January 22, 2026

Marlam Kahn & Kevin Shalvey of ABC News: "... Donald Trump hosted a signing ceremony for his Board of Peace on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, saying that it was a 'very exciting day' and that the collective would become one of the "most consequential bodies" ever created.... More than two dozen countries have so far accepted Trump's invitation to join the board, but none of the U.S.'s major European allies have yet made a commitment and some have rejected the idea. Trump was flanked on the stage in Davos by more than a dozen leaders whose countries had agreed to be signatories. He described those who were present as 'just the countries that are here.'" MB: For some reason, the photo accompanying the ABC News story looks slightly different from the one below. However, at least two faces are the same in both photos: Trump and crazy Argentine president Javier Milei.

Trump signs Board of Peace charter. Thanks to RAS.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Glenn Thrush & Alan Feuer of the New York Times: “Jack Smith, the special prosecutor who twice indicted Donald J. Trump, defended his investigation in a tense and long-awaited appearance before a House committee on Thursday — flatly accusing Mr. Trump of causing the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.... His testimony represented the argument he was never allowed to deliver in court: that Mr. Trump 'engaged in criminal activity' that undermined democracy and the rule of law.... 'Our investigation revealed that Donald Trump is the person who caused Jan. 6, that it was foreseeable to him and that he sought to exploit the violence,' Mr. Smith said, sitting alone at the witness table.... The hearing posed significant risks to Mr. Smith, who has said he believes Mr. Trump and his appointees will seize on the smallest misstep to investigate, prosecute and humiliate him.... 

“As if to underscore that danger, Mr. Trump took to Truth Social to go after Mr. Smith. Hopefully Attorney General Pam Bondi 'is looking at what he’s done, including some of the crooked and corrupt witnesses that he was attempting to use in his case against me,' he wrote.... Republicans [on the Committee] repeatedly accused Mr. Smith of participating in a Democratic conspiracy to destroy Mr. Trump.... Asked to comment on Mr. Trump’s threat on Truth Social during his testimony, which included a call for his disbarment..., [Mr. Smith said,] 'The statements are meant to intimidate me.... I will not be intimidated. I think these statements are also made as a warning to others what will happen if they stand up.'...

“The expansive report [Mr. Smith] wrote about the documents case remains under seal because of an order issued by Judge Aileen M. Cannon, the Trump appointee who oversaw the proceeding. Her order expires on Feb. 24, but Mr. Trump has been trying to prevent the report from seeing the light of day. On Tuesday, his lawyers asked Judge Cannon to permanently keep it under wraps, arguing that its release would 'improperly endorse' Mr. Smith’s 'unlawful investigation and prosecution' of the case and 'irreparably harm President Trump.'” NPR's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ American Oversight (December 23, 2025): “On Monday..., Judge Aileen Cannon denied American Oversight’s motion to intervene to lift the court’s January 21, 2025, gag order blocking the release of Volume II of former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on ... [Donald] Trump’s handling of classified documents.... 'After nearly a year of delay, the court acted only when it was forced to and after Donald Trump personally stepped in. Even then, the decision was structured to give him exactly what he wanted: time, leverage, and a clear roadmap for keeping this report buried,' said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight.'... In November, Judge Cannon was compelled by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit’s to respond to American Oversight’s mandamus petition asking the court to vacate the gag order. The court found that Cannon’s failure to rule on our motion — which had been fully briefed since March — constituted an 'undue delay,' and gave her 60 days to fully resolve the issues....”

Brad Reed of Common Dreams: “US Customs and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino on Tuesday was caught on video throwing a gas grenade at lawful protesters in Minneapolis on the same day that a court temporarily lifted restrictions on federal immigration agents’ use of force in the Twin Cities. As reported by the Minnesota Star-Tribune, Bovino hurled a gas canister at protesters who had gathered at Mueller Park in the Minneapolis neighborhood of Whittier. After Bovino threw the can, the Star-Tribune wrote, 'plumes of green and gray smoke burst over the crowd,' causing protesters and observers to flee the scene. According to NBC News’ Maggie Vespa, the attack on the protesters began shortly after Bovino and other immigration agents were denied service at a local Speedway gas station. As they exited the station, they were 'swarmed' by demonstrators, and the situation 'devolved' from there.... Immigration agents were also seen deploying chemical spray on protesters and observers. In one case, an agent was caught on video spraying a person directly in their eyes even after they had already been brought to the ground and restrained by fellow officers.” ~~~

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: “The House on Thursday passed a spending package for a broad swath of the government, narrowly mustering the votes to fund the Department of Homeland Security amid a Democratic revolt over spending for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The package, which also would fund the Pentagon and the health and transportation departments, rejects the deepest spending cuts that President Trump requested, including a 50 percent reduction to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a 40 percent cut to the National Institutes of Health, which would instead receive a $415 million boost. It also rejects Mr. Trump’s request for a $840 million increase in funding for ICE, leaving funding for the agency roughly flat. It contains the final set of spending bills that must be enacted before next Friday in order to avoid a government shutdown. The legislation still must pass the Senate before it can be sent to Mr. Trump, but it appeared to be on track to clear Congress.”

Robert Jimison of the New York Times: “The House on Thursday just barely defeated a resolution that would have barred ... [Donald] Trump from taking further military action in Venezuela without congressional approval, weeks after he ordered a raid there without consulting or winning approval from lawmakers. The measure failed in an unusual tie vote of 215 to 215, with two Republicans crossing party lines in favor.... The defeat was the latest instance of Congress ceding authority to a president who has aggressively tested the bounds of his military power.”

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Here's a New York Times liveblog of stuff that's happening today, including at Davos and at the House committee hearing featuring Jack Smith.  

Jeremy Roebuck of the Washington Post: “Former special counsel Jack Smith is expected to return to Capitol Hill on Thursday to offer his first public testimony defending his efforts to prosecute Donald Trump. The scheduled hearing, before the House Judiciary Committee, is unlikely to deliver many new insights into Smith’s now-shuttered investigations into how the then-former president handled classified documents or his alleged efforts to subvert the results of the 2020 election. Smith fielded lawmakers’ questions about those probes during a closed-door deposition last month, and House Republicans have since released a full transcript of that eight-hour grilling. But Thursday’s proceeding will offer Smith the opportunity to defend his work on his largest public stage to date amid Republican efforts to reframe it as a witch hunt tainted by partisan politics.” The AP report is here. ~~~ 

     ~~~ Marie: I'll probably be away for much of the big show. It will be televised on C-SPAN2 at 10 am ET. I expect some of the major newspapers will carry it live, and you probably can find the hearing live on YouTube, too. I have to go out for a while now (at 7:20 am ET), and I'm not sure when I'll be back.

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Today's New York Times liveblog of what-all is going on in Davos is here. 

By Lalo Alcatraz.

Wednesday was TACO Grande Day.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs of the New York Times: “As ... [Donald] Trump threatened to upend some of the central pillars of the Western order on Wednesday, during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, some in the crowd of elites sat speechless. Others groaned. A few gasped.... The group had weathered insult after insult from Mr. Trump about their approach to trade, the environment and immigration.... European leaders sat stunned as Mr. Trump insulted their governments and questioned their reliability as allies. Others grimaced as Mr. Trump claimed the European nations and Canada owed the United States a debt.... Mr. Trump suggested the European allies owed him Greenland. He said that without the United States’ efforts in World War II, 'you’d all be speaking German and a little Japanese perhaps,' prompting moans from the crowd.  Alexander Stubb, the Finnish president and a key power broker in Europe, stood up ashen-faced at the end of the speech that took aim at people like him: the leaders of the Western political and economic elite.... Mr. Trump transformed the forum into the setting of a dramatic rupture between the West’s leading player and its increasingly distant allies.” ~~~

     (~~~ Marie: Apparently Trump didn't realize he was in Switzerland, where about 65% of the population does speak German. Or maybe he knew where he was and thought folks spoke Swiss.) ~~~

     ~~~ Matthew Choi & Dan Merica of the Washington Post: “Trump accused Denmark of ingratitude for rejecting his demands for Greenland after the United States helped defend it during World War II. He said that without the U.S., the forum’s host nation of Switzerland 'wouldn’t have a country” and that the U.S. was picking up Europe’s slack in defending Ukraine. He warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney not to antagonize him because he said 'Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.' Trump openly cast doubt that NATO would ever come to the defense of the U.S., even though the U.S. became the only NATO member to invoke its collective defense agreement after 9/11, leading thousands of NATO troops to fight in Afghanistan.... Trump issued a veiled warning to Denmark if it continued to refuse ceding Greenland: 'You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.'”

     ~~~ Emmanuel Felton & Cleve Wootson of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump took his crusade against Somali migrants to the world stage on Wednesday, questioning the intelligence of a community that has become a frequent target of his tirades. Speaking before foreign dignitaries and corporate executives at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the president alluded to an ongoing fraud scandal in Minnesota involving dozens of Somali residents, continuing a pattern of attacks against African migrants that has spanned both of his administrations. 'Can you believe that? Somalia — they turned out to be higher-IQ than we thought,' Trump said. 'I always say these are low-IQ people. How do they go into Minnesota and steal all that money?'” MB: I heard on the teevee yesterday that Trump also knocked Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a Somali immigrant, during his talk. Most of the people in the room probably never heard of her and couldn't imagine why Trump would raise one of his domestic political squabbles at an international fatcats forum.

Heather Cox Richardson: “More than anything..., the speech demonstrated his mental unfitness for his position. Tom Nichols of The Atlantic wrote: 'No one can be watching this Davos speech and reach any conclusion but that the President of the United States is mentally disturbed and that something is deeply wrong with him. This is both embarrassing and extremely dangerous.'” 

Eli Stokols & Diana Nerozzi of Politico: “After two weeks of escalating threats toward Europe..., Donald Trump blinked on Wednesday, backing away from the unthinkable brink of a potential war against a NATO ally during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump’s vow not to use military force to seize Greenland from Denmark eased European fears about a worst-case scenario and prompted a rebound on Wall Street. And his declaration hours later after meeting with NATO’s leader that he may back off of his tariff threat having secured the 'framework' of an agreement over Greenland continued a day of backpedaling.... But his continued heckling of allies as 'ungrateful' for not simply giving the U.S. 'ownership and title' of what he said was just 'a piece of ice' did little to reverse a deepening sentiment among NATO leaders and other longtime allies that they can no longer consider the United States — for 80 years the linchpin of the transatlantic alliance — a reliable ally....” ~~~

     ~~~ 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? (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ 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. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~ 

     ~~~ 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.

Aamer Madhani, et al., of the AP: “Investors appeared to have gotten through to ... Donald Trump about the risk posed by his designs for Greenland with a message he wasn’t hearing from European leaders: Threatening allies with tariffs and land seizure isn’t exactly the type of policy that generates confidence in the global economy. Trump on Wednesday backed off his threat to slap punishing tariffs on eight European allies for opposing his insistence on acquiring Greenland from longtime ally Denmark after the plan spooked Wall Street by sparking serious talk within NATO about a fundamental rupture to the transatlantic military alliance that’s been a linchpin of post-World War II security.”

He Has a Concept of a Framework of a Deal. Emily Davies, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump said Wednesday that he had reached the 'framework' of a deal on Greenland, backing away from his earlier demands to acquire the Danish territory after days of escalating threats and once-unthinkable worries about the most powerful member of NATO turning its weapons against one of its oldest allies. Declaring that he would scrap planned tariffs on Europe, Trump said talks were underway with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about bolstering security in the Arctic. The announcement, made on Trump’s social media account, was the latest head-spinning twist in his effort to seize Greenland from Denmark despite Danish and Greenlandic objections that the island is not for sale. And it marked a retreat from a push to claim another nation’s territory as his own, which had unsettled markets as the European Union readied economic retaliation. The president offered few details, but the deal was likely to fall far short of the full sovereign possession that he previously demanded. Denmark’s top diplomat said that the United States would not 'own' the island, and Rutte is not empowered to negotiate the transfer of territory from one NATO member to another.” ~~~

     ~~~ Steven Erlanger & Jeanna Smialek of the New York Times: “But neither [Mr. Trump] nor NATO provided any details of what that framework might look like, and there is no guarantee that such a deal will be finished. A member of the Danish parliament from Greenland called the deal into question in a social media post, saying it had created /total confusion.' But one thing was clear. Mr. Trump’s comments throughout the day underscored just how little the United States and Europe — long the closest of allies — now have in common.... European leaders, many of them shocked by Mr. Trump’s threats to take over the sovereign territory of an E.U. member and NATO ally, must still come together on what they might or should do if Mr. Trump changes his position again — and about the trans-Atlantic relationship more broadly. On Thursday evening, leaders from across the 27-nation European Union will gather in Brussels to discuss the perilous state of Europe’s relationship with the United States.” 

Sarah Fortinsky of the Hill: “NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said early Thursday that the military alliance will need to increase its security in the Arctic under ... [Donald] Trump’s plan for Greenland. 'When it comes to the protection of the Arctic, with a priority on Greenland, we have to spend more energy, more time, more focus on this because we know the sea lanes are opening up,' he said in an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Rutte added that Denmark is 'completely open' to an increased U.S. footprint, though he said that prospect was not discussed.” 

AND the Winner Is ... China! Peter Goodman of the New York Times: “In a long, rambling address that was by turns bombastic, aggrieved and self-congratulatory..., [Donald] Trump pronounced last rites on American leadership of the liberal democratic order forged by the United States and its allies after World War II. Mr. Trump used a keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday — a pilgrimage site for adherents of globalization — to assert that the United States was done offering its markets and its military protection to European allies he derided as freeloaders. And he vowed to advance his trade war. He characterized tariffs as the price of admission to a land of 300 million consumers. 'The United States is keeping the whole world afloat,' Mr. Trump said. 'Everybody took advantage of the United States.' By evening, Mr. Trump had flip-flopped on Greenland. He said in a social media post that he would no longer use tariffs to try to wrest control of the Danish territory, at least while discussions between his top aides and Europeans carried forth. The announcement spared the sovereignty of the island, but there was no taking back the significance of Mr. Trump’s attack on the global economic order just hours earlier.... 

“In the near decade since [Xi Jinping spoke at Davos in 2016], the sense has only been enhanced that China is — at least rhetorically — invested in economic values that Mr. Trump has renounced: engagement in multilateral institutions to advance its causes, faith in the wealth-enhancing powers of global trade and recognition that no country is large enough or powerful enough to go it alone.” MB: Do read to the end. Trump's misogynistic rant yesterday against the leader of the host country, which I hadn't seen reported elsewhere, is the icing on the cake.”

Hugh Leask of CNBC: "European lawmakers on Wednesday suspended the approval of the trade deal that the European Union and U.S. agreed in July. In a statement Wednesday, European Parliament member Bernd Lange, and INTA chair on EU-US trade relations, said the recent plans by ... Donald Trump to impose tariffs of between 10% and 25% on European nations go against the terms of the trade pact. Referring to Trump’s address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Lange said: 'I guess he didn’t revise his position. He wants to have Greenland as part of the United States as quick as possible.' In his speech, the president called for 'immediate negotiations' on the acquisition of the Arctic territory." MB: Hours later, the TACO King did back off his threat to impose additional tariffs on countries opposed to his seizure of Greenland, BUT he also threatened a new 200% tariff of French wine for France's refusal to join his Board of Peas. He's a lunatic.

Paul Krugman: "On Tuesday Mark Carney, Canada’s Prime Minister, gave a remarkable speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In effect he announced, calmly and lucidly, that Canada is filing for divorce from the Pax Americana[.]... And he urged other nations — implicitly, although he didn’t say it in so many words, the nations of Europe in particular — to join Canada in a new alliance of democracies no longer willing to take orders from an abusive hegemon[.]... It was a brave stand to take.... But democracies can no longer maintain close ties with the U.S. The day after Carney spoke, Donald Trump showed why."

Board of Peas.

Mikhail Klimentov, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump’s invitations for world leaders to join his so-called Board of Peace have prompted a range of responses, from immediate displays of willingness to hedging, wait-and-see statements from bewildered officials seeking more time to deliberate over the particulars. In Hungary, Belarus and Uzbekistan, leaders rushed to accept the president’s invitation. Countries as disparate as Canada, Russia and China were among the many that equivocated, citing a need to study the proposal. France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Slovenia declined to participate in the board as it is currently formulated — eliciting a furious reaction from Trump, who threatened to impose punitive 200 percent tariffs against French wine.... More than 50 countries are known to have been contacted by the White House, either through statements made by Trump or officials representing recipient countries. A full tally of countries solicited for a seat on the board was not made public.”

Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: “In days and weeks before he resigned as president, Richard Nixon came unglued.... [Donald] Trump has reached those depths with three years left on the clock.... [Trump's Greenland gambit]  is nothing less than madness. On Sunday night, we learned that it stemmed from delusion as well. In a message to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store of Norway, the president explained that he wanted Greenland because Norway would not give him the Nobel Peace Prize.... The letter is an astonishing glimpse into the mind of a man who rejects the core duty of his office, faithful representation of the American people. The only thing he cares about — the only thing that motivates him — is the immediate satisfaction of his every impulse.... His letter to the prime minister ... shows that [Trump] is essentially unable to serve as president of the United States, that he is as temperamentally and psychologically unable to engage with the practical as he is the symbolic, and that he has totally collapsed the distinction between his interests and those of the country, if he even recognized them in the first place.”

Marie: 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%.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Brianna Tucker & Maeve Reston of the Washington Post: “California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) was denied entry to a U.S.-designated venue at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday following pressure from the White House, his office said. Newsom had been invited more than a week ago to participate in a fireside chat at the USA House, the official U.S. pavilion, which also hosted ... Donald Trump for a speech earlier Wednesday.... A USA House official contacted the governor’s office Wednesday afternoon, shortly before the event was set to begin, and said they were canceling [the] event[, sponsored by Fortune], Newsom’s office said, backing up its account with screenshots of its communication with the event organizers. Newsom’s office said it was told his presence would not 'align with their afternoon programming.' The governor’s office said USA House offered him the option to attend a 'nightcap reception' instead, which he declined.... USA House['s] ...  webpage says the venue 'does not represent the U.S. government and does not organize official government programming.'...”

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.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ 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.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Here's something disgusting. ICE is calling their Maine ops "Operation Catch of the Day," to further dehumanize the people of color they are targeting. They're just fish and ICE is going to have them for lunch. 

Andrew Jeong of the Washington Post: “Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota have detained at least four children from the same school district this month, including a 5-year-old boy, school officials in a Minneapolis suburb said Wednesday. The events have inflamed tensions between residents and ICE officers.... The Trump administration has sought to justify the presence of ICE agents by saying that the officers are detaining immigrants convicted of violent crimes. 'Why detain a 5-year-old? Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of the Columbia Heights Public Schools district, located just north of Minneapolis, said at a news conference. 'You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal.'... The family’s lawyer [said the 5-year-old and his father, both of whom were detained and removed to San Antonio, Texas,] are not U.S. citizens but 'have been following the legal process perfectly, from presenting themselves at the border to applying for asylum and waiting for the process to go through.'...” ~~~

     ~~~ A Minnesota Public Radio story is here. The story includes a few pictures of the 5-year-old: definitely a scary, hardened criminal. In two of the photos, he is disguised as a killer rabbit -- super-menacing! 

U.S. Appeals Court Rules Against Constitution. Maya Yang of the Guardian: “An appeals court has temporarily lifted restrictions from a federal judge in Minnesota that blocked ICE agents from pepper-spraying and arresting peaceful protesters. In a victory for the Trump administration, the eighth US circuit court of appeals on Wednesday granted the justice department’s request for an administrative stay of a preliminary injunction issued last Friday by Judge Katherine Menendez. Menendez’s preliminary injunction would have prohibited ICE agents from retaliating against peaceful protesters, arresting or detaining people who are participating in peaceful protests, using pepper spray or similar non-lethal munitions and crowd dispersal tools, as well as stopping or detaining drivers without reasonable cause. When Menendez imposed the restrictions, she ruled that federal immigration agents’ actions had a 'chilling effect' on protesters’ first amendment rights.”

Marie: One by one, ICE is shredding the Bill of Rights. We already know they make a mockery of the First Amendment rights to free speech, freedom of assembly and freedom to petition the government. They routinely scrap the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees assistance of counsel. And now we are learning that ICE agents have been given instructions from on high to ignore the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Now that Donald & Drunk Pete are making plans to deploy the military to U.S. cities, are we going to have to start quartering soldiers, too? ~~~

~~~ Frances Vinall of the Washington Post: “A memo allegedly signed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director [Todd M. Lyons] in May instructs agents and officers that they can enter a person’s home to arrest them without a judicial warrant. The memo was included in a disclosure to senators by Whistleblower Aid, a nonprofit legal organization, based on information provided by two of their clients, government employees who are not named in the document. It requests that lawmakers investigate its claims....

“The memo ... tells personnel that they only require a Form I-205 to force entry into a private residence. A Form I-205 is signed by an immigration enforcement official and authorizes an arrest following a final order of removal, which is typically issued by an immigration judge.... Immigration judges are Department of Justice employees who fall under the executive, not judicial, branch. They have the power to authorize deportations but cannot issue search warrants or similar judicial orders.... The memo instructs ICE officers and agents to 'use only a necessary and reasonable amount of force' to enter the home of someone subject to a removal order if they are not allowed in.... David Kligerman ... of Whistleblower Aid, said the instructions in the memo appeared to violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.” The AP story, which broke the news, is here.

Pooja Salhotra of the New York Times: “A Cuban immigrant’s death in an El Paso detention center this month was ruled a homicide, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday by the county medical examiner’s office. The detainee, Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, became unresponsive while he was physically restrained by law enforcement on Jan. 3 at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility called Camp East Montana, the report said. Emergency medical workers tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The autopsy listed the cause of death as 'asphyxia due to neck and torso compression.' The report also described injuries Mr. Lunas Campos had sustained to his head and neck, including burst blood vessels in the front and side of the neck, as well as on his eyelids.... Mr. Lunas Campos’s ... family has asserted that he was killed by the facility’s guards, citing a witness who said he saw guards choking Mr. Lunas Campos to death. The family is preparing a wrongful-death lawsuit, according to their lawyer....”An AP report is here.

Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times: “The Trump administration is opening a new front against late-night comedy, announcing plans to enforce long-dormant rules on appearances by political candidates on network talk shows. Under new guidance released on Wednesday, the Federal Communications Commission warned that entertainment-oriented talk shows carried on local television stations were required to offer candidates vying for the same office equal airtime. The guidance was clearly aimed at the late-night hosts who frequently anger ... [Donald] Trump — Jimmy Kimmel of ABC, Stephen Colbert of CBS and Seth Meyers of NBC — and have in turn drawn scrutiny from the F.C.C. chairman, Brendan Carr. But it would also cover daytime talk shows including another Trump target, 'The View.'... It is in keeping with Mr. Carr’s yearlong campaign to use old and largely unenforced media regulations, known as the 'public interest standard,' to crack down on the major networks for perceived bias.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: As Trump says, we'll see what happens. The late-nite stars have two things going for them that Carr doesn't: a fan base and a sense of humor. But I suppose it would be fun to listen to Colbert tearing JayDee or Little Marco to shreds. Just last night, Kimmel started his monologue with couch jokes about JayDee. ("... The only birth control JayDee Vance uses is a pull-out couch.")

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.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Perry Stein of the Washington Post: “Government officials may not examine electronic devices seized from a Washington Post reporter until litigation stemming from the search of her home is settled, a federal judge in Virginia ruled Wednesday. The ruling from U.S. Magistrate Judge William B. Porter was issued hours after The Post demanded in a court filing that federal law enforcement officials return the electronic devices the government seized from staff reporter Hannah Natanson’s home last week. The extraordinary search 'flouts the First Amendment and ignores federal statutory safeguards for journalists,' The Post told the court.” Politico's report is here. MB: Aw, c'mon. You know the feds copied everything to their own drives within hours of taking possession of Natanson's devices a week ago. So technically, they won't be violating the judge's order by poring over documents that are now on their own devices.

Finally, somebody is taking Lindsey Halligan's side, and it's not Pam Blondie who is just pretending to be in Lindsey's corner because that's what Donald Dementia wants: ~~~

~~~ Evan Hurst of Wonkette: “Lindsey Halligan has 'quit' her non-job as non-US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia IN A HUFF, and Pam Bondi is IN A HUFF about it, and Halligan will now have to go cosplay at another job she’s wildly unqualified for, like maybe junior spaceman or rocket scientist cowboy.” Thanks, Evan!

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.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Riley Beggin & Marianna Sotomayor of the Washington Post: “House Democrats plan to vote against a negotiated funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s aggressive actions against U.S. citizens in Minneapolis and other cities.... House Democrats were initially poised to support the DHS funding bill because congressional appropriators worked in a bipartisan manner to cobble together the dozen individual pieces of spending legislation necessary to pass before the Jan. 30 deadline to fund the government and prevent another shutdown. But [Renee] Good’s death incensed many Democrats and became a red line for the caucus, forcing Republican leaders to delay the measure’s consideration and put the bill on the floor for a stand-alone vote.”

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.” (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times story is here.

Glorifying the Brady Bunch. Jessica Grose of the New York Times: “In the very first paragraph of the Heritage Foundation’s lengthy new policy paper, 'Saving America by Saving the Family,' the authors go all the way back to 1776 for inspiration.... The Heritage Foundation — the think tank behind Project 2025, which has had an outsize influence on executive branch policy in the second Trump administration — seems to want to take a time machine back to when women were financially dependent on men and gay marriage was not legal, but the authors can’t decide exactly how far back they want to go.... The bulk of the paper is about ways to whittle down government support for anybody who isn’t part of a traditional married family, ideally with a male breadwinner.”

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New York. Patrick Marley of the Washington Post: “A New York judge ordered state officials Wednesday to redraw the congressional district held by Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, handing Democrats a likely victory amid a nationwide political brawl over congressional lines. State Judge Jeffrey H. Pearlman in an 18-page decision concluded Malliotakis’s Staten Island-based district violates a provision of the state constitution that bars the abridgment of voting rights for racial minorities. He ordered the state’s redistricting commission to draw new lines by Feb. 6. An appeal is expected, and Malliotakis said she is confident the existing lines will ultimately be upheld.... A group of New York voters sued in October over Malliotakis’s district to argue it violates a 2024 amendment to the state constitution. Pearlman on Wednesday agreed with them....”

Texas. Edgar Sandoval of the New York Times: “More than three years after a gunman massacred 21 people at Uvalde’s Robb Elementary in one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, a former school police officer was found not guilty of abandoning or endangering children. Adrian Gonzales, the first officer to arrive at the school, was facing 29 counts.... The verdict delivered a devastating blow to families of the victims and survivors who have clamored for accountability for the delayed police response on May 24, 2022. During the three-week trial, prosecutors argued that Mr. Gonzales, 52, failed to stop the gunman despite a witness alerting him to his whereabouts moments before the assailant stormed two connected classrooms. Defense lawyers persuaded the jury that Mr. Gonzales had done the best he could with the information he had and that at least three other officers had arrived seconds later and also failed to stop the gunman. They also presented evidence that Mr. Gonzales had rushed into the building minutes after arriving, but retreated with the other officers after shooting began.”