3/21/18  //  Daily Update

The Supreme Court heard arguments in a case challenging a California law which requires “crisis pregnancy centers” to give information about abortion. The Koch network urged President Trump to accept an offer from congressional Democrats, which would give a pathway to citizenship for young immigrants and $25 billion for a border wall. A New York state judge denied a motion to dismiss filed by President Trump in a lawsuit by a woman who accused President Trump of sexually assaulting her, concluding that President Trump does not have immunity from suit in cases not involving official acts. Cambridge Analytica suspended its CEO after reports that the data analytics firm improperly accessed private Facebook user data during its work on behalf of the Trump campaign.

3/16/18  //  Daily Update

The ACLU and Human Rights First filed a class action lawsuit in the District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging indefinite detention of asylum seekers. The Trump Administration’s failure to convene multiple committees on disability issues raises concerns for lawmakers and the disabilities community. Many of President Trump’s executive and judicial appointees have connections to the Bush administration torture program and practices. The Special Counsel has subpoenaed documents from the Trump Organization regarding its business dealings in Russia, marking the first public indication that the investigation is expanding to President Trump’s businesses.

3/13/18  //  Daily Update

President Trump backed away from his proposal to raise gun purchase age limits, claiming “not much political support.” A Department of Homeland Security proposal to implement continuous automated social media monitoring of visitors and immigrants to the United States is a “Muslim ban by algorithm.” 12 consolidated lawsuits challenging the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of net neutrality rules will be heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Stormy Daniels has offered to return a $130,000 payment from President Trump made as part of a non-disclosure agreement regarding an alleged affair.

3/12/18  //  Daily Update

The ACLU announced it has filed a national class-action lawsuit against multiple federal government agencies over the practice of separating asylum-seeking families. President Trump reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal if Germany, France and the United Kingdom do not meet his demands. The Trump and Kushner families have developed increasingly close business relationships since President Trump was elected and Jared Kushner joined the White House. President Trump’s efforts to undermine the independence of federal law enforcement agencies mirror the approach of autocratic leaders.

2/27/18  //  Daily Update

The Supreme Court’s recently released calendar reveals that it will hear oral arguments on President Trump’s travel ban on April 25. The Justice Department is now moving toward regulating bump stocks despite earlier opinions that it did not have the power to do so. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in the workplace, applies to LGBT people. The Trump Organization claimed it donated its profits from foreign governments to the US Treasury, but refused to give any details on the amount of its donation.

2/22/18  //  Daily Update

President Trump held a listening session including people affected by school shootings who urged action on gun control. Border Patrol is stretching its authority to search private property and extend its reach beyond the physical border. New lawsuits seek to challenge the winner-take-all approach to allocating Electoral College votes in most states. Benjamin Wittes, editor of Lawfare blog, sued the State Department under the Freedom of Information Act over its failure to produce records related to its promotion of Mar-a-Lago. Former Trump campaign advisor Sam Nunberg will be interviewed by the Special Counsel.

2/13/18  //  Daily Update

President Trump released his budget proposal, which includes a substantial increase in military spending and additional infrastructure funding but cuts other domestic programs such as Medicare. The Human Rights Campaign released a statement calling the proposed budget ‘dangerous and irresponsible’ for its cuts to programs critical to the safety of LGBTQ people. Attorney General Jeff Sessions deviated from prepared remarks to the National Sheriffs Association to emphasize the ‘Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement.’ Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand left her job due to frustration at the slow pace of nominations for Department of Justice positions and concern that she would be expected to supervise the Mueller investigation if President Trump fired Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

2/12/18  //  Daily Update

A federal judge ruled that detaining inmates beyond their release date at the request of the U.S. Immigrations and Custom Enforcement violates the Fourth Amendment. Senior officials in the Trump Administration are divided over whether two ISIS militants should go to Guantánamo Bay or be brought to the U.S. for a criminal trial. Rachel Brand, the third-highest official at the Department of Justice, is stepping down. US intelligence agencies attempted to purchase information from a Russian who promised he could provide information stolen from the National Security Agency and compromising information on President Trump.

1/30/18  //  Daily Update

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe resigned, allegedly under pressure from President Trump and Attorney General Sessions. Undocumented minor immigrants are not entitled to government-provided lawyers in deportation proceedings, according to a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on Monday. A secret memo on the Russia investigation prepared by House Republicans may serve as the basis to force out Deputy Attorney Rod Rosenstein. In 2017, Washington, D.C. lobbying activity reached its highest level since 2010.

1/26/18  //  Daily Update

President Trump attempted to fire Special Counsel Mueller in June 2017 over his obstruction of justice probe, but refrained after White House Counsel Don McGahn threatened to quit. Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN asked a federal district court to permanently enjoin President Trump’s transgender military ban. A federal district judge in Maryland heard arguments in a case brought by several state attorneys general contending that President Trump’s business interests violate the Emoluments Clause. President Trump offered a proposal that would offer legal status for the Dreamers in exchange for a border wall and increased regulation of immigration.

1/22/18  //  Daily Update

Hundreds of thousands of people participated worldwide in Women’s Marches on Saturday, protesting the first year of the Trump administration and supporting women’s rights. A government shutdown began on the morning of Saturday, January 20th after the Senate blocked a continuing resolution. Twitter notified Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) that he interacted with accounts linked to Russian influence campaigns during the 2016 election. House Republicans have drafted a memo detailing alleged abuse of government surveillance during the investigation into Russian interference, but the memo is unlikely to be credible.

12/15/17  //  Daily Update

On a 3-2 party line vote, the Federal Communications Commission repealed Obama-era “net neutrality” regulations. After the Senate confirmed two Trump appointees to the National Labor Relations Board, the Board overturned an Obama-era ruling on joint employer status on a 3-2 party line vote. California sued the Department of Education over its failure to process student debt relief claims for students defrauded by for-profit colleges. Faith-based leaders have written an open letter warning President Trump that his anti-Muslim tweets threaten the First Amendment.

12/14/17  //  Daily Update

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen harshly criticized so-called “sanctuary cities” late Tuesday. Due to gerrymandering, Doug Jones lost all but one of Alabama’s congressional districts while winning the statewide race. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US is ready to talk with North Korea without preconditions, in comments that appeared to signal a shift in State Department policy. A conference committee reached a tentative agreement to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the Republican tax plan, but it is unclear whether the plan will attract sufficient support at final votes next week. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein defended Special Counsel Robert Mueller from criticism in a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.

12/6/17  //  Daily Update

Yesterday, a seemingly divided Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission leaving commentators focused on predicting Justice Kennedy’s take. Shifting course in American policy, President Trump announces that the U.S. plans to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Special Counsel withdrew support for a negotiated bail agreement with former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort after discovering that Manafort was secretly ghost-writing an op-ed about his criminal case with an individual with ties to Russian intelligence. New DHS report shows that arrests at the border have dropped under President Trump, but immigration arrests inside the country have increased.

11/20/17  //  Daily Update

Justice Department officials are preparing to announce several cases against Iranian suspects. Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a new policy forbidding the Department of Justice from imposing new rules via guidance letters. Frustrated with the Trump administration, foreign leaders are attempting to build relationships with state-level Democrats on issues such as climate change.