Quinta Jurecic
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qjurecic.bsky.social
Quinta Jurecic
@qjurecic.bsky.social
84K followers 1.9K following 6.7K posts
Writing about law and democracy at The Atlantic, previously Lawfare. Not a lawyer. It's KWIN-ta.

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Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · Nov 5
vibes
Spotify showing Dylan’s a hard rain’s a gonna fall
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
kyledcheney.bsky.social
JUST IN: A federal magistrate judge has turned down Tina Peters' habeas petition, saying it must work its way through state courts before federal courts get involved. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 8, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
cristianfarias.com
Not even for my birthday will the ACLU post the link to the relevant filings. So here they are:

Ruling: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Order: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 8, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
joshgerstein.bsky.social
JUST IN: Trump personally asserts executive privilege to protect 4K+ documents/messages from discovery in J6 civil suit. Court given very bare bones list. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... As first reported by POLITICO last week w/ @kyledcheney.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
December 8, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
annabower.bsky.social
NEWS: Judge Boasberg orders Erez Reuveni and Drew Ensign to testify in court next week as part of his ongoing contempt inquiry over Alien Enemies Act flights.
Case 1:25-cv-00766-JEB Document 200 Filed 12/08/25 Page 1 of 2 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA J.G.G., et al., Plaintiffs, V. DONALD J. TRUMP, et al., Defendants. Civil Action No. 25-766 (JEB) ORDER In response to the Court's Order of November 28, 2025, the Government has submitted cursory declarations from Secretary Kristi Noem and attorneys then at the Department of Justice who advised her. Noem avers that she made "the decision to continue the transfer of custody of the Alien Enemies Act detainees who had been removed from the United States before this Court issued its temporary restraining order in the evening of March 15, 2025." ECF No. 198-1 (Declaration of Secretary Noem). As this declaration does not provide enough information for the Court to determine whether her decision was a willful violation of the Court's Order, the Court cannot at this juncture find probable cause that her actions constituted criminal contempt. See United States v. Young, 107 F.3d 903, 907 (D.C. Cir. 1997) (contempt requires finding that (1) court order was "clear and reasonably specific; (2) "the defendant violated the order"; and (3) "the violation was willful") (internal quotation marks omitted). A referral for prosecution, consequently, would be premature. The Court thus believes that it is necessary to hear witness testimony to better understand the bases of the decision to transfer the deportees out of United States custody in the context of the hearing on March 15, 2025. The events surrounding this decision should shed light on this question. The Court accordingly ORDERS that: 1. Plaintiffs shall attempt to secure the presence of Erez Reuveni for testimony on December 15, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.; 2. The Government shall produce Drew Ensign for testimony on December 16, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.; and 3. Both sides shall appear in person at such hearings and will have the opportunity to question witnesses. /s/ James E. Boasberg JAMES E. BOASBERG Chief
December 8, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
bradheath.bsky.social
All of which means there is no U.S. attorney in New Jersey right now and the district court can select one under 28 U.S.C. § 546?
chrisgeidner.bsky.social Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 16h
So, Alina Habba is out of NJ USAO, but will now be "Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for United States Attorneys," and DOJ is claiming that three different people are running, respectively, the criminal, civil, and administrative divisions of the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's Office.
HABBA: For the past five years, I've fought for justice on behalf of the American people, and in my tenure under our great Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, we made New Jersey safer. Camden had its first murder-free summer in 50 years. We drove down crime, took violent offenders off the streets, caught terrorists, and put away child predators. While I was focused on delivering real results, judges in my state took advantage of a flawed blue slip tradition and became weapons for the politicized left. For months, these judges stopped conducting trials and entering sentences, leaving violent criminals on the streets. They joined New Jersey senators, who care more about fighting President Trump than the well being of residents which they serve. For four years, I fought against lawfare aimed at President Trump and against politics infecting our justice system. What these obstructionists misunderstood is that my loyalty is not to politics, a title, or a ZIP code. It is to this great country. As a result of the Third Circuit's ruling, and to protect the stability and integrity of the office which love, I have decided to step down in my role as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. But do not mistake compliance for surrender. This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me. My fight will now stretch across the country. As we wait for further review of the courts ruling, I will continue to serve the Department of Justice as the Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for U.S. Attorneys. Make no mistake, you can take the girl out of New Jersey, but you cannot take New Jersey out of the girl. -DECEMBER 8, 2025- Following the flawed Third Circuit decision disqualifying Alina Habba from performing her duties in the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of New Jersey, I am saddened to accept Alina's resignation. The court's ruling has made it untenable for her to effectively run her office, with politicized judges pausing trials designed to bring violent criminals to justice. These judges should not be able to countermand the President's choice of attorneys entrusted with carrying out the executive branch's core responsibility of prosecuting crime. This situation is particularly unfortunate given Alina's strong record of achievement in office. Under her leadership, Newark saw a 20% reduction in crime, and Camden experienced its first summer in 50 years without a homicide. The Department of Justice will seek further review of this decision, and we are confident it will be reversed. Alina intends to return to lead the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey if this occurs. In the meantime, Alina will be continuing with the Department of Justice as Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for U.S. Attorneys, helping drive the fight against violent crime nationwide. - ATTORNEY GENERAL PAMELA BONDI DECEMBER 8, 2025 The United States Department of Justice FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WWW.JUSTICE.GOV/NEWS December 8, 2025 Department of Justice Leadership Announces New Personnel Appointments and Authorizations in the District of New Jersey Today, following Attorney General Pamela Bondi's announcement that Alina Habba will serve as Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for United States Attorneys, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the following personnel appointments and authorizations within the District of New Jersey: • Philip Lamparello will serve as Senior Counsel and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Criminal Division and Special Prosecutions Division, including such work in the district's branch offices; • Jordan Fox will serve as Special Attorney and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Civil Division and Appellate Division, including such work in the district's branch offices, along with any other matters arising within the district not specifically delegated herein; and • Ari Fontecchio will serve as Executive Assistant United States Attorney and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Administrative Division, along with any other administrative matters arising within the district. "The Department of Justice is committed to bringing in the best and brightest to carry out our mission," said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. "I have full confidence in each of these exceptional attorneys and look forward to our continued collaboration as we make New Jersey and America safe again." #＃＃ Oftice af the Attorney General as bington， . d.20530 ORDER NO. 6510-2025 AUTHORIZING CERTAIN OFFICIALS TO CARRY OUT RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY By virtue of the authority vested in the Attorney General by law, including 28 U.S.C. § 509 and 510, I hereby take the following steps to ensure continuity of leadership in the District of New Jersey: 1. I approve the prior appointment of Philip Lamparello as Senior Counsel and authorize him to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Criminal Division and Special Prosecutions Division, including such work in the district's branch offices; 2. I appoint Jordan Fox as Special Attorney and authorize her to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Civil Division and Appellate Division, including such work in the district's branch offices, along with any other matters arising within the district not specifically delegated herein; 3. I appoint Ari Fontecchio as Executive Assistant United States Attorney and authorize him to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Administrative Division, along with any other administrative matters arising within the district. 12/8/25 Date Par Pamela Bondi Attorney General
December 8, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
chrisgeidner.bsky.social
So, Alina Habba is out of NJ USAO, but will now be "Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for United States Attorneys," and DOJ is claiming that three different people are running, respectively, the criminal, civil, and administrative divisions of the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's Office.
HABBA: For the past five years, I've fought for justice on behalf of the American people, and in my tenure under our great Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, we made New Jersey safer. Camden had its first murder-free summer in 50 years. We drove down crime, took violent offenders off the streets, caught terrorists, and put away child predators. While I was focused on delivering real results, judges in my state took advantage of a flawed blue slip tradition and became weapons for the politicized left. For months, these judges stopped conducting trials and entering sentences, leaving violent criminals on the streets. They joined New Jersey senators, who care more about fighting President Trump than the well being of residents which they serve. For four years, I fought against lawfare aimed at President Trump and against politics infecting our justice system. What these obstructionists misunderstood is that my loyalty is not to politics, a title, or a ZIP code. It is to this great country. As a result of the Third Circuit's ruling, and to protect the stability and integrity of the office which love, I have decided to step down in my role as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. But do not mistake compliance for surrender. This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me. My fight will now stretch across the country. As we wait for further review of the courts ruling, I will continue to serve the Department of Justice as the Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for U.S. Attorneys. Make no mistake, you can take the girl out of New Jersey, but you cannot take New Jersey out of the girl. -DECEMBER 8, 2025- Following the flawed Third Circuit decision disqualifying Alina Habba from performing her duties in the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of New Jersey, I am saddened to accept Alina's resignation. The court's ruling has made it untenable for her to effectively run her office, with politicized judges pausing trials designed to bring violent criminals to justice. These judges should not be able to countermand the President's choice of attorneys entrusted with carrying out the executive branch's core responsibility of prosecuting crime. This situation is particularly unfortunate given Alina's strong record of achievement in office. Under her leadership, Newark saw a 20% reduction in crime, and Camden experienced its first summer in 50 years without a homicide. The Department of Justice will seek further review of this decision, and we are confident it will be reversed. Alina intends to return to lead the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey if this occurs. In the meantime, Alina will be continuing with the Department of Justice as Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for U.S. Attorneys, helping drive the fight against violent crime nationwide. - ATTORNEY GENERAL PAMELA BONDI DECEMBER 8, 2025 The United States Department of Justice FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WWW.JUSTICE.GOV/NEWS December 8, 2025 Department of Justice Leadership Announces New Personnel Appointments and Authorizations in the District of New Jersey Today, following Attorney General Pamela Bondi's announcement that Alina Habba will serve as Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for United States Attorneys, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the following personnel appointments and authorizations within the District of New Jersey: • Philip Lamparello will serve as Senior Counsel and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Criminal Division and Special Prosecutions Division, including such work in the district's branch offices; • Jordan Fox will serve as Special Attorney and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Civil Division and Appellate Division, including such work in the district's branch offices, along with any other matters arising within the district not specifically delegated herein; and • Ari Fontecchio will serve as Executive Assistant United States Attorney and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Administrative Division, along with any other administrative matters arising within the district. "The Department of Justice is committed to bringing in the best and brightest to carry out our mission," said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. "I have full confidence in each of these exceptional attorneys and look forward to our continued collaboration as we make New Jersey and America safe again." #＃＃ Oftice af the Attorney General as bington， . d.20530 ORDER NO. 6510-2025 AUTHORIZING CERTAIN OFFICIALS TO CARRY OUT RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY By virtue of the authority vested in the Attorney General by law, including 28 U.S.C. § 509 and 510, I hereby take the following steps to ensure continuity of leadership in the District of New Jersey: 1. I approve the prior appointment of Philip Lamparello as Senior Counsel and authorize him to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Criminal Division and Special Prosecutions Division, including such work in the district's branch offices; 2. I appoint Jordan Fox as Special Attorney and authorize her to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Civil Division and Appellate Division, including such work in the district's branch offices, along with any other matters arising within the district not specifically delegated herein; 3. I appoint Ari Fontecchio as Executive Assistant United States Attorney and authorize him to supervise or conduct the work of the district's Administrative Division, along with any other administrative matters arising within the district. 12/8/25 Date Par Pamela Bondi Attorney General
December 8, 2025 at 7:23 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
I honestly can't tell if this means they're appealing the Third Circuit ruling or not
December 8, 2025 at 6:56 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
RVTURN to jimmy carter's proposal to make the attorney general an independent office with a five to seven year term
qjurecic.bsky.social Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 19h
bring back the tenure of office act imo
December 8, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
metafizikal.bsky.social
you gotta write a whole ass book report to file an appeal, whereas posting is fun and easy
qjurecic.bsky.social Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 20h
FWIW DOJ still has not appealed the ruling disqualifying Halligan, nor have they appealed the Third Circuit ruling disqualifying Alina Habba on similar grounds (and nor did they respond to my request for comment about whether they plan to appeal)
December 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
bring back the tenure of office act imo
December 8, 2025 at 4:21 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
Incredibly galling to hear Sauer talk about how the president is accountable to the public through elections, when the president he's referring to is one who attempted to illegally overturn an election he lost
December 8, 2025 at 3:53 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
FWIW DOJ still has not appealed the ruling disqualifying Halligan, nor have they appealed the Third Circuit ruling disqualifying Alina Habba on similar grounds (and nor did they respond to my request for comment about whether they plan to appeal)
December 8, 2025 at 3:41 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
Kagan sounds angry
qjurecic.bsky.social Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 20h
For the love of god will someone give John Sauer a cough drop
December 8, 2025 at 3:17 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
For the love of god will someone give John Sauer a cough drop
December 8, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
justinelliott.bsky.social
NEW:

Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

w/ @robert-faturechi.bsky.social @amierjeski.bsky.social
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
The Trump administration has argued that Fed board member Lisa Cook may have committed mortgage fraud by declaring more than one primary residence on her loans. We found Trump once did the very thing ...
www.propublica.org
December 8, 2025 at 12:32 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
This is where originalism is really spiritually aligned with straussianism—you, the clever contemporary scholar, are capable of uncovering the true hidden meaning that for centuries has eluded all those other chumps
anthonymkreis.bsky.social Anthony Michael Kreis @anthonymkreis.bsky.social · 1d
It’s also plainly absurd that someone just happened to discover the true meaning of the common law that just evaded everyone else for 800 years in a few weeks of work. I don’t even know what to do with that.
jamellebouie.net jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 1d
the idea that a handful of conservative legal scholars have an understanding that should supersede a settlement affirmed my generations of american is astoundingly arrogant, and the idea that trump — or any president — can unilaterally overturn that settlement is just despotism
December 7, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
costasamaras.com
It could take decades to recover from where we are.
meadekrosby.bsky.social Meade Krosby @meadekrosby.bsky.social · 2d
My teen, who had dreamt of being an astrophysicist, just told me he wants to go to law school because, “Science isn’t going to be a priority in the US in the future…I don’t want a job where I’ll be constantly worried my funding will be taken away.”

Gutting. How many future scientists have we lost?
December 7, 2025 at 5:49 AM
qjurecic.bsky.social
Notably, the judge rules that the government likely violated Richman's Fourth Amendment rights by digging around through his data as part of the effort to build a case against Comey
The Court concludes that Petitioner Richman is likely to succeed on the merits of his claim that the Government has violated his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures by retaining a complete copy of all files on his personal computer (an “image” of the computer) and searching that image without a warrant. See United States v. Comey, No. 1:25-CR- 272-MSN-WEF, 2025 WL 3202693, at *4–7 (E.D. Va. Nov. 17, 2025). The Court further concludes that Petitioner Richman is also likely to succeed in showing that, because of those violations, he is entitled to the return of the image under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(g). Petitioner Richman has also shown that, absent an injunction, he will be irreparably harmed by the ongoing violation of his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable seizures arising from the Government’s continuing retention of the image of his computer and related materials.
December 7, 2025 at 1:57 AM
qjurecic.bsky.social
Which is also what we desperately needed in 2021
owasow.bsky.social Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 2d
Early 2029 will be like a post-conflict society starting a campaign of de-Trumpification.
brendannyhan.bsky.social Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 2d
Could not be more contrary to American traditions. A gold-bedecked White House with a massive gilded ballroom and a government-created personality cult around the president complete with giant banners of his face on government buildings and official celebrations of his birthday.
December 7, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
katz.theracket.news
You could write this. Or you could write: “That notion, which has been the rule in nearly every country in the Western Hemisphere for over a century, is grounded in the language of the 14th Amendment.”

All how you choose to frame it.
That notion, which is rare among the most-developed countries in the world, is grounded in the language of the 14th Amendment. The amendment, ratified after the Civil War, states, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."
December 6, 2025 at 12:30 AM
qjurecic.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/u...
Pressed to explain the Justice Department’s rationale, Nicholas Patterson, the senior prosecutor in court, said that his office had been instructed to continue using Ms. Halligan’s signature in court filings as a U.S. attorney and special attorney. He added that his colleagues had been advised to add to the filings the names of the deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, and Robert McBride, the top deputy in the Virginia office. “The reasoning behind that has not been provided, your honor, to the assistant United States attorneys,” Mr. Patterson said.
December 5, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
kovarsky.bsky.social
FWIW one of the great under-specified areas of pardon law is (ironically) the degree of conduct specification needed to use a pardon. IMHO the application of this to the bomber would be a real test case, and a federal prosecutor could prosecute in good faith.
bgrueskin.bsky.social Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 3d
Last month:

“I, DONALD J. TRUMP, do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to all United States citizens … for any conduct relating to their efforts to expose voting fraud and vulnerabilities in the 2020 Presidential Election.”

www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
kylegriffin1.bsky.social Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 3d
BREAKING on MS NOW:
 
Brian Cole Jr., the suspect accused of being the Jan. 6 pipe bomber, confessed to agents that he planted the bombs and has indicated he supported President Trump, according to two people familiar with his interview.
December 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
Dan Bongino hardest hit
December 5, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Reposted by Quinta Jurecic
ryanjreilly.com
SCOOP: The Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect told the FBI he believed in 2020 election conspiracy theories.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he believed 2020 election conspiracy theories
The suspect has been cooperating with the FBI, according to sources, and is expected to make his first court appearance on Friday.
www.nbcnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:14 PM
qjurecic.bsky.social
Everyone knows the Supreme Court is working to massively expand unaccountable executive power. What this op-ed proposes is ... maybe it isn't?
December 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM