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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Andrew Weissmann @weissmann.substack.com · 12h

Trump and The Nobel Peace Prize: relentlessly and needlessly calling up the military domestically is not absolved by assisting peace abroad.

substack.com

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Andrew Weissmann @weissmann.substack.com · 21h

substack.com/@weissmann/n...

Andrew Weissmann (@weissmann)

Listen to our dissection of the government stance on the Comey arraignment. And a discussion of Pam Bondi’s “performance” (I won’t say testimony) before Congress. Thanks Jen for the discussion.

substack.com

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Barbara Stackhouse @stackhouse01.bsky.social · 20h

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 21h

Notable points in Judge Perry's remarks in Illinois v Trump National Guard case.⤵️

Judge:
1. Federalized deployment of National Guard not quelling civil unrest. Instead, it is "likely to lead to civil unrest."

2. State and local community policing not well geared for out of state Guards.

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 20h

On Letitia James indictment, this may help explain:

"Senior DOJ leadership believes [DOJ] would be unable to prove any allegations beyond a reasonable doubt, in part because Fannie Mae guidelines on the issue are too vague" with "second home" versus "investment property."

Trump officials pressuring federal prosecutors to bring criminal charges against NY AG Letitia James: Sources

Top Trump administration officials are pressuring federal prosecutors in Virginia to bring charges against New York AG Letitia James for mortgage fraud, sources say.

abcnews.go.com

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 21h

I’ve never seen anything remotely this petty charged as bank fraud.

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 22h

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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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Barbara Stackhouse @stackhouse01.bsky.social · 20h

Great one on one discussion! Love these! Take a listen!

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Barbara Stackhouse @stackhouse01.bsky.social · 20h

Great one on one discussion! Love these! Take a listen!

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 22h

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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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 23h

2/ Here's the Oct 6 report (by @carolleonnig.bsky.social @kendilanian-nbc.bsky.social)

Top prosecutor (Elizabeth Yusi) is rejecting Trump pressure to charge New York AG

www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...

Top prosecutor is rejecting Trump pressure to charge New York AG

A key federal prosecutor in Virginia, where James Comey was indicted, is resisting bringing charges against Letitia James.

www.msnbc.com

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 23h

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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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 1d

No one is covering the GOP's scheme to rig congressional maps for 2026 as closely as Democracy Docket. It is providing gavel to gavel coverage of the ongoing hearing over whether the Texas gerrymander will be in place for the midterms.

Support its work by subscribing now. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Andrew Weissmann @weissmann.substack.com · 1d

The alignment of far right politicians with billionaire tech bros is at play.
The op ed is an illustration of why so many subscribers left the WashPo and so many journalists left the newspaper in disgust and dismay over what happened to a revered paper.

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

You’ve gotta be kidding me.

This WaPo editorial presents a misleading revisionist history of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s criminal cases against Trump.

Then it has the gall to compare that to Trump’s overt targeting of his perceived enemies.

Really embarrassing stuff.

But the mere fact that a legal tool might be available does not mean it should be used. The
current rage over Grassley's revelation shows why. Smith showed little restraint in his pursuit of a former president. He charged Trump for official acts he took as president. He sought a gag order to limit Trump's ability to criticize the prosecution. He tried to accelerate the case to try a leading presidential candidate before the 2024 election.

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Barbara Stackhouse @stackhouse01.bsky.social · 1d

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 1d

The Americans starving these children wear crucifixes and call themselves “Christians.”

People are not what they tell you they are; they are how they behave.
apnews.com/article/myan...

Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died" because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program.

apnews.com

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Barbara Stackhouse @stackhouse01.bsky.social · 1d

😂

Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 1d

Absolutely made up.

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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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 1d

"Are you sure it was the courts? Are you sure it wasn't nothing?"

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Barbara Stackhouse @stackhouse01.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks for the update Andrew!

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Andrew Weissmann @weissmann.substack.com · 2d

Breaking Comey News -- new reporting on the lack of evidence to support the charges:
substack.com/@weissmann/n...

Andrew Weissmann (@weissmann)

BREAKING Comey news: If this is true, it’s a complete miscarriage of justice. Attorney bar tickets to be pulled, sanctions, etc... "Federal prosecutors investigating former FBI Director James Comey ...

substack.com

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Barbara Stackhouse @stackhouse01.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks for all the updates Ryan!

Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 2d

4/ "According to prosecutors ... using Richman's testimony to prove that Comey knowingly provided false statements to Congress would result in 'likely insurmountable problems.'"

They detailed these concerns in a memo recommending not to charge the former FBI director.

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 2d

3/ Central witness Daniel Richman "told investigators that the former FBI director instructed him NOT to engage with the media on at least two occasions and unequivocally said Comey never authorized him to provide information to a reporter anonymously ahead of the 2016 election."

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 2d

2/ "Justice Department officials have privately expressed that the case could quickly unravel under the scrutiny of a federal judge and defense lawyers."

@kfaulders.bsky.social Alexander Mallin and Peter Charalambous reporting

abcnews.go.com/US/central-w...

Central witness undermines case against James Comey, prosecutors concluded: Sources

Ex-FBI Director James Comey is set to be arraigned Wednesday, but prosecutors investigating him determined that a central witness would prove "problematic," sources say.

abcnews.go.com

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Reposted by Barbara Stackhouse

Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 2d

Prosecution of Comey looks headed to a dead end.

"Federal prosecutors ... determined that a central witness in their probe would ... likely prevent them from establishing their case to a jury."

abcnews.go.com/US/central-w...

Central witness undermines case against James Comey, prosecutors concluded: Sources

Ex-FBI Director James Comey is set to be arraigned Wednesday, but prosecutors investigating him determined that a central witness would prove "problematic," sources say.

abcnews.go.com

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