December 11, 2025

Mitch Smith of the New York Times: “Republican members of the Indiana Senate bucked ... [Donald] Trump on Thursday and joined Democrats in voting down a new congressional map that would have positioned Republicans to sweep the state’s U.S. House seats. The 19 to 31 vote was a highly public defeat for Mr. Trump, who has spent significant political capital pushing for redrawn maps in Republican-led states and who repeatedly threatened political consequences for Indiana Republicans who did not fall in line.... The rejection of the map in the State Senate, where Republicans hold 40 of the 50 seats, followed months of presidential lobbying that turned increasingly pointed in recent weeks as it became clear that some holdouts were not budging. Mr. Trump called some of them out by name on social media, openly questioned their loyalty to the party and pledged to back primary challengers against them.” The AP's report is here. ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE, in Texas: ~~~

Astounding. Devlin Barrett, et al., of the New York Times: “A grand jury in Alexandria, Va., on Thursday rejected the Trump administration’s effort to bring new charges against Letitia James, the New York attorney general.... The back-to-back failures by prosecutors to secure an indictment amounted to a striking rejection of the administration’s retribution campaign. It highlighted the Justice Department’s unusual strategy of pursuing second indictments despite earlier failures in court and suggested the department would face major hurdles in bringing charges against ... [Donald] Trump’s foes.... The rejection on Thursday was particularly remarkable given that it was the third time in just over two months that prosecutors had sought to lodge charges against Ms. James. It is vanishingly rare for grand juries to decline to indict a case, but in cases involving Mr. Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, grand jurors have repeatedly refused to do so.” The MS NOW story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Nicolle Wallace of MSNBC read on-air from a DOJ manual that discouraged prosecutors from bringing a case before a grand jury if it failed the first time. The policy requires prosecutors to get sign-offs from officials higher up the food chain before they take another bite at that apple (or the ham sandwich). It's no wonder. 

The presentation to a federal grand jury (1) requires only a majority vote to indict: 12 out of 23 jurors. There is (2) no defense presented, so grand juror don't ever hear "the other side of the story." AND they don't have to think that the subject of the proposed indictment is guilty; they only have to determine that (3) "a preponderance of the evidence" suggests he is guilty; that is, there's at least a little better than a 50% change the perp is guilty. When you consider that the legalese in a mortgage agreement can be pretty dense and confusing, it seems to me that an ordinary grand juror might not quite understand it all but figure that James must have signed off on "something" that was illegal, and she's a lawyer so she should have known better. But that's not what a majority of ordinary people thought. This time or last week.

David Bauder of the AP: “The New York Times, attacked by ... Donald Trump for reporting about his physical condition, said on Wednesday that it wouldn’t be deterred by 'false and inflammatory language' that distorts the role of a free press. The president had posted on his Truth Social platform that he believed it was 'seditious, perhaps even treasonous' for the Times and other media outlets to do 'FAKE' reports on his health. 'They are true Enemies of the People, and we should do something about it,' Trump wrote. The 79-year-old president wouldn’t specify, but the newspaper has posted a handful of reports about his health in recent weeks. In a Nov. 25 story headlined 'Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office,' reporters examined Trump’s public and travel schedules to conclude Americans were seeing less of him than they were used to. A story on Dec. 2, accompanied by a video, said that Trump 'appeared to be fighting sleep' during a Cabinet meeting that day.”

Marianne LeVine of the Washington Post: “Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem faced a combative congressional hearing Thursday, as Democratic lawmakers repeatedly demanded that she resign, accusing her of lying and violating the law.... Republicans, by contrast, heaped praise on Noem for reducing illegal immigration.... Democrats pressed her to explain why scores of U.S. citizens have been detained during immigration enforcement operations and highlighted cases of immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades being deported — including some who served in the U.S. military. Protesters interrupted Noem’s opening remarks, with one shouting, 'Get ICE off our streets, stop terrorizing our communities' — a reference to Immigration and Customs Enforcement — before being escorted out of the hearing room.... Democrats were further angered after Noem left the hearing early to oversee a meeting of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which falls under DHS. However, that meeting was postponed.”

Riley Beggin & Lauren Gurley of the Washington Post: “The U.S. House approved a measure overturning ... Donald Trump’s executive order eliminating union rights at federal agencies, but the rebuke of Trump’s restriction on public-sector unions is unlikely to pass the Senate because Republicans largely oppose it. The House voted 232-194 to repeal the order signed in late March, which barred collective bargaining for workers at more than two dozen federal agencies. Twenty-two Republicans broke with their party to support the measure.”

Theodoric Meyer, et al., of the Washington Post: “The Senate blocked a bill Thursday to extend Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies, all but ensuring they will expire at the end of the year. The vote was the culmination of Democrats’ months-long push to extend the subsidies and prevent premiums from rising for millions of Americans — a campaign that helped trigger the longest federal government shutdown in history. Republicans promised to hold the vote as part of a deal to end the shutdown. Four Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Josh Hawley (Missouri) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) — voted for the Democratic bill, which needed 60 votes to advance. It got 51, with 48 senators voting against. The Senate also blocked a Republican health care bill that Sens. Bill Cassidy (Louisiana) and Mike Crapo (Idaho) drafted as an alternative to the Democratic one. That bill, which also needed 60 votes to advance, failed 51-48, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) joining every Democrat in voting no.” The AP's report is here.

Maria Sacchetti & Jeremy Roebuck of the Washington Post: “A federal judge in Maryland ordered the 'immediate release' of Kilmar Abrego García from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, saying Justice Department attorneys 'misled' the court at a hearing last month. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said she ordered his release in part to ensure that he had a fair immigration process after the Justice Department and an ICE witness last month said immigration officers had no option but to deport him to the African nation of Liberia because the Central American country of Costa Rica was no longer willing to offer Abrego refuge. The judge cited reporting by The Washington Post and ABC that found that Costa Rica had 'never wavered' in its commitment to accept Abrego, Xinis said.” At 10:45 am ET, this is a developing story. A brief AP story is here. ~~~

~~~ DHS, from the cruel to the absurd ~~~ 

... it is both preposterous and offensive for the government to bring someone into the United States against their will and then turn around and seek ICE detention because that person is here “illegally.” The government needs to decide what its priorities are: ginning up deportation stats or prosecuting alleged criminals. -- U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui, in a written order ~~~ 

~~~ “Feds Bring Woman to U.S. to Face Charges, Then Say She’s Here Illegally.” Salvador Rizzo of the Washington Post: “Federal prosecutors spent over a year working to extradite a Belarusian woman accused of smuggling more than $2 million in sensitive U.S. aviation equipment into Russia as it waged war on Ukraine. But the case could fall apart because the defendant, Yana Leonova, is now at risk of being deported before going to trial. Trump administration officials issued an immigration detainer for Leonova shortly after she was paroled into the United States on Nov. 3 to face a 10-count indictment charging her with fraud, smuggling and money-laundering offenses.... [U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui] called the situation 'Kafkaesque.'...” Thanks to RAS for the link. 

Maya Tekeli & Jeffrey Gettleman of the New York Times: “Denmark’s military intelligence service raised concerns for the first time about the United States in its annual threat assessment, saying in a report released Wednesday that shifts in American policy are generating new uncertainties for Denmark’s security. The report points to the United States’ use of tariffs against allies and its intensified activity in the Arctic, and raises many of the same concerns that European leaders have voiced about the direction of President Trump’s America-first foreign policy. 'The United States uses economic power, including threats of high tariffs, to enforce its will, and no longer rules out the use of military force, even against allies,' the report said.” Thanks to RAS for the link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Let's not forget Trump's specific threat against Denmark's sovereignty. Also from the NYT report: Donald “Trump has vowed that 'one way or the other' he will 'get' Greenland, a huge, strategically important island that is a territory of Denmark but lies just off the coast of Canada.” 

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⭐Captain Crook, Pirate of the Caribbean, Scores a Tanker. Tyler Pager, et al., of the New York Times: “The United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela..., [Donald] Trump announced on Wednesday, a dramatic escalation in his administration’s pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela. 'As you probably know, we’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela,' Mr. Trump said during a White House event on a new luxury visa program. 'A large tanker, very large. Largest one ever seized, actually, and other things are happening.' Mr. Trump declined to say who owned the tanker. But when asked about the ship’s oil, he said: 'Well, we keep it, I guess.'

“[A U.S. official] identified the tanker as a vessel called the Skipper, and said it was carrying Venezuelan oil from Petróleos de Venezuela, the state-owned oil company known as PDVSA. The official said the ship had been previously linked to the smuggling of Iranian oil — a global black market that the Justice Department has been investigating for years. The vessel was sailing under the flag of another Latin American nation in which it was not registered, the official said, and its ultimate destination was Asia. A federal judge issued a seizure warrant roughly two weeks ago because of the ship’s past activities smuggling Iranian oil, not because of links to the Maduro government, the official said. Prosecutors have said that Iran uses money generated from oil sales to fund its military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which the United States has designated a terrorist entity.” The AP's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

Niha Masih of the Washington Post: “The administration’s threats [against Venezuela] signal the possibility of direct U.S. military action in the country — and evoke the fraught legacy of CIA-backed regime change in Latin America.... During the Cold War, worried about the spread of communism, the U.S. supported right-leaning leaders and military factions in Latin America, helping them seize power through coups that ushered in dictatorships.... The consequences have been severe. A 2023 study of the economic, political and civil society effects of CIA-sponsored regime change in five Latin American countries found that they caused 'large declines in democracy scores, rule of law, freedom of speech, and civil liberties,' and a 10 percent reduction in per capita income, on average.... Brian Finucane ... of the U.S. Program at the International Crisis Group..., said, 'U.S. efforts at regime change through military intervention in Venezuela seem more likely to lead to greater instability and violence in the near term than a stable democracy,'....”

Noah Robertson, et al., of the Washington Post relate what they know about how Adm. Frank Bradley decided to kill two survivors of a vessel he had destroyed: “The military lawyer who advised the admiral, whom The Post is not identifying..., explained to Bradley how the law of armed conflict defines 'shipwrecked.'... There was dissent in the operations room over whether the survivors were viable targets after the first strike, according to two people. Whatthe lawyer advised, though, and whether they rendered a definitive opinion remains unclear.... While Bradley made the decision to conduct the follow-on strike that killed the two survivors, Hegseth was the operation’s target engagement authority, meaning he authorized the use of force and ultimately was responsible for the strikes ordered, people familiar with the matter said.” The link is a gift link.

Giselle Ewing of Politico: “... Donald Trump ratcheted up his threats against Colombia on Wednesday, telling reporters Colombian President Gustavo Petro is 'next' in the White House’s regional campaign against drug trafficking. While initially, Trump told reporters 'I haven’t really thought too much about' Petro, his comments quickly swerved into serious saber-rattling against the Colombian leader. 'Colombia is producing a lot of drugs,' Trump said. 'So he better wise up or he’ll be next. He’ll be next soon. I hope he’s listening, he’s going to be next.' Trump’s comments mark a sharp escalation of Trump’s threats against the Colombian leader.”

⭐Brian Stelter of CNN: “... Donald Trump inserted himself directly into the battle for control of Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday, saying, 'It’s imperative that CNN be sold,' while deriding the network’s news coverage. Trump’s comments during a White House roundtable indicated that he favors Paramount’s hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, WBD for short — though he did not mention Paramount by name. Paramount, led by CEO David Ellison with backing from his father, billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, is the only company trying to buy all of WBD, including CNN. Netflix signed a deal last week to buy Warner Bros. and HBO, but not the news brand.... Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that David Ellison recently 'offered assurances to Trump administration officials that if he bought Warner, he’d make sweeping changes to CNN.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Zoe Richards of NBC News: "'I think CNN should be sold, because I think the people that are running CNN right now are either corrupt or incompetent,' Trump told reporters during a roundtable with business executives at the White House. 'I don't think they should be entrusted with running CNN any longer. So I think any deal should — it should be guaranteed and certain that CNN is part of it or sold separately," he added.... At Wednesday's event, Trump disparaged a CNN reporter who asked him about the Defense Department’s releasing video from a second strike on an alleged drug vessel in September, which sparked inquiries. 'You must be CNN,' Trump said. 'You know you work for the Democrats,' he said, adding, 'You're basically an arm of the Democrat Party.' Trump has frequently locked horns with CNN over its coverage of him." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The reporter who asked about release of the DOD video was senior CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes.

Evan Hurst of Wonkette thinks he's identified "the most insane thing" Trump has ever posted. (Also linked yesterday.) 

Marie: The following story probably won't get much attention. It should. It makes Trump's misogynistic attacks on female journalists look downright quaint. His children and his administration have done much worse. Maybe Trump, who is increasingly out of it, knew nothing about this. But maybe he did. ~~~ 

~~~ Meghan Twohey & Isabella Kwai of the New York Times: Brothers Andrew & Tristan Tate “have helped propel a brazenly chauvinistic movement around the world, even as they racked up allegations of human trafficking and physical violence in multiple countries.... Andrew, 39, and Tristan, 37, have boasted about recruiting women to make lucrative sexual content, and have sold courses teaching young men how to follow in their footsteps. As his notoriety grew, Andrew Tate shrewdly courted Tucker Carlson and other media stars of the right.... Andrew also nurtured relationships with Donald Trump Jr. and his younger brother Barron.... Barron, now 19, admired Andrew, and spoke with him over Zoom last year.... [The Tate brothers] had been under criminal investigation in Romania since 2022, accused of coercing women into pornography. Andrew was also accused of rape and of having sex with and beating a 15-year-old. The brothers, American and British citizens, had been barred from leaving Romania while prosecutors built their case.... [Mr. Trump's] diplomatic envoy Richard Grenell, twice discussed their case with Romanian officials.... Within days of the second conversation, the Romanian prosecutors received their marching orders and handed the Tates the freedom to travel.... The prosecutors were outraged....” The link appears to be a gift link.

~~~ Madeleine Ngo of the New York Times: “The Trump administration debuted a website on Wednesday that opens up applications for a 'gold card,' an expedited visa that the federal government plans to provide to people who pay at least $1 million. To apply for the card, people have to pay a nonrefundable $15,000 processing fee, according to the site. After applicants are vetted and approved by the Department of Homeland Security, they will then have to pay $1 million to 'receive U.S. residency in record time' and become lawful permanent residents. 'A $1 million gift upon completion of the individual’s vetting is evidence that the individual will substantially benefit the United States,' the website says.  'An individual may also need to pay small, additional fees to the U.S. Department of State depending on his or her circumstances.'”

Victoria Guida of Politico: “A divided Federal Reserve voted to lower interest rates again on Wednesday, but officials signaled that another cut won’t be immediate, ratcheting up tensions with ... Donald Trump. The decision to reduce rates by a quarter point was hotly debated within the central bank, but Fed Chair Jerome Powell was able to corral his rate-setting committee into moving forward with one more cut, the third time the central bank has lowered borrowing costs this year. The central bank’s benchmark rate is now at a range of 3.5 percent to 3.75 percent, the lowest in three years.” (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times story is here. 

Santul Nerkar & Ken Bensinger of the New York Times: “Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have moved to drop charges against a former Fox employee who was convicted of scheming to pay millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for the lucrative broadcast rights to soccer tournaments.... Hernán López, who was the chief executive of a unit that was responsible for developing Fox’s sports broadcasting business in Latin America, was convicted in 2023 of money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy. Prosecutors had said Mr. López conspired to pay off the heads of national federations to win the rights to broadcast two South American soccer tournaments. But on Tuesday, Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, wrote in a letter to the judge who oversaw the case against Mr. López and the Argentine marketing firm convicted along with him, Full Play Group, that dismissing it was in the interest of justice.” The link appears to be a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I have no idea what this has to do with the fake Trump Peace Prize awarded last week by perpetually-corrupt FIFA. But surely there's a connection. Isn't there? ~~~

~~~ Hmm. Seb Starcevic & Ali Walker of Politico: “... Donald Trump’s plan to require tourists to hand over their social media data ahead of next year’s World Cup generated outrage on Wednesday. An elected European official, human rights groups and fan organizations condemned the move and urged the world football governing body, FIFA, to pressure the Trump administration to reverse course. Visitors to the U.S. — including those from visa-free countries such as France, Germany and Britain — would have to submit five years of social media activity before being allowed through the border, according to a proposal by the Trump administration published Wednesday.... 'Even the worst authoritarian states in the world do not have such an official policy,' [said Irish Member of the European Parliament Barry Andrews in a statement]. 'The plans would of course seriously damage the U.S. tourist industry as millions of Europeans would no longer feel safe ... including football fans due to attend next year’s World Cup.'” 

AP: “The Trump administration is adding another militarized zone to the southern U.S. border to support border security operations — this time in California. The Department of Interior on Wednesday said it would transfer jurisdiction along most of California’s international border with Mexico to the Navy to reinforce 'the historic role public lands have played in safeguarding national sovereignty.' The newly designated militarized zone extends nearly from the Arizona state line to the Otay Mountain Wilderness, traversing the Imperial Valley and border communities including Tecate. Since April, large swaths of border have been designated militarized zones, empowering U.S. troops to apprehend immigrants and others accused of trespassing on Army, Air Force or Navy bases, and authorizing additional criminal charges that can mean prison time. More than 7,000 troops have been deployed to the border, along with an assortment of helicopters, drones and surveillance equipment.”

Nothing to See Here, Folks. At All. Minho Kim of the New York Times: “Immigration and Customs Enforcement told a nonprofit watchdog this week that it had found 'no records' of body camera footage produced during its sweeping immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, raising concerns that it was skirting laws intended to ensure transparency and accountability. The assertion, contained in a response to a public information request from the Freedom of the Press Foundation, contradicted the Trump administration’s sworn court testimony and the fact that it had previously submitted video footage to a judge. The response also raised questions about whether the administration is fully complying with a court order that required the use of body cameras in the monthslong operation, which has included a string of allegations of excessive force.... Experts in public records laws say such a response is a troubling sign that the Trump administration may be trying to evade public oversight mechanisms. Its immigration enforcement agencies are accused of violating civil liberties and state laws....”

John Ismay of the New York Times: “A group of Democratic lawmakers said in a report released on Wednesday that the Pentagon had diverted at least $2 billion from its core missions this year to support the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The report found that shifting the funds had led to the pausing or canceling of programs, including the building of a pilot training facility, the repairing of schools for children of service members and the refurbishment of military barracks, something Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called a priority. The report says that military readiness 'will suffer as a direct result of diverting' Pentagon resources for immigration missions that are 'not consistent' with the military’s mission and that troops 'have neither signed up nor been trained for.' Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, said the administration was 'using the defense budget as a slush fund for political stunts.'”

Noah Robertson of the Washington Post: “The House on Wednesday approved a must-pass defense policy bill, advancing lawmakers’ effort to force the release of a video showing the controversial military strike that killed two men who survived an initial attack on their alleged drug smuggling vessel. The vote was 312 to 112. The Senate could pass the measure in coming days, and lawmakers say they are confident President Donald Trump will sign it into law.” Politico's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Megan Mineiro of the New York Times: “The House on Wednesday approved a $900 billion defense policy bill that would codify much of ... [Donald] Trump’s national security agenda but seek to curb his move to withdraw from Europe and to mandate more Pentagon consultation with Congress. The ... [bill], which would provide a 3.8 percent pay raise to U.S. troops, reflected bipartisan support for what is commonly regarded as a must-pass bill. It goes next to the Senate, which is also expected to approve it overwhelmingly, sending it to Mr. Trump for his signature. The measure includes an array of provisions that place Mr. Trump’s stamp on the U.S. military, including one that bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the Defense Department. But to bring it up, House Republicans had to overcome resistance in their own ranks from hard-right members, some of whom said the measure, which seeks to block U.S. troops from withdrawing from Europe and would send new aid to Ukraine, abandoned the president’s 'America First' promises.” ~~~

~~~ Karoun Demirjian of the New York Times: “The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board and the bipartisan leaders of the Senate committee overseeing aviation warned on Wednesday that a section in a new defense bill would weaken safety measures around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and worsen the risk of midair collisions between military and commercial aircraft. 'This is shameful,' Jennifer Homendy, the N.T.S.B. chair, told reporters, arguing that the provision 'essentially gives the military unfettered access' to fly through Washington’s airspace without broadcasting their aircraft’s location to other pilots. N.T.S.B. investigators examining the Jan. 29 midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial jet near the airport that killed 67 people are focusing on the fact that the helicopter was not using enhanced tracking technology.... The section at issue would create a waiver allowing military aircraft to turn off their enhanced tracking software while flying on national security missions through parts of the Washington airspace, or if the military determines that the flight poses no risk to commercial flights.”

Meredith Hill & Mia McCarthy of Politico: “A group of House Republicans moved to force a vote on extending Obamacare health insurance subsidies that will expire in just three weeks, directly challenging party leaders who appear determined to let them lapse. At least six Republicans signed a discharge petition filed Wednesday on a bill authored by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) that would extend the expiring tax credits for two years while imposing new eligibility requirements. The subsidies are currently used by more than 20 million Americans.... Another discharge petition, seeking a vote on a one-year subsidy extension authored by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), was also filed Wednesday and quickly picked up support from several Republicans.... House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is pushing a separate discharge effort on a three-year subsidy extension...,” so it isn't clear Democrats will go along with either of the discharge petitions a few Republicans have joined.

Andrew Solender of Axios: "Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) on Wednesday introduced a bill to rename Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., after assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.... During the 2020 George Floyd protests, the street was painted with large yellow letters reading 'BLACK LIVES MATTER,' with the D.C. council voting later that year to permanently name the space 'Black Lives Matter Plaza.' Republicans have long chafed against the signage, which was dismantled in March shortly after President Trump returned to office." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: By my calculation, Mace represents more than 70,000 Black Americans. Apparently, their lives don't matter. She has been challenging Marjorie Taylor Greene for the title of Worst Female Member of Congress. Although there are a number of other contenders, I'd say that Mace has the edge for the title now that MTG is moving on. 

Sudhin Thanawala of the AP: “The Trump administration must stop deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and return control of the troops to the state, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco granted a preliminary injunction sought by California officials who opposed ... Donald Trump’s extraordinary move to use state Guard troops without the governor’s approval to further his immigration enforcement efforts. But he also put the decision on hold until Monday.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Chris Cameron of the New York Times: “A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a new regulation that criminalizes 'creating a loud or unusual noise' near a federal building in Oregon, amid ongoing protests outside of immigration detention facilities in the state. Three times in November, federal agents arrested or threatened to arrest two protesters on a sidewalk outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Eugene, Ore. The agents cited new regulations that expand the government’s authority to arrest people near federal property. The law had previously prohibited 'creating a loud or unusual noise, noxious odor or other nuisance' while on federal property. Last month, the noise prohibition was expanded to include 'areas outside federal property that affects, threatens or endangers federal property or persons on federal property.'”

Michael Sisak of the AP: “Secret grand jury transcripts from Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case can be made public, a judge ruled Wednesday, joining two other judges in granting the Justice Department’s requests to unseal material from investigations into the late financier’s sexual abuse. U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman reversed his earlier decision to keep the material under wraps, citing a new law that requires the government to open its files on Epstein and his longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell. The judge previously cautioned that the 70 or so pages of grand jury materials slated for release are hardly revelatory. On Tuesday, a different Manhattan federal judge ordered the release of records from Maxwell’s 2021 sex trafficking case. Last week, a judge in Florida approved the unsealing of transcripts from an abandoned Epstein federal grand jury investigation in the 2000s.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Mattathias Schwartz of the New York Times: “Judge Emil Bove III, a federal appeals court judge..., is now facing a complaint over his attendance at a campaign-style rally held by Mr. Trump at a Pennsylvania casino resort on Tuesday. The complaint, which was filed on Wednesday with the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and was written by Gabe Roth, who heads the advocacy group Fix the Court, said that Judge Bove’s attendance at the rally violated rules that prohibit judges from 'the appearance of impropriety' and engaging in 'political activity.'... At the event, [Judge Bove] said he was 'just here as a citizen coming to watch the president speak,' according to a reporter from MSNBC* who spotted him there. Judge Bove previously served on Mr. Trump’s criminal defense team and was then chosen by Mr. Trump for a high-ranking job in the Justice Department.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Oh, that would be MS NOW. Keep up, NYT! ~~~

     ~~~ Chris Geidner, the Law Dork, slams Bove. With applicable details. 

Seb Starcevic of Politico: “Pope Leo called on ... Donald Trump not to 'break apart' the transatlantic alliance after the Republican leader harshly criticized Europe in an interview with Politico. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Castel Gandolfo near Rome, the pontiff said Trump’s recent statements — in which he derided European leaders as 'weak' and the continent as  'decaying' — were an attempt to destroy the U.S.-Europe relationship. 'The remarks that were made about Europe also in interviews recently I think are trying to break apart what I think needs to be a very important alliance today and in the future,' Pope Leo said.” MB: It's Christmas season, Donald. Are you going to knock the Pope? Call his a loser, maybe? Write an after-midnight post accusing him of being stupid and nasty? (Also linked yesterday.)

Annals of Journalism, Ctd. CBS News: "Emmy Award-winning journalist Tony Dokoupil has been named anchor of the 'CBS Evening News,'  the network announced Wednesday. He begins his new role on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026...." MB: As a testimony to how little I watch the networks, I'd never heard of Dokoupil. He is married to MS NOW's Katy Tur.

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