NEW: James Comey files additional argument to get criminal case dismissed as "vindictive prosecution":

"The indictment in this case is unique in American history: it is the product of a yearslong campaign by the President of the United States to punish a citizen for protected speech. Mr. Comey has exercised his right to engage in public discourse critical of the President" (MORE) James Comey's argument for dismissal of criminal case: "The President’s calls for prosecution do not rest on evidence, investigation, or recommendations. Rather, they express pure vengeful animus to punish a perceived political adversary. And the President managed to achieve his retaliatory goal only by installing a White House aide as U.S. Attorney"

ALERT: Closing arguments begin shortly in “sandwich guy” trial

And yes…. It *is* a crowded court

My latest ====> Closing arguments begin in case of Sean Dunn (so-called "sandwich guy")

Prosecutor argues "the facts here are very straightforward"

"They were all wearing police markings. They were not wearing masks"

Good morning from the 6th floor of the DC federal courthouse... where it appears Sean Dunn (so-called "sandwich guy") will NOT testify in his own defense .... HERE WE GO: Defense in "sandwich guy" case begins its presentation to court by....

asking the judge to dismiss the case "Judgment of acquittal" ... citing rule 29

law.cornell.edu/rules/frcrmp/r…

Court documents obtained by @cbsnews said pardoned Jan 6 rioter Christopher Moynihan was arrested Sunday after saying in text messages that he planned to "eliminate" Hakeem Jeffries when the top House Democrat spoke at an event in New York City on Monday.

https://twitter.com/macfarlanenews/status/1980576326760226818

According to a court filing by prosecutors in the New York state criminal case, pardoned Jan 6 defendant Christopher Moynihan wrote, "Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live."

ALERT: James Comey files 51-page motion seeking to dismiss his criminal case, arguing "government’s animus toward Mr. Comey led directly to this vindictive and selective prosecution"

Here it is: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco… From defense argument:

"Trump has installed his former personal lawyers and advisors as high-level officials in DOJ, including as Atty General, Deputy Atty General & FBI Director. He has then publicly and repeatedly urged those officials to investigate and prosecute his longtime perceived political enemies"

FLASH: Brian Driscoll, the former acting FBI director who was fired by the Trump Administration last month, has filed a federal civil lawsuit against Kash Patel, Pam Bondi and the President Driscoll and two other fired FBI leaders (Steven Jensen and Spencer Evans) allege their federal rights were violated when they were fired

Suit: "Patel not only acted unlawfully but deliberately chose to prioritize politicizing the FBI over protecting the American people"

NEW: Judge Jia Cobb rules in favor of Federal Reserve Board governor Lisa Cook, temporarily blocking Cook's firing by Trump

In a 49-page ruling, Cobb finds Cook's procedural rights were violated and that Cook made a "strong showing" in her argument

(MORE) Judge Cobb's ruling in favor of Lisa Cook:

"The President’s equivocal claim that Cook 'may have made false statements on one or more mortgage agreements' refers only to conduct that may have occurred before she was confirmed to her position"

The Judge italicized the word "MAY"

FLASH: Judge erupts at hearing as Justice Dept reveals dismissal of yet another recent DC criminal case

Judge Zia Farriqui: “We’re past the point of Constitutional crisis”

“embarrassment & shame for the govt”

“This is just a rush to get stats on Twitter or truth social” Judge slams Justice Dept for being “past the Rubicon”.. as they dismiss Fed charges against Edward Dana, who was charged with threat against President

Dana recently broke a light fixture, was drunk, claimed to police to be in Russian mafia, said he’d fight fascism even if it meant to kill a Pres., per charges

He was held in jail a week. Feds dismissed charge 30 mins before hearing today

NOW: News conference of Jeffrey Epstein survivors and US House members pushing for larger release of Epstein case files

Rep. Ro Khanna begins by arguing only 1% of records have been released so far.... Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) about Epstein probe

"The Washington establishment is asking the American public to believe something that isn't believable"

Massie accuses Justice Dept of "curating" Epstein records for release

STAND BY: Judge Jia Cobb takes the bench shortly here in DC.

Lisa Cook is challenging her firing from Federal Reserve Board by Trump

Cook is not in courtroom. It's her attorneys Norm Eisen and Abbe Lowell Lisa Cook's legal team will argue:

"This case challenges President Trump’s unprecedented and illegal attempt to remove Governor Cook from her position which, if allowed to occur, would the first of its kind in the Board’s history. It would subvert the Federal Reserve Act, which explicitly requires a showing of 'cause' for a Governor’s removal, which an unsubstantiated allegation about private mortgage applications submitted by Governor Cook prior to her Senate confirmation is not"

Amid Trump clampdown in Wash, D.C., a woman spent 6 days in jail awaiting her release for allegedly spitting on a National Zoo police sergeant.

Even though the feds did NOT seek to have her held in pretrial detention

Her defense lawyer filed a motion reading "HELP!!!"

(MORE) Kristal Rios Esquival was arrested Aug 20 after she was stopped allegedly making an unlawful entry to in a staff entrance to a birdhouse at the Nat'l Zoo. Feds say she spat on a sergeant & made "physical contact" w/ officer leg

Per judge in her case, an odyssey ensued in jail

STAND BY: Judge Ana Reyes begins hearing to DC govt request for court order to halt Trump Admin from installing Trump appointee Terry Cole as new emergency commissioner overseeing DC police Judge Reyes says she’s immediately unsure where Trump Admin finds a basis to install its own person to direct orders to the DC police

CBS News has learned police seized a ghost gun that a Maryland man attempted to bring through a security checkpoint at the Cannon US House Office Building last Tuesday, June 24, when the US House was in session and was staging a series of committee hearings (more) According to an affidavit shared with CBS News,  “There was no serial number present anywhere on the firearm” and it had a barrel length of less than 12 inches and was “fully functional.”

ALERT: A former Coast Guard Lieutenant and sharpshooter, who also served as a FEMA instructor, has been arrested and charged with making threats to kill President Trump. The charging documents in the case include voluminous allegations of social media between 2020 and last week The social media posts, which span from 2020 to 2025, include on-line statements of using a gun, a knife and poison against Trump, per federal prosecutors

And they include alleged death threats made as recently as last Wednesday on social media

In a flurry of legal filings this afternoon, the Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation conservative action group is asking a federal judge for a hearing TODAY or TONIGHT on the matter of the leaked audio of President Biden’s interview by then-Special Counsel Robert Hur Heritage is asking a DC federal judge "for a temporary restraining order directing defendant to produce all recordings of former President Joseph R. Biden’s Interview with Special Counsel Robert K. Hur.. within 4 hours of this Court’s order"

In a scathing 4-page court filing overnight, a group of FBI employees who investigated the Jan. 6 attack have asked a judge to order the Justice Department to destroy its controversial list of 5,000+ FBI employees who were part of the US Capitol Insurrection investigation (more) The filing notes this week’s public statements by Ed Martin, the newly-named member of Justice Dept’s “weaponization” group. The group of FBI workers is worried about the list being publicized or leaked by Justice Dept, subjecting the agents to retaliation & violence (more)

Stand by:

Inside federal court in Milwaukee, awaiting 10am arraignment of Judge Hannah Dugan, whose arrest was announced by FBI Director Kash Patel last month. She’s accused of obstruction and re-routing an undocumented immigrant in her court away from agents Judge Dugan is asking that her case be dismissed. She’s laced her argument with reference to Supreme Court’s 2024 “immunity” ruling which benefited Trump. She’s arguing her actions in her court were “official” acts

NEW: In a blistering new order, federal judge Paula Xinis of Maryland says the Trump Administration is making "a willful and bad faith refusal to comply with discovery obligations" in the court case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia Judge Paula Xinis also finds the Trump Admin has "sought refuge behind vague and unsubstantiated assertions of privilege, using them as a shield to obstruct discovery and evade compliance with this court's orders" in Kilmar Abrego Garcia case

ALERT: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) is addressing reporters now from El Salvador....

About the imprisonment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia Sen Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) says Pres. Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Vice President JD Vance "are lying" about the case of Abrego Garcia:

"This is a lie to cover up what they did"

FLASH: Judge James Boasberg issues opinion on March 15 deportations

"The government’s actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt" The opinion from chief DC federal judge James Boasberg over the defiance of his order to "turn the planes around" for further review on March 15

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…

Judge isn't budging

Justice Dept asked Maryland judge to delay today's 1pm hearing in the case of mistaken deportee Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Judge Paula Xinis says "no". Parties must show at 1pm Justice Dept submits court filing, arguing it can't meet judge's deadline for update on Kilmar Abrego Garcia by the judge's morning deadline

Filing: "Foreign affairs cannot operate on judicial timelines, in part because it involves sensitive country-specific considerations wholly inappropriate for judicial review"