Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 7h

LA people - any place you would recommend for dim sum / dumplings (around Brentwood, Westwood, or Santa Monica)?

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ttaboada.bsky.social @ttaboada.bsky.social · 7h

You’ll just be minding your own business when suddenly Martha-Ann

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 13h

This is important exculpatory evidence bc the indictment accuses James of seeking a “second home” mortgage when in reality she intended to use it as an “investment” home by renting it out.

(James disclosed between $1,000-5,000 in rent during 1st year, but the contract allowed short term rentals.)

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 13h

NYT reports that Letitia James’s great niece lives in the home that is the subject of the indictment.

The niece reportedly testified before a *different* grand jury, telling them that she had lived there for many years without paying rent. James visits regularly.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...

Letitia James
Indictment
Read the Indictment
Timeline of Conflict
Indic
But in June, IMs. Thompson testified to a grand
jury in Norfolk that she had lived in the house for years and that she did not pay rent, a person familiar with her testimony said. She was not asked to testify again, and the grand jury that voted to indict Ms. James was not seated in Norfolk, but in Alexandria.
The specter of Mr. Trump's revenge campaign has so far overshadowed the facts of the case, given how he has pushed for Ms. James's punishment. For years, he has railed against her on social media, calling her a "crook" and
"corrunt" Last month. he also appointed Ms.

for a peaceful life after years of turbulence in several cities.
The family, Nakia Thompson and her children, have lived at the address ever since, according to two people familiar with the home, and until this week, the plan for a more lacid existence had largely gone as expected. Several times a year, the people said, a great-aunt who had purchased the house in 2020 with Ms.
Thompson in mind would come for an extended stay.
This week, with the filing of court papers some 200 miles north, the plan came to an abrupt end.
The great-aunt - Letitia James, the New York attorney general - was indicted by President Trump's Justice Department. The yellow house,

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 18h

More judges speak to the press (the NYT) about what a disaster the Supreme Court (specifically the shadow docket) has been - “incredibly demoralizing & troubling”; a “judicial crisis”; a “slap in the face to district courts.” www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 18h

More judges speak to the press (the NYT) about what a disaster the Supreme Court (specifically the shadow docket) has been - “incredibly demoralizing & troubling”; a “judicial crisis”; a “slap in the face to district courts.” www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 1d

Stevie wants cuddles!

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New York Attorney General Letitia James @newyorkstateag.bsky.social · 2d

This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..

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Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 2d

I believe that should be REEKING

Politico @politico.com · 2d

REAKING: New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Trump foe, is indicted by Trump’s DOJ.

She has been charged with one count of bank fraud by the same U.S. attorney who brought charges against James Comey.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Trump foe, is indicted by Trump’s DOJ

She has been charged with one count of bank fraud by the same U.S. attorney who brought charges against James Comey.

www.politico.com

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Matthew Stiegler @matthewstiegler.bsky.social · 2d

One hundred percent.

*And* installing unqualified flunkies to do it.

Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 2d

Indicting political opponents & critics because they are political opponents & critics is terrifying.

It's completely inconsistent with the rule of law & democracy.

It should scare everyone - and (hopefully) will get people to realize that we all need to stand against this.

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 2d

The indictment may relate to mortgage documents James co-signed to help her niece secure a loan for a property in Virginia.

This @mollyroberts.bsky.social piece explains why it appears to be a pathetically weak case.

(Fixed the link, sorry!) ⬇️

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/next...

Courts & Litigation Criminal Justice & the Rule of Law
Next Up: Letitia James
Molly Roberts
Monday, October 6, 2025, 9:59 AM
Share On: f X in $ 6 B
It's hard to imagine a worse case than the one against James Comey-until you see the one against the attorney general of New York.

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 2d

We talked about exactly this on the Strict Scrutiny @strictscrutiny.bsky.social episode from last week: crooked.com/podcast/the-...

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Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · 2d

So, Tom Homan can straight accept a bag of $50K in cash from the FBI in a sting operation, have the investigation dismissed by this corrupt Justice Department, but all of Trump's critics somehow face indictments?

Cool, cool. Cool.

A desperate, weak Administration overplaying its hand.

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 2d

Indicting political opponents & critics because they are political opponents & critics is terrifying.

It's completely inconsistent with the rule of law & democracy.

It should scare everyone - and (hopefully) will get people to realize that we all need to stand against this.

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 2d

bsky.app/profile/anna...

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 2d

Good time to read @mollyroberts.bsky.social:

“It’s hard to imagine a worse case than the one against James Comey—until you see the one against the attorney general of New York.”

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/next...

Next Up: Letitia James
Molly Roberts
Monday, October 6, 2025, 9:59 AM
Share On: f X in $
It's hard to imagine a worse case than the one against James Comey-until you see the one against the attorney general of New York.

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 2d

We certainly don't know if Trump would be trying to investigate & prosecute his political critics & opponents if the Court hadn't granted him immunity from criminal prosecutions.

But granting him immunity from liability for sham investigations etc. probably didn't help!!!

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 2d

From the Supreme Court opinion granting Trump immunity:

"Investigative & prosecutorial decisionmaking is the special province of the Executive ... allegations that the requested investigations were shams or proposed for an improper purpose do not divest the President of [his] exclusive authority"

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Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 2d

There are certain hypotheticals you simply never get to test out. This seems to be an exception. How will a judge and later a jury treat an indictment if you had to fire multiple prosecutors before you could find someone to bring an indictment. I guess we'll find out! www.cnn.com/2025/10/09/p...

Letitia James, the New York attorney general who defeated Trump in court, indicted by Justice Department | CNN Politics

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted in federal court on Thursday as President Donald Trump’s Justice Department continues to pursue charges against his political opponents, two source...

www.cnn.com

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 2d

Per Fox News, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia is currently weighing whether to charge NY AG Letitia James with mortgage fraud.

Fox News & @FoxNews
X.com
BREAKING: A federal grand jury is meeting in the Eastern District of Virginia court, weighing charging NY AG Letitia James with mortgage fraud, two sources confirm to Fox News.

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 2d

Brett Kavanaugh: “The Govt sometimes makes brief investigative stops …”

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Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 2d

Very excited to be interviewing my friend and former colleague @leahlitman.bsky.social at the @hammer.ucla.edu on Tuesday, October 14 (cosponsored by @law.ucla.edu) about her new book, Lawless. Free admission and video of the event will post afterwards. Join us!
hammer.ucla.edu/programs-eve...

Leah Litman on the Supreme Court | Hammer Museum

University of Michigan Law School professor Leah Litman will discuss her provocative new book, which argues that the Supreme Court has abandoned legal reasoning in favor of political grievances dresse...

hammer.ucla.edu

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Gregory Pratt @royalpratt.bsky.social · 2d

Chicago federal court chief judge says she has not requested National Guard for courthouse

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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 2d

This remains the most important piece i’ve written about the goals and ideological principles of the second Trump administration www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

bsky.app/profile/jame...

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Rebecca Ingber @becingber.bsky.social · 3d

To be clear, the President has been summarily executing suspected members of “cartels” on his say-so, on the basis of a secret legal memo from Bondi’s DOJ.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d

Bondi: "Bondi: "Just like we did with cartels, we are going to take the same approach, President Trump, with antifa -- destroy the entire organization from top to bottom. We are going to take them apart."

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 4d

The link to the transcript in Chiles v. Salazar (the conversion therapy case) appears to be broken on the SCOTUS website --

anyone have a copy??

www.supremecourt.gov/oral_argumen...

Arguments Transcripts

www.supremecourt.gov

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Dan Deacon @dtdeacon.bsky.social · 5d

Over at the Notice and Comment blog, today's Ad Law Reading Room entry is "Remedies in the Officer Removal Cases," by Sam Bray. Check it out! www.yalejreg.com/nc/ad-law-re...

Ad Law Reading Room: "Remedies in the Officer Removal Cases," by Samuel Bray - Yale Journal on Regulation

Today’s Ad Law Reading Room entry is “Remedies in the Officer Removal Cases,” by Samuel L. Bray. Here is the abstract: When a federal officer challenges her removal by the president, what forms of int...

www.yalejreg.com

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