January 21, 2026

Emily Brooks & Sarah Davis of the Hill: “The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday advanced resolutions to hold former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress over their refusal to appear for depositions after being subpoenaed in the panel’s investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The panel voted 34-8 to advance the resolution holding Bill Clinton in contempt and 28-15 on the measure holding Hillary Clinton in contempt.... Ranking member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and other Democrats, meanwhile, sought to turn attention back to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for its delay in releasing information related to the Epstein investigation as required by law.”

Hamed Aleaziz of the New York Times: “The Trump administration this week started arresting immigrants in Maine as part of a new federal operation targeting the state, the Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday. Two U.S. officials said the operation was intended to target immigrants from Somalia, along with other immigrants. People from countries including Sudan, Guatemala and Ethiopia were swept up on the first day of the operations, according to a department statement.” ~~~

     ~~~ Max Rego of the Hill: “The Trump administration has surged federal immigration enforcement to Maine, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) saying that 50 people have been arrested so far by immigration officers.” 

Trump is in Davos today. Here's the New York Times liveblog of that. @9:45 am ET, “... Trump told business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum that he was seeking 'immediate negotiations' to acquire Greenland and 'won’t use force' to obtain it. Mr. Trump repeated his view that control of Greenland was necessary for national and international security, and said he would be 'appreciative' if the world acquiesced. He added, 'Or you can say no and we will remember.'” ~~~

Later that same day, it appeared somebody pulled El Gordo de Mar-a-Lardo down off the proverbial ledge: Donald “Trump said Wednesday that he was calling off tariff threats that he had issued in an effort to secure American ownership of Greenland, saying he had reached a framework agreement with Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, over the future of the icy Danish territory. The announcement on Mr. Trump’s social media network came hours after he told European leaders in Davos, Switzerland, that he would not settle for anything less than the United States taking ownership of Greenland — while rescinding a threat to invade it. Mr. Trump had promised dire economic and security consequences for Europe if he did not get his way.”

Tony Romm: “The details of any framework aside, the president’s decision to back down from steep new tariffs on European countries came days after financial markets recoiled over the prospect of a tit-for-tat trade escalation across the Atlantic.... It was not the first time that the president has retreated from his tariff plans, particularly in the wake of a strong market reaction.... Trump said on CNBC on Wednesday that he had reached a 'concept of a deal' involving Greenland, but offered few details, other than to describe the duration of the agreement as “forever.'” 

     ~~~ This Politico story covers Trump's statement that he won't use force to acquire Greenland. Marie: However, in clips I heard, Trump repeatedly confused Greenland with Iceland, so who knows? ~~~

     ~~~ Oh, wait, RAS has clarified everything. (It's all about Fat Elvis!): ~~~

     ~~~ Wait, Wait. The Gaslight Queen Says We're All Mistaken. Isaac Schorr of Mediaite: “White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt lashed out at NewsNation’s Libbey Dean on Wednesday while brazenly denying that ... Donald Trump referred to Greenland as Iceland during his speech in Davos, Switzerland that morning. As Mediaite previously reported, Trump erroneously identified the landmass that he wants the United States to acquire as Iceland several times during his address[.]... 'No he didn’t, Libby [sic]. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a “piece of ice” because that’s what it is,' fired back the press secretary on X. 'You’re the only one mixing anything up here.'” Thanks to RAS for the lead. ~~~ 

     ~~~ Marie: MS NOW counted 4 times Trump said "Iceland" when the context of his remark had everything to do with Greenland and nothing to do with Iceland.  

Adam Liptak & Colby Smith of the New York Times: “After two hours of lively arguments on Wednesday, the Supreme Court seemed likely to rule narrowly and provisionally in favor of Lisa D. Cook, the Federal Reserve governor whom ... [Donald] Trump has sought to fire based on an accusation of mortgage fraud. Some justices voiced reluctance to imperil the independence of the Federal Reserve Board. Others said the alleged fraud, which Ms. Cook has denied, did not appear grave enough to satisfy the law governing the Fed, which allows the president to remove officials only 'for cause.' Ms. Cook has not been charged with a crime. The court is likely to return the case to the lower courts for further proceedings, including a fuller exploration of the facts. A separate question for the justices is whether Ms. Cook should keep her job in the meantime. On that, the majority seems to be leaning toward leaving her in place while the case proceeds. Here are four key takeaways from the arguments.” ~~~

~~~ This is from the pinned item in a New York Times liveblog: “The Supreme Court repeatedly questioned a lawyer for the Trump administration about whether the president exceeded his authority in firing a member of the Federal Reserve board, in a case with potentially enormous consequences for the economy. During the oral arguments, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh pressed Mr. Trump’s representative, Solicitor General D. John Sauer, over the idea that a victory for Mr. Trump could allow future administrations to try to dismiss Fed officials 'at will.” The president wants to fire a Fed governor, Lisa Cook. In the first hour of the argument, the justices sounded wary of siding with the president’s view that he should have full discretion to decide what actions are grounds for removal.” ~~~

     ~~~ Here are the AP's live updates, but they're way more boring than the NYT updates. 

Not content to threaten to conquer a territory of Denmark, our Treasury Secretary -- who is often held up as "the adult in the room" -- thought it would be prudent to flat-out insult Denmark. The arrogance of these people is jaw-dropping. ~~~ 

     ~~~ Tasmin Lockwood of CNBC: “'Denmark’s investment in U.S. Treasury bonds, like Denmark itself, is irrelevant,' U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The 'sell America' trade was in full swing Tuesday after ... Donald Trump and European leaders escalated tensions over Greenland. U.S. stocks and bond prices tumbled, sending yields spiking. It comes as Trump’s threats to impose 10% tariffs on eight European countries as part of his push to take over Greenland spooked markets. The levies would come into force on Feb. 1, Trump said, and later rise to 25%.” 

Benjamin Weiser of the New York Times: “A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request by two members of Congress that would allow them to seek an independent monitor to ensure that the Justice Department follows a law requiring it to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein. The judge, Paul A. Engelmayer of Federal District Court in Manhattan, ruled that he did not have the authority to supervise the Justice Department’s compliance with the law, and therefore could not grant the request by the two representatives — Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, and Ro Khanna, Democrat of California.... In turning down the request by Mr. Massie and Mr. Khanna, the judge said the questions raised by the representatives and the victims were 'undeniably important and timely.... They raise legitimate concerns about whether D.O.J. is faithfully complying with federal law,' the judge wrote. Judge Engelmayer noted that the representatives could initiate a separate lawsuit that would request the appointment of a monitor, and they could use 'the tools available to Congress' to seek oversight of the Justice Department’s compliance.”

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: “His staff had printed out a 31-page list of his accomplishments, but ... [Donald] Trump ... flipped quickly through the paperwork and tossed it on the floor. Then he held court [in the Brady Press Briefing Room] — airing old grievances, attacking perceived enemies, threatening allies — for roughly one hour 45 minutes.... It was a revealing window into Mr. Trump’s shifting worldview, filled with perceived slights and injustices that he suggested were changing his approach to policy. The meandering, sometimes rambling, remarks jumped from topic to topic, including a story about his prowess as a Little League player.... Mr. Trump explained why he had tied his recent threats to take over Greenland to his resentment that he had not won the Nobel Peace Prize.... 'Don’t let anyone tell you that Norway doesn’t control the shots, OK? It’s in Norway!' Mr. Trump told reporters on Tuesday. The award is, in fact, awarded by the independent Norwegian Nobel Institute. 'They’ll say, “We have nothing to do with it.” It’s a joke. They’ve lost such prestige,' Mr. Trump said of Norway’s government.

“Mr. Trump appeared to be excited about the number of reporters he had attracted. 'Wow, that’s a big crowd. That’s a lot of people. I think it’s like a record,' he said.... Mr. Trump also said that he had wanted to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of Trump, but that the idea had been rejected by his aides. Then the president said he was just joking. 'My people don’t rebuff me too much,' he said.” ~~~

Nineteen billion dollars at a minimum is missing in Minnesota, given to a large degree by Somalians. They’ve taken it, Somalians, can you imagine? And they don’t do it — a lot of very low IQ people. They don’t do it. Other people work it out and they get them money and they go out and buy Mercedes Benzes. -- Donald Trump, during a  press briefing yesterday ~~~ 

~~~ Hunter Walker of TPM: “... Donald Trump spent the first anniversary of his second term on Tuesday pitching himself to the American people from behind the White House briefing room podium. In nearly two hours of remarks, Trump seemingly sought to address his cratering approval by running through a list of his supposed accomplishments. His remarks also included a series of vicious, racist remarks about Somali people and other immigrants.'They all ought to get the hell out of here, they’re bad for our country,' Trump said of the Somali population at one point during the extraordinary rant. At multiple points during his remarks, Trump indicated he felt the need to make his case directly because his team was not up to the task.... 'Maybe I have bad public relations people, but we’re not getting it across,' Trump said as he argued the economy is particularly strong since he returned to office.” ~~~

~~~ The New York Times liveblogged "Trump news" yesterday. A good deal of it covered his "press briefing." (Also linked yesterday.) MB: I saw bits of the briefing in outtakes on the teevee. Trump seemed truly deranged. 

Heather Cox Richardson posts a tour de farce, comme d'habitude, which is well-worth a read. ~~~

~~~ In his own way, Jimmy Kimmel is as helpful as Richardson: ~~~ 

Paul Krugman: "... Trump is so deeply unwell that it’s time to stop blaming him for all the terrible things he’s doing. He is what he is. Responsibility for the catastrophe overtaking America now rests with his enablers — people who have to know that he’s a sick man but continue to support his depredations."

The Cheese Stands Alone, Ctd.

Peter Baker of the New York Times: “Never in the past century has America gone forth to seize other countries’ land and subjugate its citizens against their will. Since the days of World War I, America was the country that resisted conquest, standing up to Hitler’s Germany, Tojo’s Japan, Stalin’s Soviet Union, Kim Il-sung’s North Korea and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq when they seized foreign terrain. Now Mr. Trump aspires to put America into the category of conquerors. Coercing a loyal ally into giving up territory over its adamant objections would have been seen not long ago as preposterous, even mad.... But it is a measure of how much Mr. Trump has changed the definition of normal that his appetite for seizing land that does not belong to him is debated as a serious proposition rather than dismissed out of hand as a brazen violation of U.S. treaty obligations and international law.... Mr. Trump has rebuffed efforts at diplomacy.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Paul Waldman: "The president of the United States has lost his mind. That is not hyperbole. I (and many others) have often referred to things Donald Trump has done or said as insane, deranged, mad, or unhinged. He has always been ignorant and petty and vindictive and cruel and bigoted. But this is different. Something has broken in his brain.... This is not just a national emergency, it is a global emergency.... He wants to seize Greenland against the will of not only the people who live there but the American people as well — because he’s obsessing about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize, and because it looks really big on the misleading map he saw, and because he wants to destroy NATO, and because he is desperate to show how big and powerful he is.... [Greenlanders don't want it; Danes don't want it; Americans don't want it.] Meanwhile, our European allies have said they stand with Greenland and Denmark, so Trump is punishing them with tariffs on their goods — which of course means he’s raising taxes on Americans to stick it to Europe." Thanks to Ken W. for the link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: Of course the Greenland/Nobel Peace Prize episode is in-sane. And it is hardly the only sign that Trump "has lost his mind." But here's a thought I keep in the back of my mind: what if Trump is "crazy like a fox"? What if the Greenland catastrophe is part of a plan? A plan not devised by Trump because he's very stupid. But an international conspiracy nonetheless? To wit: ~~~

     ~~~Here are Jim Acosta (a liberal reporter) and Stuart Stevens (a conservative political operative) agreeing that Trump is a Russian asset. BUT. Akhilleus had a fairly convincing rejoinder to my theory in yesterday's Comments.

As the World Turns, Trump Heckles. Michael Shear & Jeanna Smialek of the New York Times: “Early on Tuesday morning, as Europe’s leaders continued to wring their hands over the president’s latest threats to Greenland, Mr. Trump posted an apparently A.I.-generated meme that showed him hoisting an American flag while standing on the island. 'Greenland. U.S. Territory. Est. 2026,' the meme read. Mr. Trump had not even arrived in Switzerland yet. But as he prepared to speak there on Wednesday, he continued to heap dismissive scorn on the leaders he was about to greet. When reporters told Mr. Trump that President Emmanuel Macron of France was not going to join the American-led 'Board of Peace' overseeing Gaza, Mr. Trump waved aside Mr. Macron’s opinions as irrelevant, saying he would be 'out of office in a few months.' 'I’ll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and Champagnes, and he’ll join, but he doesn’t have to join,' the president said, flexing the power of the American market and underscoring France’s vulnerability to his whims.... Mr. Trump’s heckling has troubled European leaders, many of whom are hoping to communicate with him on the sidelines of the Davos meetings.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

Let me be direct: We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. -- Canadian PM Mark Carney, at Davos, Tuesday ~~~ 

~~~ Matina Stevis-Gridneff & Ian Austen of the New York Times: “Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada delivered a stark speech in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, prompting global political and corporate leaders in the audience to rise from their seats for a rare standing ovation.... He warned, 'The middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, we’re on the menu.' He would know.... Mr. Carney spoke not long after Mr. Trump had posted an altered image on social media that featured a map of American flags superimposed over both Canada and the United States, as well as Greenland.... At a moment when the United States is led by a capricious, unpredictable and at times menacing president, Canada is trying to break its longtime dependence on America.... On Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron of France echoed Mr. Carney, saying that 'we do prefer respect to bullies. And we do prefer rule of law to brutality' and decried Mr. Trump’s latest tariff threats as an unacceptable 'endless accumulation of new tariffs' used as 'leverage against territorial sovereignty.'” ~~~

~~~ John Tasker of CBC (Canada) News: "Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a frank assessment of how he views the world in a provocative speech in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, where he said the longstanding U.S.-led, rules-based international order is over and middle powers like Canada must pivot to avoid falling prey to further 'coercion' from powerful actors. Without invoking ... Donald Trump by name, Carney referenced 'American hegemony' and said 'great powers' are using economic integration as 'weapons.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: Carney is a banker, so he knows how to speak to the bankers at Davos. In this speech, he rips off the band-aid. You don't need to be a banker to understand him. His delivery is calm, but what he says is eye-opening. No need to demand, "Tell us what you really think, Mark." (The first minute or so of his speech is in French with translation, but then he switches to English.) ~~~

     ~~~ Here's a transcript of the speech, via the New York Times. Here's the transcript, via Global News.

Carney wasn't always a banker. For one thing, he was the back-up goalie on Harvard's hockey team. Here he is, decades later, as Prime Minister, on the ice with the Oilers:

Noah Robertson of the Washington Post: “The Pentagon plans to cut its participation in elements of NATO’s force structure and a range of the alliance’s advisory groups, the latest sign of the Trump administration’s drive to scale back the U.S. military presence in Europe, according to multiple officials familiar with the matter. The impending move will affect about 200 military personnel and diminish U.S. involvement in nearly 30 NATO organizations, including its Centers of Excellence, which seek to train NATO forces on various areas of warfare, these people said.... Rather than withdraw all at once, the Pentagon intends not to replace personnel as their postings end, a process that could take years....”

~~~ Robert Jimison of the New York Times: “A small but growing group of Republicans in Congress is expressing openness to ... [Donald] Trump’s increasingly explicit push to acquire Greenland, along with his desire to punish European allies who resist the idea. In the days since Mr. Trump began musing openly about taking over the semiautonomous island territory, which is currently controlled by Denmark, many Republican lawmakers have issued vocal warnings against a push to annex Greenland, arguing that it would dangerously divide the United States’ closest allies. But with the president stepping up his threats and showing no sign of backing down, Republicans across the ideological spectrum are increasingly finding ways to defend or justify his threats — or embrace them altogether.” MB: That is to say, they have no principles whatsoever. No morality. No decency. No commitment to democracy and self-determination. 

Matt White of Task & Purpose: “The Archbishop who oversees all U.S. Catholic chaplains in the military told an interviewer that he 'could not see any circumstances' in which military action against Greenland could be morally justified, and that it could be 'morally acceptable to disobey' orders to attack the nation. Archbishop Timothy Broglio told a British interviewer that U.S. troops who might refuse orders to attack Greenland would be 'in a situation where they’re being ordered to do something that’s morally questionable.'... 'It doesn’t seem acceptable to invade a friendly nation,' Broglio told the BBC program 'Sunday,' which covered several stories on issues of faith.”

Alex Harring of CNBC: “The 'sell America' trade [was] in full swing Tuesday morning after ... Donald Trump and European leaders escalated tensions over Greenland. U.S. bond prices tumbled, sending yields spiking. The U.S. Dollar Index, which weighs the greenback against a basket of six foreign currencies, fell nearly 1%. The euro jumped 0.6% against the dollar.... Precious metals gold and silver marched to fresh highs. Gold, which has long been viewed as a safe-haven investment during periods of geopolitical turmoil, was on track for its biggest one-day gain since 2020. U.S. stocks tumbled as investors mitigated exposure to American assets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid more than 800 points, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite each dropped more than 2%. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), known Wall Street’s 'fear gauge,' spiked to a highs last seen in November.” ~~~

~~~ Steve Kopack of NBC News: "Global markets plunged Tuesday after ... Donald Trump reignited fears of a U.S. trade war with the European Union, America's largest trading partner.... The selling amounted to more than $1.2 trillion in value wiped out from the S&P 500, as investors digested the global shock waves of Trump's threat to tie U.S. tariffs to his broadly unpopular bid to acquire Greenland. Investors also sold off U.S. government bonds, driving up interest rates." ~~~

~~~ Claire Boston of Yahoo! Finance: "Just days after mortgage rates hit a three-year low, sparking a near-instant surge in applications, fresh trade tensions are threatening to undo that progress. Rates on a 30-year mortgage jumped 14 basis points to an average of 6.21% on Tuesday morning, according to Mortgage News Daily, following new escalations in the standoff between ... [Donald] Trump and European leaders over the future of Greenland." ~~~

~~~ Investing.com: "Danish pension fund AkademikerPension plans to sell all its US Treasury holdings by the end of January, citing credit risks associated with ... Donald Trump’s policies. 'The US is basically not a good credit and long-term the US government finances are not sustainable,' Anders Schelde, chief investment officer at AkademikerPension, told Bloomberg on Tuesday. The fund, which manages approximately $25 billion in savings for teachers and academics, currently holds about $100 million in US Treasuries as of the end of 2025. Schelde explained that risk and liquidity management had been the only reason to maintain Treasury positions, but 'we decided that we can find alternative to that.'"

The Big Grifter. New York Times Editors: Donald “Trump has never been a man to ask what he can do for his country. In his second term, as in his first, he is instead testing the limits of what his country can do for him. He has poured his energy and creativity into the exploitation of the presidency — into finding out just how much money people, corporations and other nations are willing to put into his pockets in hopes of bending the power of the government to the service of their interests. A review by the editorial board relying on analyses from news organizations shows that Mr. Trump has used the office of the presidency to make at least $1.4 billion. We know this number to be an underestimate because some of his profits remain hidden from public view. And they continue to grow....” The link appears to be gift link. (Also linked yesterday.)

Trump didn't celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, but RAS found someone whose birthday he was willing to celebrate: ~~~

      ~~~ Joe Heim of the Washington Post: “A massive replica of a birthday note and crude drawing signed with the typed name Donald J. Trump and a 'Donald' signature that was part of a 2003 book of birthday wishes for the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was placed on the National Mall early Monday morning, the latest installation of artwork critical of the president by a group that identifies itself as 'The Secret Handshake.'” (Also linked yesterday.)

westcoastman noticed the "Trophy Drop Off Centre" at the White House, and found pix of some of the great trophies Trump got. I wonder if I put a drop-off box in front of my house, I'd get some trophies, too. After all, just like Trump, I haven't earned any.

Anushka Patil of the New York Times: Donald “Trump on Tuesday said the killing of  Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis was a 'tragedy' about which he 'felt terribly,' adding that the immigration agents he has deployed sometimes are 'going to make a mistake.' The change in tone was stark for the president, who said he had been told that Ms. Good’s father was a strong Trump supporter. Just hours after she was killed on Jan. 7, Mr. Trump falsely claimed that Ms. Good 'violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE officer' and said that she had 'behaved horribly.' He later said Ms. Good, a poet and a mother of three, had a 'highly disrespectful' attitude toward law enforcement and suggested that it justified her killing.... But at the White House on Tuesday, Mr. Trump dropped that hard-line stance as he delivered a meandering reflection on his first year back in office.

“'You know, when the woman was shot, I felt terribly about it,' he said, referring to Ms. Good. 'And I understand both sides of it.' He called the shooting 'a horrible thing.'... Mr. Trump appeared to link his apparent change of heart to what he said were the political views of Ms. Good’s parents, particularly her father, who he said was a 'tremendous Trump fan.' 'A lot of people said, “Oh, he loves you,’” Mr. Trump said of Ms. Good’s father. His voice trailed off. 'I hope — I hope he still feels that way.'”

     ~~~ Marie: Trump manages to incorporate both a lie and his own importance into his "change of heart." The Lie: he says he "felt terribly about it ... when the woman was shot." No, he didn't. When the ICE agent killed Good, Trump immediately defamed Good and lied about her actions and motivations. Trump's Importance: It's always all about Trump. He "felt terribly about it" because Good's father was reportedly a MAGA guy who "loved" Trump. For Trump, there are a "them" and an "us." Anybody who "loves" Trump is an "us." And that's that. Renee Good gained sympathy vicariously because of the reputed views of his father. She can't be all bad. Like Trump himself, she apparently has "good genes." 

Oh, This Will Help. Henry Gomez of NBC News: “Vice President JD Vance will visit Minnesota on Thursday.... The trip ... will include remarks in Minneapolis and a roundtable discussion with local leaders and members of the community.... Vance has taken a lead role in the White House response [to criticism of federal agents' actions in Minnesota]. At a White House news briefing this month, he claimed [ICE murder victim Renee] Good had been 'brainwashed,' suggesting without evidence that she was tied to a 'broader, left-wing network.' Vance has also been vocal about an ongoing fraud investigation involving allegations of misuse of welfare funds in Minnesota's Somali community. He has criticized [Gov. Tim] Walz, his Democratic opponent for vice president in 2024, and at this month's briefing he announced the creation of a position to tackle fraud probes there and in other states.”

It's Intimidation Time. Alan Feuer, et al., of the New York Times: “Federal prosecutors issued subpoenas on Tuesday to at least five Democratic officials in Minnesota, ramping up the Justice Department’s investigation into their response to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown in the state, according to two people familiar with the matter. The subpoenas sought documents from Gov. Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis and Mayor Kaohly Her of St. Paul related to their policies on immigration enforcement efforts in the state. Two Minnesota prosecutors, Keith Ellison, the state attorney general, and Mary Moriarty, the Hennepin County attorney, were also sent similar subpoenas. The subpoenas ... represent a significant expansion of the inquiry into Minnesota leaders that was disclosed late Friday. The investigation was initially said to have focused on Mr. Frey and Mr. Walz.... But it now appears that prosecutors will also scrutinize other public officials, including Mr. Ellison and Ms. Moriarty, who could open their own inquiries into the fatal shooting in Minneapolis this month of a 37-year-old woman, Renee Good, by a federal immigration agent.” The link appears to be a gift link. The Guardian's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Katelyn Polantz, et al., of CNN: “Top Justice Department officials pushed the FBI to investigate political campaigns in Minnesota over whether they illegally benefited from fraud in public service organizations.... Some of the Justice Department’s interest, according to one of the sources, comes from a Washington Examiner report from earlier this month that said Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar and other state politicians received campaign donations from people implicated in the Minnesota public benefits fraud scheme and community care providers. The request came about two weeks ago from top lawyers working for Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. They asked the FBI to initiate investigations into whether money obtained illegally for organizations... went to the campaigns.... The public corruption section at the FBI told Blanche’s office that it is looking, but hasn’t yet found evidence of campaign wrongdoing.”

Frances Vinall of the Washington Post: “Local law enforcement leaders in Minneapolis and St. Paul are raising concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents violating U.S. citizens’ civil rights, including those of off-duty police officers, as ICE has surged into Minnesota in recent weeks. Mark Bruley, police chief of Minneapolis suburb Brooklyn Park, said at a Tuesday news conference that an off-duty police officer had been 'boxed … in' by vehicles driven by ICE agents, who demanded with guns drawn to see paperwork proving the officer had a right to be in the United States. 'She’s a U.S. citizen, and clearly would not have any paperwork,' he said.... The officer attempted to begin filming the interaction and her phone was knocked out of her hand, Bruley said. When she identified herself as a police officer, the federal agents 'immediately left,' he said. All of the off-duty police officers who had been targeted by ICE in his city were people of color, Bruley said.” ~~~

     ~~~ This guy is totally pro-ICE. But at least some ICE agents have pushed him too far: ~~~

Third-Runner-up in Beauty Pageant Stands Her Ground. Devlin Barrett of the New York Times: “The monthslong standoff between the Trump administration and the federal court in eastern Virginia escalated sharply on Tuesday, when a judge issued a scathing order criticizing ... [Donald] Trump’s handpicked prosecutor for what he called a 'charade' of claiming to be the U.S. attorney. The pointed criticism came as judges in the Eastern District of Virginia also publicly appealed for applicants to seek the job of U.S. attorney to succeed Mr. Trump’s pick, Lindsey Halligan. For weeks, judges have pressed Ms. Halligan to explain why she continues to identify herself in court filings as the U.S. attorney, despite a ruling in November that she had been unlawfully appointed to the job. In his order, Judge David J. Novak, a Trump appointee, also warned Ms. Halligan that continuing to file court papers in which she is listed as the U.S. attorney would be 'a false statement made in direct defiance of valid court orders.' '... this charade of Ms. Halligan masquerading as the United States attorney for this district in direct defiance of binding court orders must come to an end,' Judge Novak wrote. The judge also criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche over a recent court filing defending Ms. Halligan’s actions.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Goodbye, Lindsey! This story has a delightful update. With Glenn Thrush added to the byline, here's the new lede: “Lindsey Halligan ... has left the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia, Attorney General Pam Bondi said late Tuesday after a judge called Ms. Halligan’s bid to remain in office a 'charade.' Ms. Bondi, who had expressed reservations about Ms. Halligan’s fitness to serve after her appointment in September, blamed the state’s Democratic senators, who used their prerogative to block appointments, for forcing the onetime Trump defense lawyer to leave her post. 'Her departure is a significant loss,' Ms. Bondi wrote on social media. 'While we feel her absence keenly, we are confident that she will continue to serve her country in other ways.' Ms. Halligan’s nomination for a full term as U.S. attorney was pending in the Senate, but Virginia’s two senators, both Democrats, had signaled they were unlikely to back it.” The ABC News report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Congrats to Pam Bondi for blaming this entirely Trump-produced fiasco on Democrats! There should be a prize for that. And it could definitely be named after Trump.  

Alan Blinder of the New York Times: “The University of Pennsylvania on Tuesday condemned Trump administration investigators for seeking records about Jewish employees.... The university and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have been at odds for months over an investigation into antisemitism at Penn. The tensions roared into public view in November, when the Trump administration sued the university because it had 'refused to comply' with a subpoena that sought information about employees who brought complaints about antisemitic discrimination and those who are members of Jewish groups on campus, among other people. The demand prompted a campus uproar, and in a blistering response [to a federal court] on Tuesday, Penn described the request as an 'extraordinary and unconstitutional demand.'... In its filing, the university said that the E.E.O.C.’s request had 'alarmed' members of the university’s Jewish community.” The link appears to be a gift link.

Marie: Gosh, I remember when people who raised alarms about DOGE access to massive amounts of U.S. data were called crazy and even judges dismissed their concerns. Well, how about this? ~~~

~~~⭐Kyle Cheney of Politico: “Two members of Elon Musk’s DOGE team working at the Social Security Administration were secretly in touch with an advocacy group seeking to 'overturn election results in certain states,' and one signed an agreement that may have involved using Social Security data to match state voter rolls, the Justice Department revealed in newly disclosed court papers. Elizabeth Shapiro, a top Justice Department official, said SSA referred both DOGE employees for potential violations of the Hatch Act, which bars government employees from using their official positions for political purposes. Shapiro’s previously unreported disclosure, dated Friday, came as part of a list of 'corrections' to testimony by top SSA officials during last year’s legal battles over DOGE’s access to Social Security data.... Shapiro said the case of the two DOGE team members appeared to undermine a previous assertion by SSA that DOGE’s work was intended to 'detect fraud, waste and abuse' in Social Security and modernize the agency’s technology.” (Also linked yesterday.)

OMG! Ashley Ahn of the New York Times: “Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, said Tuesday that they were expecting a baby boy in late July.... It is the first known time in modern U.S. history that a sitting second lady is expecting a baby while her husband is in office.” MB: Okay, Usha. You've earned all the racist white Christian bull JayDee throws at you. I will no longer try to save you. Even a re-education camp cannot help you. You cannot be deprogrammed. 

Sahil Kapur, et al., of NBC News: "Congressional negotiators in both parties released a massive bill Tuesday aimed at fully funding the government ahead of a shutdown deadline on Jan. 30. The 1,059-page bipartisan bill includes money for the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, and it would reduce the chances of another funding lapse after the longest shutdown in U.S. history last fall. The DHS measure is sure to be a point of contention for Democrats in the House and the Senate, many of whom insisted they would reject any funding bill without policies to restrain Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an officer fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis this month." Politico's story is here.

Annie Karni of the New York Times: “Negotiations between Representative James R. Comer of Kentucky, the Republican chairman of the Oversight Committee, and Bill and Hillary Clinton over their refusal to testify in his panel’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation broke down on Tuesday, hours before a scheduled vote to hold the couple in contempt of Congress. Mr. Comer refused an offer to interview the former president under oath in his New York office, rejecting terms he said were untenable and vowing to go forward with the vote as planned on Wednesday. That would be the first step in a process that could potentially lead to the Clintons’ criminal prosecution.... The Clintons have remained adamant that they would not appear at a formal deposition with the committee, accusing Mr. Comer of pursuing a politically driven process 'literally designed to result in our imprisonment' and promising to fight the chairman on the issue for as long as it takes.”

Your Tax Dollars Are Paying Trump's Criminal Insurrectionists. Beth Reinhard, et al., of the Washington Post: “... an overlooked consequence of Trump’s pardon for some Jan. 6 offenders: Not only did it free them from prison, it emboldened them to demand payback from the government. At least eight Jan. 6 defendants are pursuing refunds of the financial penalties paid as part of their sentences, according to a Post review of court records; judges agreed that [three of them] should be reimbursed, while five more are appealing denials.... Others are filing civil lawsuits against the government seeking millions of dollars, alleging politically tainted prosecutions and violations of their constitutional rights. Hundreds more have filed claims accusing the Justice Department, FBI and other law enforcement agencies of inflicting property damage and personal injuries.... The efforts are the latest chapter in an extraordinary rewriting of history by the president and his allies to bury the facts of what happened at the Capitol, sustain the false claim that the 2020 election was rigged, and recast the Jan. 6 offenders as victims entitled to taxpayer-funded compensation.”

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California. Abbie VanSickle & Laurel Rosenhall of the New York Times: “California Republicans on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to block the state’s new congressional map before it is used in the midterm election, arguing the newly redrawn congressional districts are an illegal racial gerrymander. In an emergency filing to the justices, lawyers for state Republicans who are challenging the map argued that 'under the guise of partisan line-drawing,' California had 'expressly used race' to carve up voters into congressional districts... California’s new map could eliminate as many as five Republican-held seats and significantly aid Democrats as they seek to win control of the House of Representatives in November.... In early December, the justices cleared the way for newly redrawn Texas congressional maps favoring Republicans to be used in the midterms.”

South Carolina Congressional Race. Benjamin Siegel of ABC News: "A senior Navy official removed from her post by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last year is running for Congress. Nancy Lacore, who served in the Navy for 35 years as a Navy helicopter pilot, three-star admiral and the chief of the Navy Reserve, announced a run for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday.... South Carolina's 1st District, a right-leaning seat that includes Charleston, was won by ... Donald Trump in 2024 and 2020. The seat is currently represented by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for governor of South Carolina." Lacore is running as a Democrat; the report doesn't say so till the 9th paragraph. Whatever her part, Lacore seems unlikely to do a worse job than Mace.

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Japan. Javier Hernández & Hisako Ueno of the New York Times: “A man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for assassinating Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, bringing an end to a case that shocked the nation and provoked debate about political violence and broader societal issues. Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, was found guilty by a district court in the western city of Nara of several crimes, including murder and violating gun control laws. He admitted in October to shooting Mr. Abe with a homemade gun at an election rally in Nara in 2022....”