News: Judge Vargas has stopped the Trump administration from freezing federal funds for construction of the Hudson River tunnel. Earlier today, she heard workers would otherwise be fired this weekend, abandoning “literally a massive hole in the earth” indefinitely ag.ny.gov/sites/defaul...

The “public” court hearing in Luigi Mangione’s case this morning was mainly held off record at the bench. COs shouted down a reporter who put her hand up to complain close to 30 minutes in.

News: Judge Carro has scheduled Luigi Mangione’s state murder trial for JUNE 8. He says if the DOJ appeals the recent ruling dismissing the death penalty charge in his federal case, he’ll push it back to Sept. 8.

Buried below a lot of preamble, Jay Clayton tells Judge Engelmayer that 9K+ docs removed from the Epstein files after victims complained about being exposed were subject to protective orders in Maxwell’s case. Engelmayer modified the orders on the condition that the women’s privacy be protected.

Re moving hush-money to federal court, Judge Hellerstein says Trump sought "two bites at the apple" by first bringing the SCOTUS immunity decision to state court, missed the window to raise it at fed. Trump atty Jeff Wall said “any sensible litigant” would. “Not so,” Hellerstein said. “Not so.”

BREAKING -- New York and New Jersey both jointly sued the Trump administration tonight over the regime's refusal to restore funds for the Gateway Project's Hudson River Tunnel. The tunnel is expected to run out of money Friday if the funds stay frozen. Story TK w/ @mollycranenewman.bsky.social

Judge Berman has called off tomorrow’s conference on the Epstein files after victims’ lawyers said the DOJ was receptive to their complaints about the disastrous redactions process and will address deficiencies “expeditiously”

This is unreal. An AUSA talking like that in open court is about as close as you can come to a total breakdown. Never heard of anything like it.

Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton tells the judges on Epstein and Maxwell's cases that AUSAs “worked all hours” over the weekend to remove “thousands of documents and media that may have inadvertently included victim-identifying information due to various factors, including technical or human error”

“Less than two weeks before Jeffrey Epstein’s death in jail, his lawyers and Manhattan federal prosecutors met and discussed his potential cooperation,” @vicbekiempis.bsky.social reports www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

The tension between feeling at once grateful and grossed out by a subway seat warmed up by the last passenger

In a statement, lawyers for Luigi Mangione say the Manhattan DA’s request to try him in July before the DOJ presents its case to a jury is “unrealistic,” and that they’ll need the rest of the year to prepare for his federal trial, which could include a death penalty phase.

Update on the Epstein files, sorta: US Attorney Jay Clayton tells Judges Berman & Engelmayer that SDNY expects to finish the job, “including publication to the Epstein Library website, in the near term” “The Department is not able to provide a specific date at this time…”

News: Judge Paul Engelmayer has DENIED the motion by Reps Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie to participate in Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal case and says he doesn’t have the authority to supervise the DOJ’s compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Lawyers for Reps Khanna and Massie renew their push to seek a special master to oversee further disclosures of the Epstein files, saying the government “cannot be relied upon to act with disinterest” and “do what is best for the survivors.” “It has its own conflicting interests.”

An analysis of my inbox found Michael Cohen showed no signs of being coerced into cooperating against Trump in NY, as he now claims. His main concern was getting all the credit. “I brought the whole mishegas, the whole bullshit to the surface,” as he said in 2021 www.nydailynews.com/2026/01/19/m...

The refugees arrested through this program are in the country legally. They entered as refugees, having been fully screened and vetted and on a path to a green card already. Now the Trump admin is detaining an unknown number; USCIS says they may be targeting as many as 5,600 people.

Crazy breaking story by my colleague @mollycranenewman.bsky.social about the indictment of Tony Herbert, a fixture in NYC. Anyone who's covered cop stuff or politics in NYC has likely spoken to, written about or crossed paths with Tony Herbert over the years. www.nydailynews.com/2026/01/13/f...

NEWS: Former Eric Adams aide and community advocate Tony Herbert has been arrested and charged in an SDNY indictment with taking bribes and kickbacks while working at City Hall, along with several fraud offenses. He’s set to appear in court later today. www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/me...

This just in: Counsel for Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie have contacted the judge in Ghislaine Maxwell’s case, accusing the DOJ of failing to comply with legislation requiring the release of the Epstein files and requesting the appointment of a special master. Judge Engelmayer ordered briefing.

Photog Christopher Anderson, who shot the close-ups of Karoline Leavitt and other Trump admin members for VF, says he just found a bunch of photos that Jeffrey Epstein had intimidated him into destroying after NYMag spiked a story set to feature them www.instagram.com/p/DTLQwZ6jTL...

MADURO in court, via @johnannese.bsky.social: “I am innocent, I am not guilty, I am a decent man. I am still president of my country”

This just in: Nicolas Maduro is set to appear at noon tomorrow before Judge Hellerstein in Manhattan fed.

Clinton appointee Judge Alvin Hellerstein has Maduro’s case. Last spring, he barred the Trump admin from removing Venezuelans from the US under the Alien Enemies Act, which he said had been applied unlawfully “These people are being thrown out of the country because of tattoos”

Gives me the warm fuzzies to see at least one more photo of a NYC mayor reading the Daily News. I worry there won’t be too many more.

The superseding indictment against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, has been unsealed in the SDNY. It alleges a narco trafficking conspiracy and names four others as defendants.

My annual Xmas debrief with a Dublin cabbie taking on an increasingly grave tone. What was once, “Ah, I’d say you’re having a ball over there,” was today, “It’s like a Nazi state, isn’t it? Did ye see his speech, talking about his wife’s panties?”

Thankful for this poignant sendoff at Newark as I bid farewell to 2025 in America. A thrill of hope, the weary self rejoices…

In a sworn declaration, SDNY US Attorney Jay Clayton confirms grand jury materials in Maxwell and Epstein’s cases have been reviewed to protect victims He conceded there could be “over redactions,” as the DOJ wanted to err on the side of caution, “in the compressed time frame”

While not exactly conducive to the will to go on, nyc sunsets have been breathtaking this December

SDNY Judge Engelmayer has granted the DOJ’s motions to unseal grand jury materials in Ghislaine Maxwell’s case and modify the protective order—including a provision as requested by Epstein victims that nothing within prohibits the gov from releasing its larger trove of materials

Manhattan Magistrate Judge Henry Ricardo has agreed to let city Comptroller Brad Lander remain released on his own recognizance in his SDNY trespassing case. He told him not to break any laws. “I will drive very much under the speed limit, your honor,” @bradlander.bsky.social said

In a troubling scene, NY Justice Carro’s CSOs just ejected a veteran court reporter for trying to challenge the sealing of footage in Luigi Mangione’s case. They shouted over her and threatened her with contempt as she tried to ID herself and object as a surrogate for the public.

In court watching footage of Luigi Mangione’s arrest in PA last December. Cops made small talk with him about the McDonald’s breakfast menu as he finished his sandwich and handcuffed him when Bing Crosby’s "I'll Be Home for Christmas" came on the radio. An American canto, you might say…

The top posts X is boosting to millions of people about the anti-immigrant “New Republican Movement” in Ireland are coming from accounts based in the US, UK, and Canada

Fascinating testimony ongoing at Luigi Mangione’s suppression hearings. A correction officer at the PA prison where he was initially held said he chatted with Mangione at length, that he was under constant surveillance as his higher-ups didn’t want an “Epstein-style situation”

AG James on a judge dismissing the Trump DOJ’s case against her: “I am heartened by today’s victory and grateful for the prayers and support I have received from around the country. “I remain fearless in the face of these baseless charges as I continue fighting for New Yorkers every single day.”

Mamdani-Trump meeting making waves internationally. My mother, via Ireland

Spoke with @bradlander.bsky.social about the FBI accessing Signal comms between court watchers. He said he’s concerned about the NYPD’s involvement “That appears to me to be a violation of the Handschu consent decree—the NYPD is not allowed to participate in the surveillance of political activity”

The White House comments on Mahmoud Khalil’s suit seeking the Trump administration’s comms with Betar, Canary Mission, and other privately run pro-Israel organizations about him and other student activists targeted for deportation. (Khalil is a lawful permanent resident, not on a student visa)

Breaking: Comptroller Brad Lander is headed to trial — by choice — on federal misdemeanor charges for trying to inspect conditions at 26 Federal Plaza. The other pols arrested alongside him in Sept got ACDs following mediation talks this morning.

Regular reminder for folks reporting on federal courts that there are two different Judges Ho (Dale / SDNY, James / 5th Cir), with two different judicial philosophies. Remember it this way: When your Judge Ho is Dale, your claims might not fail. When your Judge Ho is Jim, your chances are grim.

Former mayoral aide Mohamed Bahi just got 3 years' probation for organizing straw donations for Eric Adams Judge Ho called the tossed corruption case against the mayor the “elephant in the room” “It is hard to escape the impression that Mr. Bahi is left here holding the bag”

In SDNY with @bradlander.bsky.social, @jabaribrisport.bsky.social, and a gaggle of pols facing charges for trying to inspect conditions where migrants are detained at 26 Federal Plaza. AUSAs are in mediation talks w attys, and the vibe is chill “We’re just gonna go get some coffee,” Lander says

The panic that kicks in at 2pm every day when I realize it gets dark in two hours

Jeffrey Epstein, two days after Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018: “you see, i know how dirty donald is. my guess is that non lawyers ny biz people have no idea. what it means to have your fixer flip”

Having been pardoned by Trump, Rudy Giuliani wants his bar license “immediately reinstated,” per his rep Ted Goodman

Oh my…

Asked if he sells the paper, Windsor Terrace bodega clerk informs: “No, the phones. Nobody’s buying anymore”