Trump's corrupt DOJ takes the cake

This is one of the most gobsmacking stories on this regime we've had yet - and that's saying a lot.

Courts resisting fascism

 

Some good news

In a critical loss for the Justice Department, a federal grand jury on Tuesday refused to indict Democratic lawmakers who made a video reminding members of the military and intelligence community that they can refuse to carry out illegal orders.

  Mother Jones

Doesn't mean they'll drop it, but it's a good start.

The six Democrats featured in the 90-second clip are Sens. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) and Mark Kelly (Ariz.), and Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.), Chris Deluzio (Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (N.H.), and Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.)—and they all served in the military or intelligence agencies. The indictment was sought by DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who is a longtime ally of President Donald Trump and a former Fox News host.

Judge Box of Wine is what I hear her called sometimes.

The video, which was posted back in November, was met with an avalanche of threats and attempted retaliation from President Donald Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and—now—Pirro and the DOJ.

[...]

In early January, Hegseth censured Kelly, alleging that the retired Navy combat pilot and astronaut had engaged in “seditious” conduct. Kelly quickly sued Hegseth for violating his constitutional rights.

And, yesterday, a judge ruled in that case.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon (a George W Bush nominee) ruled that Pentagon officials not only violated Kelly’s First Amendment free speech rights, but they also “threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees.” The judge invoked an old-fashioned rebuke -- “Horsefeathers!” -- in response to the government’s claim that Kelly is trying to exempt himself from the rules of military justice.

[...]

Leon’s order prohibits the Pentagon from implementing or enforcing Kelly’s punishment while his lawsuit is pending. The judge instructed the parties to provide him with an update in 30 days.

[...]

[A] Washington grand jury declined to indict the lawmakers over the video.

[...]

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin has said she has been told the Justice Department could seek a new indictment as soon as Friday. Kelly and Slotkin said at a news conference Wednesday that they are keeping all legal options on the table regarding potentially suing the administration.

[...]

[DOD chief Pete] Hegseth said Kelly’s censure was “a necessary process step” to proceedings that could result in a demotion from the senator’s retired rank of captain and subsequent reduction in retirement pay.

[...]

Hegseth said the government will appeal Leon’s decision. “Sedition is sedition, ‘Captain,’” he posted on his X account, referring to Kelly by his rank at retirement.

  AP News

What a dunce.

The Pentagon began investigating Kelly in late November, citing a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court-martial or other punishment. Hegseth has said Kelly was the only one of the six lawmakers to be investigated because he is the only one who formally retired from the military and still falls under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction.

[...]

[Judge] Leon said that Kelly “is likely to succeed on the merits” of his free speech claim. “He has also shown irreparable harm, and the balance of the equities fall decidedly in his favor.”

UPDATE 02/24/2026:

 

Fascism isn't getting past grand juries in Chicago

 

What's going on with the Comey indictment?

 

She was hired to do it, so she's gonna do it.  Winning or losing isn't part of the equation.

On Fox, no less.

UPDATE 04:47 pm:  I'm reading that they needed 12 jurors to vote to indict.  

Andrew Weissman talks with Sarah Longwell about it.

Do not cooperate with fascists

 

It turns out when you have a fascist regime in charge, maybe you can't indict a ham sandwich.

A grand jury of D.C. citizens on Tuesday had denied the Justice Department's request to indict Jones, who was accused of a federal crime for allegedly posting an Instagram threat against President Trump.

[...]

This grand jury's rejection of the Justice Department's request for an indictment was one of at least four such instances in the past week in which a grand jury denied an indictment in the District of Columbia.

"Not only have I never heard of this happening, I've never heard of a prosecutor who's heard of this happening," said former federal prosecutor Brendan Ballou, who served in the U.S. Attorney's Office for in D.C. until January 2025.

"This is not the fault of career prosecutors, but rather the office's failure—again and again—to secure indictments suggests that the administration has absolutely destroyed its credibility with jurors," Ballou told CBS News.

  CBS

This is Trump's DOJ now.

Another former federal prosecutor, Victor Salgado, said, "It is exceptionally rare for federal grand juries to reject proposed charges, given the low evidentiary bar for indictment and the Justice Department's policy of pursuing cases only when there is sufficient evidence to both secure and sustain a conviction."

[...]

In a separate case, multiple people familiar with the decision said a grand jury refused a Justice Department request to indict Sean Dunn, who was accused of throwing a sandwich at a federal agent in August. Dunn is a former Justice Department employee who was fired after news circulated of his arrest in the sandwich case. The Justice Department has instead filed a new misdemeanor count against Dunn, which does not require a grand jury indictment.

Court records reviewed by CBS News said a D.C. grand jury also rejected a Justice Department request to indict Sydney Reid, who was arrested in July for allegedly attempting to interfere with the transfer of an alleged gang member into immigration custody.

"As Reid tried to impede the transfer, one of the (officers) pushed her against the wall and told her to stop," the Justice Department alleged in a complaint. "Reid continued to struggle and fight with the officer."

The Justice Department acknowledged in a court filing on Aug. 25 in Reid's case that "[a]n Indictment has not been returned."

Last week, a D.C. grand jury also declined to indict Alvin Summers, who was accused of swinging his arms at a U.S. Park Police officer after a foot chase on Aug. 15.

[...]

The charges against Mr. Summers were based on an allegation made by one officer who was wearing a body-worn camera. That officer's testimony was rejected by the grand jury, presumably after reviewing the body-worn camera video."

The Justice Department filed a motion to dismiss Summers's case on Aug. 29.

What happened with the Arizona Grand Jury?

Mark Meadows testified to Smith's team

Trump's final chief of staff in the White House, Mark Meadows, has spoken with special counsel Jack Smith's team at least three times this year, including once before a federal grand jury, which came only after Smith granted Meadows immunity to testify under oath.

[...]

Meadows informed Smith's team that he repeatedly told Trump in the weeks after the 2020 presidential election that the allegations of significant voting fraud coming to them were baseless, a striking break from Trump's prolific rhetoric regarding the election.

[...]

Meadows also told the federal investigators Trump was being "dishonest" with the public when he first claimed to have won the election only hours after polls closed on Nov. 3, 2020, before final results were in.

[...]

"Obviously we didn't win," a source quoted Meadows as telling Smith's team in hindsight.

[...]

ABC News has identified several assertions in [Meadows'] book that appear to be contradicted by what Meadows allegedly told investigators behind closed doors.

[...]

Aided by a ghostwriter, Meadows published his book, "The Chief's Chief," nearly a year after Trump left office.

"[T]he sheer volume of falsehoods that have been published about the president's time in the White House is astounding," the book says. "I consider this book a small opportunity to correct the record."

[...]

[D]espite Meadows telling investigators that Giuliani never produced evidence of significant fraud in the election, his book refers to Giuliani's efforts to expose "the fraud, and the dirty tricks on election night."

[...]

According to Meadows' book, the election was "stolen" and "rigged" with help from "allies in the liberal media," who ignored "actual evidence of fraud, right there in plain sight for anyone to access and analyze."

But, as described to ABC News, Meadows privately told Smith's investigators that -- to this day -- he has yet to see any evidence of fraud that would have kept now-president Joe Biden from the White House, and he told them he agrees with a government assessment at the time that the 2020 presidential election was the most secure election in U.S. history.

[...]

Meadows conceded that he doesn't actually believe some of the statements in his book.

Bunch of fucking liars to the rubes.

Under the immunity order from Smith's team, the information Meadows provided to the grand jury earlier this year can't be used against him in a federal prosecution.

[...]

While speaking with investigators, Meadows was specifically asked if Trump ever acknowledged to him that he'd lost the election. Meadows told investigators he never heard Trump say that, according to sources.

[...]

Trump has called Meadows, one of the former president's closest and highest-ranking aides in the White House, a "special friend" and "a great chief of staff -- as good as it gets."

  ABC

"Has" is the key word there. Wait til he reads this.*  (Or hears.  He doesn't read.)

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE 08:08 pm:

*UPDATE 10/25/2023:  And, there it is.

Maybe later? Maybe federal?

Well damn.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE 11:47 am:

Full list of Grand Jury decisions on indictment

Mitchell, maybe.  Flynn, I'd be surprised.  I'd be more inclined to believe Graham is cooperating.  That wouldn't surprise me.  The man is a self-serving weasel.

UPDATE 09/09/2023:   Something I wonder about:  This is an excerpt from Fani Willis' letter to Jim Jordan:

I direct your attention to O.C.G.A. § 15-18-6. Subsection (4) imposes upon me as District Attorney the duty “[t]o draw up all indictments or presentments, when requested by the grand jury, and to prosecute all indictable offenses.”

So, didn't the GJ request indictments of those other people?  They were on the list.

And...

Going down in Georgia

At least two people are reportedly scheduled to testify tomorrow.  One is Gabriel Sterling, Georgia Sec of State's office.  But he was spotted at the courthouse today, so?*

On Sunday, Sterling was asked by ABC News about whether he had been called to testify before the Fulton County grand jury this week.

“My lawyer said I couldn’t talk about this too much one way or another, but if I am called, when I am called, I will go and do what I did before: I will tell the truth, answer honestly,” he said.

  Atlanta Journal-Constitution

I don't think they need to worry.  He hasn't had any protests to speak of in any of his earlier indictments or arrests.

Not much of a showing yet anyway.

To be continued...

UPDATE :  12:42 pm

Pretty big flub by Reuters.  Assume they meant to have the tweet ready to go the second an indictment comes out, and somebody hit the post button by mistake.

UPDATE 12:48 pm:  Or maybe it was the fault of someone at the Fulton County clerk's office.

I'd say that's a good indication that the charge will happen, and it will be against Trump for "RICO and other charges".

Charges (several of each 2-8):

1) RICO violation

2) Solicitation of violation of oath by public officer

3) Conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer

4) Conspiracy to commit forgery

5) Conspiracy to commit false statements and writings

6) Conspiracy to commit filing false documents

7) Filing false documents

8) False statements and writings

Looks like Willis is taking a page from Jack Smith's playbook by naming only Donald Trump in this indictment.  Perhaps tomorrow's grand jury will have the task of indicting all the other conspirators.  We'll see.

*  Another testifying witness moved up to today:

So, the ones I knew about:  Geoff Duncan (whom Trump warned via Truth Social bleat not to testify, spelling his name "Jeff") & George Chidi "are now expected to meet on Monday with grand jurors."  source  

Along with Sterling, those are probably the important ones who were supposedly scheduled for tomorrow.

Maybe the court was hoping to stave off some protests by making it look like tomorrow would be the day, but actually indicting today.

Stay tuned.  It's coming soon.

Apparently, the Fulton clerk's website is down.  Not unsurprising happening after the booboo.

UPDATE 03:55 pm:

The Fulton County Clerk said the court had “learned of a fictitious document that has been circulated online,” an apparent reference to the Reuters report on the docket that detailed racketeering and conspiracy charges against Trump.

  Guardian

It was reported that the document appeared on the court's website.

UPDATE 04:10 pm:

UPDATE 04:48 pm:

UPDATE 05:42 pm:

I hope the grand jury gets to wrap up their work this evening. Surely they will after being forced to hear tomorrow's witnesses (these three) today.

UPDATE 05:46 pm:  Oh my.

Trump's diaper must be full.

Duncan's testimony has concluded.

UPDATE 06:56 pm:

It's 8pm in Atlanta.  This is not fair to the Grand Jury members.  Not to mention, they won't be disposed to feel good about the prosecutors if they keep them there this long. I suppose the prosecutors could have taken a vote to see if they'd prefer to stay longer tonight and not have to come back tomorrow.

UPDATE 07:08 pm:

UPDATE 08:04 pm:  Ten indictments were handed up to Judge McBurney by the court clerk. McBurney looked at the papers and turned to the reporters (when the clerk had gone back out with them) and jokingly said, "Was it all you'd hoped it would be?"

  UPDATE 08/15/2023:

Oh, come on.  They never used the system before?  And even if they really did need to run a test, they couldn't run a blank pleading through?

With bated breath

What a tease.

UPDATE 01:44 pm:

UPDATE 03:58 pm:

“I hear that Deranged Jack Smith, in order to interfere with the Presidential Election of 2024, will be putting out yet another Fake Indictment of your favorite President, me, at 5:00 P.M.” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

  The Hill

There it is

HORRIFYING NEWS

OMG LOL

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE 12:51 pm:

UPDATE 07:20 pm:  Oh, wait.  There's more.

At least he spelled stolen right this time (even if he did capitalize it).

Kushner testified

Hard to believe he doesn't have criminal liability in something.   Two billion dollars from Saudi Arabia as soon as he left the White House seems a bit fishy.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Smith getting to the bottom of the coup attempt

Make that, to the top.

We are at the end of something

Because Mark Meadows is the last stop before Trump in every case (except maybe E Jean Carroll's).

Meadows is a figure in both of the two distinct lines of inquiry being pursued by the special counsel appointed to oversee the Justice Department’s scrutiny of Mr. Trump, Jack Smith.

One inquiry is focused on Mr. Trump’s efforts to cling to power after losing the 2020 election, culminating in the attack by a pro-Trump mob on the Capitol during congressional certification of the Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2021. The other is an investigation into Mr. Trump’s handling of hundreds of classified documents after he left office and whether he obstructed efforts to retrieve them.

[...]

For months, people in Mr. Trump’s orbit have been puzzled by and wary about the low profile kept by Mr. Meadows in the investigations. As reports surfaced of one witness after another going into the grand jury or to be interviewed by federal investigators, Mr. Meadows has kept largely out of sight, and some of Mr. Trump’s advisers believe he could be a significant witness in the inquiries.

  NYT

I think it's a good possibility that Meadows has been cooperating in order to save his own very implicated skin. If he were a target, I don't think he'd be testifying to a Grand Jury.

Asked about the grand jury testimony, a lawyer for Mr. Meadows, George Terwilliger, said, “Without commenting on whether or not Mr. Meadows has testified before the grand jury or in any other proceeding, Mr. Meadows has maintained a commitment to tell the truth where he has a legal obligation to do so.”

The real truth or an alternate truth?