Anna Bower
LightNews LightNews
banner
annabower.bsky.social
Anna Bower
@annabower.bsky.social
260K followers 3.1K following 5.2K posts
Just asking questions.

Senior Editor, Lawfaremedia.org.

Send story ideas and tips to [email protected]
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
annabower.bsky.social
Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · Oct 20
EXCLUSIVE: One Saturday afternoon in October, my phone lit up with a notification.

I glanced down at the message.

“Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began.

So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies.

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
"Anna, Lindsey Halligan Here." Anna Bower Monday, October 20, 2025, 5:40 PM Share On: f X inK My Signal exchange with the interim U.S. attorney about the Letitia James grand jury.
Reposted by Anna Bower
dlknowles.bsky.social
My story, written this morning from Minneapolis, is part of The Economist's cover package this week

Inside the movement challenging—and disrupting—ICE

www.economist.com/united-state...
Inside the movement challenging—and disrupting—ICE
A non-violent network of activists is forming across America
www.economist.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:07 AM
annabower.bsky.social
Tomorrow night! Come join us in D.C.
talkingpointsmemo.com TPM @talkingpointsmemo.com · 1d
Laws are being bent, twisted + broken so frequently + egregiously that it’s hard to keep up.

So on 1/29, join TPM editor-at-large David Kurtz for a Morning Memo Live event delving into Trump’s assault on the rule of law. Get tix (+ a special promo code) here

talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump...
Trump Has Taken a Sledgehammer to the Rule of Law. Now What?
In just the first month of this year, President Trump’s forces have...
talkingpointsmemo.com
January 28, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
talkingpointsmemo.com
Laws are being bent, twisted + broken so frequently + egregiously that it’s hard to keep up.

So on 1/29, join TPM editor-at-large David Kurtz for a Morning Memo Live event delving into Trump’s assault on the rule of law. Get tix (+ a special promo code) here

talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump...
Trump Has Taken a Sledgehammer to the Rule of Law. Now What?
In just the first month of this year, President Trump’s forces have...
talkingpointsmemo.com
January 27, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
qjurecic.bsky.social
as long as DC is locked under 5 inches of ice and it remains impossible to get anywhere, I feel strongly that snow day rules should apply and I should not have to do anything except drink hot chocolate
January 28, 2026 at 11:47 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
ericcolumbus.bsky.social
Don't miss the prequel
January 28, 2026 at 5:31 AM
annabower.bsky.social
Ed Whelan and Harmeet Dhillon had the Law Twitter equivalent of a bar fight last night. Shockingly, no one whipped out an LSAT score.
Ed Whelan and Harmeet Dhillon had the Law Twitter equivalent of a bar fight last night. Shockingly, no one whipped out an LSAT score.
January 28, 2026 at 3:57 PM
annabower.bsky.social
WHO IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF—
John Mitnick @JohnMitnick X.com "Noem has been feeling left in the lurch by the administration and has sought to emphasize that she has been directed by Miller and the president." Apparently, Noem does not realize that White House staffers have no authority to direct her to do anything. Yet Miller does it.
January 28, 2026 at 6:04 AM
annabower.bsky.social
In which Ed Whelan inquires of Harmeet Dhillon: “Are you drunk?”
Ed Whelan @EdWhelanEPPC •1h Do you know what a non sequitur is? I can't conceive how your question has any bearing on the official ethics advice that I quoted. To answer your question: I have spent the last two decades promoting originalism and textualism, working to transform the courts, and promoting conservative legal causes. • 20 {71 90 ıll 5.4K 凸 Harmeet K. Dhillon • @HarmeetK... 1h O ... I majored in Ancient Greek and Latin at Dartmouth. Your pretentiousness merely underscores your utter lack of street cred. • 20 セ9 O 184 th| 5.3K 贝 企 t7 Stephen Richer reposted Ed Whelan • @EdWhelanEPPC X.com Are you drunk? 11:18 PM • 1/27/26 • 3K Views 8 17 4 Relevant v 0 99 口 2 View quotes > Ed Whelan • @EdWhelanEPPC • 51m But, hey, glad you liked my tweet. Maybe you need some rest.
January 28, 2026 at 5:27 AM
Reposted by Anna Bower
kristenradtke.bsky.social
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com
I grew up with Alex Pretti
The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by ICE agents was my childhood best friend.
www.theverge.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:45 PM
annabower.bsky.social
Scoop from the great @rparloff.bsky.social
rparloff.bsky.social Roger Parloff @rparloff.bsky.social · 1d
BREAKING: The petitioner ("T.R." or Juan Tobay Robles) whose non-release prompted Chief Judge Schilitz to threaten ICE director Todd Lyons with contempt has now been RELEASED, according to what the civil chief of the US Atty's office has told his atty and his atty has relayed to me.
January 27, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
rparloff.bsky.social
BREAKING: The petitioner ("T.R." or Juan Tobay Robles) whose non-release prompted Chief Judge Schilitz to threaten ICE director Todd Lyons with contempt has now been RELEASED, according to what the civil chief of the US Atty's office has told his atty and his atty has relayed to me.
January 27, 2026 at 7:40 PM
annabower.bsky.social
It was all fun and games until the snow started melting…and so did my apartment.
January 27, 2026 at 5:08 AM
Reposted by Anna Bower
jonfeinberg.bsky.social
I could not in my wildest imagination come up with a scenario where a district court judge would be compelled to do this. But here we are. Extraordinary circumstances, call for extraordinary actions.
annabower.bsky.social Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 4d
A magistrate judge found no probable cause to support arrest warrants for 5 people involved in the St. Paul church protest.

DOJ appealed to the 8th Cir.

That appeal led to this remarkable letter from the Chief Judge of the Minnesota district court…

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Re: In Re: United States of America No. 26-1135 Dear Chief Judge Colloton, I apologize for addressing this letter to you, but, for reasons I will describe, I do not have any other option. I am working from home today, as the program that my mentally disabled adult son attends each day is closed because of the extreme cold At 11:34 am, I received an email regarding Case No. 26-1135, entitled "In re: United States of America." The order in its entirety read: The motion of the United States to seal is granted. The Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota is invited to file a response, at his discretion, to the petition for writ of mandamus. Any response is due by 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 23. This is the first that I have heard of any petition for a writ of mandamus. The United States did not have the courtesy to tell me that they would be filing such a petition, nor did the United States serve the petition on me. I am unable to access any documents in Case No. 26-1135 because, at the request of the United States, the case is sealed-apparently even from me. So I have been given about two-and-one-half hours to respond to a mandamus petition that I have not read and cannot read. Apparently I am supposed to guess what the petition is about and guess what the mandamus petition says and then respond. I will do so. The Honorable Steven M. Colloton January 23, 2026 Page 2 On the evening of Tuesday, January 20, the United States presented an application for eight arrest warrants to Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko in connection with the disruption of a religious service at Cities Church on Sunday, January 18. Judge Micko was the magistrate judge who was on duty at the time. Judge Micko found there was probable cause to issue warrants with respect to three of the suspects but not with respect to the other five. Minutes after Judge Micko signed three arrest warrants, the U.S. Attorney notified me that his office wanted a district judge to review Judge Micko's decision -either by hearing an appeal of that decision or by considering the application de novo. The first thing I did is ask our Clerk's Office to randomly assign a district judge to consider the government's request. I was the judge who was randomly assigned. It is important to emphasize that what the U.S. Attorney requested is unheard of in our district or, as best as I can tell, any other district in the Eighth Circuit. I have surveyed all of our judges — some of whom have been judges in our District for over 40 years —and no one can remember the government asking a district judge to review a magistrate judge's denial of an arrest warrant. I have also surveyed the chief judges of all of the districts in the Eighth Circuit. I have heard back from almost all of them, and all of those responding have said that, to their knowledge, no district judge has ever reviewed the decision of a magistrate judge to deny an arrest warrant. The reason why this never happens is likely that, if the government does not like the magistrate judge's decision, it can either improve the affidavit and present it again to the same magistrate judge or it can present its case to a grand jury and seek an indictment. On Wednesday, January 21, I informed the U.S. Attorney that because he was asking me to do something that was unprecedented, and because m…
January 26, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
rparloff.bsky.social
BC: ... armed agents and sent them to a state to stir the pot with pervasvie, widespread illegal conduct
J: i appreciate that answer, kind of goes without saying we're in shockingly unusual times. i dont know that that gives me greater license to craft remedy in the 10th am.

/23
January 26, 2026 at 3:27 PM
annabower.bsky.social
Rule 41(g) is really having a moment huh

(This motion is made in relation to the Cities Church protest case. But the rule was also the subject of motions in relation to the Comey case and the search of a Washington Post reporter’s home.)

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
CASE 0:26-mj-00040-LMP-DLM Doc. 32 Filed 01/26/26 Page 1 of 5 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA Criminal Case No. 26-mj-40(1) (LMP/DLM) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, VS. NEKIMA LEVY-ARMSTRONG, DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR RETURN OF MOBILE PHONE AND QUASH WARRANT Defendant. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Defendant Nekima Levy-Armstrong, through undersigned counsel, hereby moves the Court for an Order requiring the government to return her mobile phone that the government seized from a co-defendant on January 22, 2026, to quash any warrant that was issued, and to prohibit the search, examination or extraction of said mobile phone. In the alternative, Ms. Levy-Armstrong requests that precautions and restrictions be imposed to prevent disclosure to the government of privileged attorney communications and private matters unrelated to any legitimate criminal investigation. This motion is made pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 41(g), the Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, and Fifth Amendment protections of due process. On January 22, 2026, government agents arrested Ms. Levy-Armstrong and co-defendant Chauntyl Allen in downtown Minneapolis. Agents seized from Ms. Allen an iphone that belonged to Ms. Levy-Armstrong. Prior to realizing that they had seized Ms. Levy-Armstrong's phone, agents stopped the vehicle of an attorney on the scene of the
January 26, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
rparloff.bsky.social
Case is before USDJ Katherine Menendez (Obama appointee). It’ll be an uphill battle. Govt calls case an “absurdity” that would give states veto power over federal enforcement of federal law. Their brief below:
/2
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Memorandum in Opposition to Motion – #33 in State of Minnesota v. Noem (D. Minnesota, 0:26-cv-00190) – CourtListener.com
MEMORANDUM in Opposition re 5 MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order / Preliminary Injunction filed by Gregory Bovino, Marcos Charles, John Condon, David Easterwood, Todd Lyons, Kristi Noem, Rodney Sc...
storage.courtlistener.com
January 26, 2026 at 2:37 PM
annabower.bsky.social
HAPPENING NOW ⬇️⬇️⬇️

I'm listening along but follow my colleague @rparloff.bsky.social for live updates.👇
January 26, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
rparloff.bsky.social
I’ll try to live-blog for @lawfaremedia.org the TRO/preliminary injunction hearing in MN v. Noem this morning at 10am ET/ 9am CT. MN seeks to pause, reduce, or restrict DHS’s Operation Metro Surge, citing the 10th Amendment. Relief sought is below:
/1
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Proposed Order to Judge – #17 in State of Minnesota v. Noem (D. Minnesota, 0:26-cv-00190) – CourtListener.com
PROPOSED ORDER TO JUDGE re 5 MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order filed by City of Minneapolis, City of St. Paul, State of Minnesota.(Carter, Brian) (Entered: 01/12/2026)
storage.courtlistener.com
January 26, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
jennrhubbard.bsky.social
"I don't always partake of sauces, but when I do, it's bolognese by the fireside on a snowy night"
annabower.bsky.social Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 3d
Feels like the world could use more dog pics today.

Here’s my snow-avoidant beagle, Lucy, patiently awaiting leftover bolognese.
Beagle with long droopy ears and jowls on a pillow in front of fireplace
January 26, 2026 at 1:40 AM
annabower.bsky.social
Feels like the world could use more dog pics today.

Here’s my snow-avoidant beagle, Lucy, patiently awaiting leftover bolognese.
Beagle with long droopy ears and jowls on a pillow in front of fireplace
January 25, 2026 at 10:09 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
nbcnews.com
DHS has shot 12 people during immigration enforcement operations since September:
January 25, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
koltai.bsky.social
Our analysis at @bellingcat.com on the killing of Alex Pretti breaks down the video evidence.

He never reached for his gun.
Agents sprayed/tackled him while his hands were up.
He was disarmed before he was shot.
The first shot came from an agent firing at him.

www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/01...
Alex Pretti: Analysing Footage of Minneapolis CBP Shooting - bellingcat
Bellingcat has analysed video of the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The footage appears to contradict statements made by the Department of Homeland Security.
www.bellingcat.com
January 25, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
amandamull.bsky.social
Really hard to look at this and all the other examples of bravery and kindness from ordinary people in this moment not think also of the tremendous cowardice exhibited over the past year by some of the richest, most well-protected people in business, media and politics
nkalamb.bsky.social Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 4d
Let us all have the courage displayed by the residents of Minneapolis.
Woman on the right was using her walker to advance into the tear gas
January 25, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
cristianfarias.com
Attached to this letter there’s also a supplemental letter with this astounding paragraph:
Screenshot of a letter by the chief judge of the Minnesota federal courthouse, which reads in part: Dear Ms. Bindler: I ask that you file a copy of this email - with my email address redacted - as my further response to the petition for mandamus. I apologize for responding in the form of an email. As I explained in my prior rOponse, I am working at home today because of the need to care for one of my children. I am also dealing with a number of emergencies, including a lockdown at the Minneapolis courthouse because of protest activity, the defiance of several court orders by ICE, and the illegal detention of many detainees by ICE (including, yesterday, a two-year old).
January 24, 2026 at 10:48 PM
Reposted by Anna Bower
bellingcat.com
Multiple federal agents can later be seen struggling with the man who is shot. One federal agent is seen approaching with empty hands, before reaching around the man’s waist.
January 24, 2026 at 7:01 PM