JUST IN: Judge Darrin Gayles (Obama/SDFL) halts discovery in Trump v. Murdoch/WSJ following hearing today on motion to dismiss. Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/05...

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...

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...

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."

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...

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: 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...

Rest of footnote:

Argument that DOJ's agreement to release Biden ghostwriter tapes undermines DOJ's case for secrecy of Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on Trump classified docs probe makes it into @knightcolumbia.org brief to 11th Cir (more below): www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...

JUST IN: Justice Neil Gorsuch tells @RonaldReagan civility conference US democracy is 'very fragile' & 'facing some tough times.' 'We are all in it together, and if we don't stay all in it together, it will crumble,' Gorsuch says, urging students to study history 'warts and all'

JUST IN: Judge Brian Murphy (Biden/MA) indefinitely extends administrative stay on termination of TPS for Ethiopia

JUST IN: Remember this Bondi tweet and the mugshots released contrary to DOJ policy? Prosecutors just dropped another case, this one v. special ed teacher Christina Rank. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...

Hmmm. Missed the Newsweek editor at this hearing on Trump firing powers. Good that they get down to Alexandria from time to time. Also curious that he ellipsized the quote precisely as I did www.politico.com/news/2026/07...

JUST IN: Judge Christopher Cooper (Obama/DC) rejects recusal in Jan. 6 defendant's case, warns her that 1 of her pro se filings may contain an AI-hallucinated citation. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28... U may remember she came to #capitolriot on private jet www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

FWIW Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan are neither defendants nor mentioned in Trump's suit against the NY Times. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

I haven't looked into the facts but suspect this sentence in Daily Caller would benefit from being reworded.

UPDATE: DOJ calls 'perverse' Sullivan's ruling on Blanche & Epstein files, says he's seeking to release victim names, vows appeal

JUST IN: Judge Christopher Cooper (Obama/DC) orders Kennedy Center to report by next month on the purpose of the tarp and scaffolding currently covering the area where Trump's name was removed pursuant to an earlier Cooper order. Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/06...

Flashback to discussion at Kagan confirmation hearings in 2010 www.politico.com/story/2010/0... And to her 1993 law review article questioning some applications of NYT v. Sullivan inforrm.org/wp-content/u...

#SCOTUS turning down Page's bid to revive his suit against individual officials like Comey, McCabe, Clinesmith means the Trump admin paid out in a case that no court determined to have legal merit

JUST IN: #SCOTUS denies review to 98-year-old Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman's challenge to investigation that led to her colleagues suspending her over alleged cognitive impairment.

Not strictly true that outside recording is never allowed in the Situation Room www.politico.com/blogs/media/...

All cool now with the judges, I guess. With apologies to the millennials & later, this reminds me of "Fawlty Towers" line: "Don't talk about the war!" www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

JUST IN: Judge Christopher Cooper (Obama/DC) denies Trump admin request to stay his order requiring Trump's name come off Kennedy Center. Cooper sees no irreparable harm if it can be readily put back later. Fight moves to DC Circuit. Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/05...

JUST IN: Another benchslapping for DOJ. This one from Judge Sparkle Sooknanan (Biden/DC) for missed deadline due to misread order in #FOIA case. AUSA's mea culpa: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...

JUST IN: Mag. judge sets June 30 hearing on BBC's demands for info on Trump's finances. She also benchslaps Trump lawyers over handling of BBC motion. Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

OVERNIGHT (ET): Judge Casey Pitts (Biden/NDCA), who on Saturday turned down a TRO against a NDTX grand jury subpoena for records of trans care records at Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, issued an administrative stay last night blocking the subpoena CA-wide

JUST IN: Judge Roy Altman (Trump/FLSD) benchslaps Trump's attorneys in his $5-10B libel lawsuit against BBC, citing late filings and a missed deadline. Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/03...