“Most recently, the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet was the naked bicyclers in Portland who were protesting ICE,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told @benjaminweiss.bsky.social. www.courthousenews.com/speaker-john...

Republican leaders in Congress have not seen enough evidence to justify an investigation into how federal law enforcement is treating protesters amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Speaker Johnson told me Tuesday. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/speaker-john...

Speaker Johnson dismisses congressional scrutiny as federal agents crack down on protesters @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/speaker-john...

House Democrats on Thursday pushed for an investigation into whether the Trump administration broke the law with messages posted on federal agency websites explicitly blaming them for the government shutdown. @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/house-democr...

ICYMI: Dems respond to Trump's federal crackdown on anti-fascist activity (NSPM-7) with anger but not a whole lot of ideas on what to do about it from @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/dems-condemn...

NEW: I spoke to Democrats about the Trump national security directive NSPM-7, which lays out a broad set of ideologies that the admin believes are "animating" political violence. But while Dems rebuked the WH memo, they offered few steps to combat it. www.courthousenews.com/dems-condemn...

As the country braces for a possible government shutdown, Democratic leaders in Congress said Monday they were holding firm in their efforts to extract concessions in a proposed short-term funding bill. @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/congressiona...

In the midst of budget negotiations, here’s the president posting an AI-altered clip of Leader Jeffries & Leader Schumer in which an AI clone of Schumer refers to Dems as “just a bunch of woke pieces of shit” & claims Dems will give “all these illegal aliens free health care.”

James Comey’s indictment landed with a partisan thud on the Hill, as Rs cheer the move as long-awaited accountability & Dems warn that it's another indication of a Justice Dept headed down a dangerous path of political vengeance. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/comey-indict...

Good morning from the @CourthouseNews bullpen in Washington DC. I'm in the studio with @kelseyreichmann.bsky.social @ryanknappy.bsky.social recording the latest ep of the CNS podcast, where we're talking SCOTUS shadow docket and more. Wanna listen in? We're live here: www.twitch.tv/benjaminsweiss

New: A Cold War state media law, and its Obama-era amendment, has become a popular topic following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. But while experts say there should be protections against domestic propaganda, the law is often misinterpreted. www.courthousenews.com/what-is-the-...

Senate Republicans have suggested that an Obama-era modernization of federal law governing state-run media organizations opened the door for targeted propaganda against U.S. citizens — but experts say the reality is more complicated. @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/what-is-the-...

Members of Congress are set to grill the heads of major social media and gaming companies next month, as lawmakers attempt to frame the services as breeding grounds for political radicalization and even violence. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/house-republ...

The CDC director told the Senate on Wednesday that she was fired by the Trump administration for “holding the line” on the scientific consensus supporting childhood vaccine recommendations. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/fired-cdc-di...

Video games so far unplugged from Congress’ response to Kirk assassination @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/video-games-...

New from me: Much has been made about the role of video games and irony-pilled gamer memes in the assassination of Charlie Kirk. But on Capitol Hill, lawmakers so far haven't latched onto gaming in the way Congress has in the past. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/video-games-...

GOP budget still freezes judicial security funding despite warnings from court leaders @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/gop-budget-s...

Funding shortfalls in the U.S. judiciary continue to threaten the security of federal judges and courthouses, the judicial system’s top policymaking body warned Tuesday. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/gop-budget-s...

If you missed today's stream you missed Sen. Dick Durbin's X notifs summoning an energy sword battle:

🎮It's been a long week. Come hang out and debrief with a little Halo. Live shortly: www.twitch.tv/benjaminsweiss

Police investigate bomb threat at DNC as fears of political violence escalate @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/police-inves...

All-clear at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in D.C. Thursday afternoon, after police responded to reports of a bomb threat which turned out to be non-credible. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/police-inves...

A slate of U.S. attorney nominees who recently got caught up in Democrats’ monthslong Senate blockade are headed back to the floor Thursday after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted once again to approve them. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/trump-us-att...

Trump US attorney nominees return to Senate floor as GOP readies ‘nuclear option’ @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/trump-us-att...

House Republicans embark on legislative warpath against DC @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/house-republ...

House Republicans on Wednesday launched their enormous legislative salvo against Washington, D.C., debating a raft of bills in a marathon Oversight Cmte meeting that produced some tense moments between lawmakers. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/house-republ...

Trump’s “emergency” takeover of DC police may be winding down, but a federal presence in the capital may be here to stay — and Congress is now gearing up for a major legislative crackdown on the city’s criminal justice system. @CourthouseNews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/on-the-last-...

Soldiers are not cops

Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte has accused several high-profile officials and Trump administration opponents of committing mortgage fraud — claims that have led to at least one Justice Department investigation. @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/dems-demand-...

Mike Johnson’s message to cities under threat of military intervention by the White House: “Yield, man!” “Let the troops come into your city and show how crime could be reduced.”

Mike Johnson’s message to cities under threat of military intervention by the White House: “Yield, man!” “Let the troops come into your city and show how crime could be reduced.”

Updated with comment from the White House, which has again denied Trump's involvement in the Epstein birthday book. Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt says it's "very clear" that the president didn't draw or sign the picture Dems released. www.courthousenews.com/house-oversi...

The House Oversight Committee has received documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate — including contents of an infamous “birthday book” featuring a note from Pres. Trump that he has claimed he did not write. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/house-oversi...

Thune tees up ‘nuclear option’ to speed Senate confirmation of Trump nominees @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/thune-tees-u...

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday that he would move to change chamber rules and speed up consideration of hundreds of President Donald Trump’s nominees to break months of procedural obstruction from Democrats. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/thune-tees-u...

Trump downplays a potential pocket recession, characterizing the move as "simply the consequence of the ICA’s permitting the President to propose rescissions late in the fiscal year" More from @benjaminweiss.bsky.social here: www.courthousenews.com/trumps-propo...

“We won the first World War, we won the second World War, we won everything before then and in between,” Trump said in the Oval Office Friday. “And then we decided to go woke and we changed the name to the Department of Defense.” @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/trump-unveil...

It was a tense scene in the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., faced lawmakers’ wrath over his recent move to change the government’s vaccine policy. @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/rfk-jr-faces...

It was a tense scene in the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday morning, as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. faced lawmakers’ wrath over his recent move to change the government’s vaccine policy. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/rfk-jr-faces...

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday grilled Jennifer Mascott, President Trump's second nominee to the Third Circuit. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/senate-democ...

President Donald Trump plans to send National Guard soldiers to patrol Chicago and Baltimore, he said Tuesday, signaling that he would follow through on weeks of threats against the two cities’ Democratic leadership. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/trump-vows-t...

First day of school vibes here on Capitol Hill as the pols return to Washington after August recess. Here are a few issues we're tracking at @courthousenews.bsky.social as lawmakers get back in the swing of things: www.courthousenews.com/congress-bac...

Saturday night blue slip hate post from the president — again, at the moment there’s basically zero political will from Republicans in the Senate to end blue slips … though Trump’s said he could sue them to try (still unclear on what grounds). www.courthousenews.com/trump-eyes-s...

Congressional Democrats on Friday urged their Republican colleagues to reject President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to sidestep lawmakers’ spending authority, as he moved to unilaterally cancel nearly $5 billion in foreign aid. @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/trumps-propo...

Reminder that both AG Bondi and DAG Blanche (pictured here with Bove in the background) attended his nomination hearing & sat front row. DOJ told me any suggestion that they were there as part of a WH pressure campaign on Rs was "cynical and conspiratorial." www.courthousenews.com/dems-warn-em...

Rumors of Susan Monarez’s departure as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been greatly exaggerated, her attorneys said Wednesday evening. @courthousenews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/cdc-director...

The United States Park Police Fraternal Order of Police posted this after Bowser said more vehicle pursuits would be concerning

Federal law gives the president just two more weeks of control over the D.C. police department — but he’s already said he needs a long-term extension, possibly without congressional approval. @benjaminweiss.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/dc-mayor-lea...

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday left the door open for the possibility that Trump would extend his control of the city’s police department beyond the 30 day timeframe laid out in federal law. @CourthouseNews.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/dc-mayor-lea...