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Brad Heath

@bradheath.bsky.social

54K followers 470 following 1.4K posts

DC reporter for Reuters on crime, justice and investigations. Data, documents and "convoluted KGB style back-door" stuff. Lawyer, but not yours. 202-527-9709, [email protected]

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · Nov 12

How to reach me:

Email: [email protected]
Phone, Signal: 202 527-9709
WhatsApp: 703 835-7998

1333 H St., NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005

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Reposted by Brad Heath

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 3h

"30-year-old conservative lawyer and activist who is Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, which deals with federal employee whistleblower complaints and discrimination" cancelled his colleague's hotel room so she would be forced to stay with him.
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

In late July, Paul Ingrassia, the White House liaison for the Department of Homeland Security, arrived at a Ritz-Carlton in Orlando with a lower-ranking female colleague and others from their department. When the group reached the front desk, the woman learned she didn’t have a hotel room.

Ingrassia then informed her that she would be staying with him, according to five administration officials familiar with the episode. Eventually the woman discovered that Ingrassia had arranged ahead of time to have her hotel room canceled so she would have to stay with him, three of those officials said.

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 4h

Important discovery fight taking shape in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's criminal case.

The question: Can the government assert privilege to avoid handing over documents that may be relevant to a defendant's vindictive prosecution claim?

Abrego's counsel says no.

www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

www.documentcloud.org

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 6h

NOTABLE: Lindsey Halligan requested that a summons be issued for Letitia James to appear in court.

She did not request an arrest warrant.

Criminal cover sheet showing that summons, not arrest warrant, was requested for Tish James

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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 4h

BREAKING: Federal judge issues TRO following a second day of hearings, blocking the Trump administration from “ordering the federalization and deployment of the National Guard of the United States within Illinois” from now through Oct. 23. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, a sovereign state; and the CITY OF CHICAGO, an Illinois municipal corporation,
Plaintiffs,
Case No. 25-cv-12174
Judge April M. Perry
V.
DONALD J. TRUMP, in his official capacity as President of the United States; DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; KRISTI NOEM, in her official capacity as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security;
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; PETER B.
HEGSETH, in his official capacity as Secretary of the Department of Defense; UNITED STATES ARMY; DANIEL P. DRISCOLL, in his official capacity as Secretary of the Army,
Defendants.
TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER
This Court GRANTS Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, Doc. 3, and
ORDERS as follows:
1. Defendants,' their officers, agents, assigns entered, and all persons acting in concert with them, are temporarily enjoined from ordering the federalization and deployment of the
National Guard of the United States within Illinois.
2. This Temporary Restraining Order is at 5:55 P.M. central time on this 9th day of October
2025 and expires on October 23, 2025 at 11:59 P.M.
'President Trump, one of the name Defendants, is not enjoined by this Order.

3. Within two (2) calendar days of entry of this Temporary Restraining Order, Plaintiffs
shall post a nominal bond of $100. The bond shall be filed in the Clerk's Office and be
deposited into the registry of the Court.
4. Defendants' Request to Stay or Administratively Stay the Temporary Restraining Order,
Doc. 62 at 58, is DENIED.
5. A telephone hearing will be held on October 22, 2025, at 9:00 A.M. to address whether
this Temporary Restraining Order should be extended for an additional fourteen (14)
calendar days.
Dated: October 9, 2025
Coul MPeray.
APRIL M. PERRY
United States District Judge
2

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Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 6h

Letitia James's initial appearance in Virginia federal court has been scheduled for October 24. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

SUMMONS IN A CRIMINAL CASE
YOU ARE SUMMONED to appear before the United States district court at the time, date, and place set forth
below to answer to one or more offenses or violations based on the following document filed with the court:
• Indictment
Place: Walter E. Hoffman U.S. Courthouse
600 Granby Street
Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Courtroom No.: Magistrate Courtroom #2
Date and Time: 10/24/20259:00 am

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Reposted by Brad Heath

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 6h

NEW: Here's the two-count indictment against NY AG Letitia James. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

INDICTMENT
October 2025 Term - at Alexandria, Virginia
THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
At all times relevant to this Indictment:
1. Letitia A. James ("JAMES) was a resident of Brooklyn, New York, and the borrower on a
Fannie Mae-backed mortgage loan for the property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue,
Norfolk, Virginia.
2. OVM Financial (also known as Old Virginia Mortgage / AnnieMac) was a mortgage lending business located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, engaged in the business of originating and underwriting residential mortgage loans, including those backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"). OVM Financial qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(10).
3. Fannie Mae was a federally chartered corporation that purchased and guaranteed mortgages,
operating as a government-sponsored enterprise under the oversight of the Federal Housing

Finance Agency ("FHFA").
4. First Savings Bank was a state-chartered, FDIC-insured financial institution (Certificate
#29961), headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which acquired mortgage loans through assignment or acquisition. First Savings Bank qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(1).
5. On or about August 17, 2020, JAMES, as sole borrower, purchased the three (3) bedroom,
(1) bathroom property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23509 (the
"Peronne Property"), for approximately $137,000, financed with a mortgage loan of approximately $109,600 (Loan #4430025978) backed by Fannie Mae.
6. The loan was originated by OVM Financial under a signed Second Home Rider, which required JAMES, as the sole borrower to occupy and use the property as her secondary residence, and prohibited its use as a timesharing or other shared ownership arrangement or agreement that requires her either to rent the property or give any other person any control over the occupancy or use of the property.
7. Despite these representations, the Peronne Property was not occupied or used by JAMES as a secondary residence and was instead used as a rental investment property, renting the property to a family of (3).
8. This misrepresentation allowed JAMES to obtain favorable loan terms not available for investment properties, including a note rate of 3.000% (avoiding a 0.815% higher
comparable investment property rate of 3.815%, resulting in approximately $17,837 in rate savings over the life of the loan), a seller credit of approximately $3,288 (exceeding the seller credit for investment properties by approximately $1,096), for total ill-gotten gains of approximately $18,933 over the life of the loan.
9. JAMES' Universal Property application for homeowners' insurance indicated "owner-

occupied non-seasonal use," further misrepresenting the intended use of the property.
10. JAMES filed Schedule E tax forms), under penalties of perjury, treating the Perrone Property as rental real estate, reporting fair rental days, zero personal use days, thousand(s)
of dollars in rents received, and claiming deductions for expenses relating to the property, further contradicting the second home classification.
11. The loan was acquired by or assigned to First Savings Bank by March 2021, exposing it to risks associated with the misrepresented loan.
12. The acts described herein occurred within the Eastern District of Virginia.
COUNT ONE
(Bank Fraud - 18 U.S.C. § 1344)
13. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.
14. From on or about August 7, 2020, through at least January 2024, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly execute and attempt to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud OVM Financial and First Savings Bank,
financial institutions, and to obtain moneys, funds, and credits owned by and under the custody and control of OVM Financial and First Savings Bank by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
15. The scheme involved falsely representing the Peronne Property as a secondary residence to obtain favorable mortgage terms, while using it as an investment property with no intended
or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344).
COUNT TWO
(False Statements to a Financial Institution - 18 U.S.C. § 1014)
16. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.

17. From on or about July 28, 2020, through at least August 31, 2020, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly make and cause to be made false statements and reports for the purpose of influencing the action of OVM Financial, a Fannie Mae-backed lender, upon an application for a loan, in that JAMES represented and affirmed in uniform residential loan applications and related documents that
the Peronne Property would be used as a secondary residence, when in truth and fact, as JAMES then knew, the property was intended and used as an investment property with no intended or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014).
FORFEITURE NOTICE
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2(a) and Title 18, U.S.C. §
982(a)(2)(A), upon conviction of the offenses in Counts One and Two, the Defendant, Letitia
A. James, shall forfeit to the United States any property constituting, or derived from, proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of such violations, including but not limited to a money judgment in the amount of $18,933.
If any of the property described above, as a result of any act or omission of the Defendant: (a) cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence; (b) has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party; (c) has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the court; (d) has been substantially diminished in value; or (e) has been commingled with other property which cannot be divided without difficulty, the United States shall be entitled to a forfeiture of substitute property pursuant to Title 21, U.S.C. § 853(b), as incorporated by Title
18 U.S.C. § 982(b)(1).
(In accordance with Title 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and 982(a)(1); Title 28, U.S.C. § 2461(c); and Title 21 U.S.C. § 853(p).)

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 7h

The case against New York Attorney General Letitia James has been filed in E.D. Va. As of now, no career prosecutors are listed on the docket.

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 7h

New York Attorney General Letitia James, a longtime foe of President Donald Trump, was indicted for bank fraud on Thursday as the administration seeks to use government power against those who have pursued investigations into him or publicly resisted his agenda.

www.reuters.com/world/new-yo...

www.reuters.com

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 7h

Reuters: NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES, LONGTIME TRUMP FOE, INDICTED ON CRIMINAL BANK FRAUD CHARGE -PERSON FAMILIAR

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 8h

Grand jury matters are secret by law. It is surpassingly unusual for the press to learn about a case being presented to a grand jury in real time.

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 8h

Oct 6: "Yusi, who oversees major criminal prosecutions in the Norfolk office...confided to coworkers that she sees no probable cause to believe James engaged in mortgage fraud"

Oct 9: Interim US Attorney Halligan asks grand jury to approve criminal charges against James for mortgage fraud

Virginia prosecutor asks grand jury to approve criminal charges against Letitia James

Attorney who presented case was installed after Trump became frustrated with pace of investigations against rivals

www.theguardian.com

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Erik Uebelacker @uebey.bsky.social · 8h

NEW: Drake loses his defamation case against Kendrick Lamar over the “Not Like Us” lyrics.

More coming @courthousenews.bsky.social

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 8h

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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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 1d

"The Pentagon has investigated nearly 300 Defense Department employees, including service members, civilian workers and contractors, for comments appearing online after last month’s shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post."

Hegseth’s sprawling hunt for Charlie Kirk critics spans nearly 300 investigations

The inquiry, resulting in a smattering of disciplinary action so far, follows an extraordinary directive aimed at silencing criticism of the slain activist and Trump supporter.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 16h

A woman who was shot multiple times by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents did not ram them with her car and had her weapon stored in her purse at the time of the incident, according to her lawyer, contradicting accounts by the Department of Homeland Security.

www.reuters.com/world/us/bod...

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 16h

President Donald Trump's threatened crackdown on the finances and activities of liberal non-profits and groups opposed to his agenda is a multi-agency effort with top White House aide Stephen Miller playing a central role, according to officials.

www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

www.reuters.com

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 1d

WSJ: President Trump believed his Truth Social post demanding prosecutions of James Comey and other political foes was a private message to his attorney general, and "and was surprised to learn it was public."

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 1d

Now, instead of hiring a lawyer to write a contract, you can hire a lawyer to review the contract the AI vibe-lawyer wrote.

Kathryn Tewson @kathryntewson.bsky.social · 1d

The bros are at it again! and make no mistake, they are LITERALLY calling it "Vibe Lawyering"

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Elizabeth Joh @elizabethjoh.bsky.social · 1d

🚨A quarter of all FBI agents have been assigned to immigration enforcement www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

A quarter of FBI agents are assigned to immigration enforcement, per FBI data

Nearly a quarter of FBI agents are currently assigned to immigration enforcement, with the number climbing above 40 percent in the bureau’s largest field offices.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 1d

"We took the freedom of speech away," says the president

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Trump: "We took the freedom of speech away because that's been through the courts and the courts said you have freedom of speech, but what has happened is when they burn a flag it agitates and irritates crowds."

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Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 1d

58% of Americans - including half of Republicans - think the president should send armed troops only to face external threats, a sign of unease as President Donald Trump increasingly deploys National Guard troops to police American cities, a @reuters.com poll found.

www.reuters.com/world/us/mos...

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Ryan J. Reilly “paints a vivid and urgent portrait of… disarray” @ryanjreilly.com · 1d

FBI fires special agents who worked on Jack Smith's probe into Trump

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

FBI fires special agents who worked on Jack Smith's probe into Trump

The three agents were fired after Kash Patel disclosed that Jack Smith's team obtained phone records of members of Congress, which the Smith report itself referenced.

www.nbcnews.com

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

The judge, for his part, warned the government that the case shouldn't get off track because of classified information issues.

Either the information will be declassified or we'll go through the "fastest CIPA process you've ever seen in your life," he said.

bsky.app/profile/anna...

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

The government's lack of a plan prompted Comey's counsel, Fitzgerald, to say that the prosecution "put the cart before the horse."

Usually, you figure out classified information issues in consultation w/ DOJ's national security division *before* bringing a case, he said.

bsky.app/profile/anna...

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

MORE: The government indicated that it is not yet sure how it intends to handle the potential use of classified information at trial — i.e., whether it will use the process set out in the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) or opt to declassify the information.

bsky.app/profile/anna...

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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 1d

JUST IN: A federal judge has granted the New York Times’ demand for a list of Elon Musk’s security clearances. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Meg Kinnard @megkinnardap.bsky.social · 1d

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Former FBI Director James Comey pleads not guilty to Trump Justice Department case accusing him of lying to Congress.

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Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 1d

#BREAKING Federal prosecutors in Chicago move to dismiss charges against the Chicago couple found with lawfully carried loaded firearms outside ICE's Broadview facility last month.

The case had been used nationally to argue ICE agents have been endangered by the protests there.

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