historic first public hearing held for terrorist deportation court
politico.com
JUST IN: Hearing set for tomorrow AM in never-before-used anti-terrorism court as Trump admin seeks to deport Afghan immigrant mother of teenager who pleaded guilty to 2024 election related plot for ISIS violence in US. w/ @kyledcheney.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
DOJ tapped never-used ‘alien terrorist’ court to deport mother of convicted ISIS supporter
ICE officials urging the special court to grant the deportation say efforts to deport her through traditional immigration courts would not suffice.
politico.com
BREAKING: Panel vote on Todd Blanche's nomination to be attorney general postponed due to lack of deal w/Cornyn and Tillis on Trump tax audit waiver. Just before, DOJ official said: 'We've transmitted new language to Cornyn and Tillis and in discussion.' www.politico.com/live-updates...
Todd Blanche won’t get Thursday vote in Senate Judiciary Committee
The panel postponed a planned meeting as key GOP holdouts press for concessions.
politico.com
JUST IN: Judge Amit Mehta (Obama/DC) denies James O'Keefe's motion to dismiss lawsuit brought by DoD contractor Jamie Mannina over video dating sting. 1 claim is false light video splicing much like Trump v. BBC. Doc: ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show... Earlier: apnews.com/article/proj...
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov
