Zach Montague
@zjmontague.bsky.social
Reporter @ NYT covering federal courts and the legal fights of 2025.
Three-season outdoor enthusiast.
Three-season outdoor enthusiast.
Reposted by Zach Montague
In JGG (the original Alien Tort Claims Act case), Judge Boasberg orders submissions on "how the Court's inquiry regarding a potential contempt referral should proceed, including names of possible witnesses and dates for hearings," by tomorrow close of business.
November 24, 2025 at 3:45 PM
In JGG (the original Alien Tort Claims Act case), Judge Boasberg orders submissions on "how the Court's inquiry regarding a potential contempt referral should proceed, including names of possible witnesses and dates for hearings," by tomorrow close of business.
Reposted by Zach Montague
Months after the Trump administration booted the Associated Press from White House events because it refused to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, the AP asked judges to permanently find that its First Amendment rights were violated.
In Gulf of America case, AP renews legal fight to end White House ban
The Associated Press, which sued the government after being barred from covering White House events, presented its case to a circuit court panel.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Months after the Trump administration booted the Associated Press from White House events because it refused to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, the AP asked judges to permanently find that its First Amendment rights were violated.
Reposted by Zach Montague
After more than two months with no updates, ICE has finally released new detention statistics.
ICE reports a total of 65,135 detainees as of Nov. 16, 2025.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
ICE reports a total of 65,135 detainees as of Nov. 16, 2025.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
Detention Management
www.ice.gov
November 21, 2025 at 12:08 PM
After more than two months with no updates, ICE has finally released new detention statistics.
ICE reports a total of 65,135 detainees as of Nov. 16, 2025.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
ICE reports a total of 65,135 detainees as of Nov. 16, 2025.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
Reposted by Zach Montague
1/Judge Cameron Currie dismisses the Comey prosecution because Lindsey Halligan was improperly appointed US Atty.
November 24, 2025 at 5:38 PM
1/Judge Cameron Currie dismisses the Comey prosecution because Lindsey Halligan was improperly appointed US Atty.
Reposted by Zach Montague
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
America’s Housing Crisis, in One Chart
Via @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
America’s Housing Crisis, in One Chart
Via @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
November 23, 2025 at 11:35 PM
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
America’s Housing Crisis, in One Chart
Via @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
America’s Housing Crisis, in One Chart
Via @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Reposted by Zach Montague
Former Finnish PM Sanna Marin put it bluntly: “To end the conflict, Russia must leave Ukrainian territory.”
Just one point. Nothing more to discuss.
Just one point. Nothing more to discuss.
November 21, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Former Finnish PM Sanna Marin put it bluntly: “To end the conflict, Russia must leave Ukrainian territory.”
Just one point. Nothing more to discuss.
Just one point. Nothing more to discuss.
Our full story from earlier
Breaking News: A federal judge found that the presence of more than 2,000 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., was unlawful.
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump From Deploying National Guard in D.C.
Judge Jia M. Cobb found that the presence of more than 2,000 National Guard troops, many from outside D.C., was most likely unlawful. She paused the order from taking effect until Dec. 11.
nyti.ms
November 21, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Our full story from earlier
NEW: In resolving the standoff between the U.S. Attorney's Office and Zia Faruqui, Judge James Boasberg arrivals at a startling conclusion:
D.C. Code overrides rules of criminal procedure, and magistrates must still accept indictments secured in D.C. Superior Court. And essentially without limit.
D.C. Code overrides rules of criminal procedure, and magistrates must still accept indictments secured in D.C. Superior Court. And essentially without limit.
Judge Concludes Prosecutors Can Circumvent Federal Grand Juries in D.C.
www.nytimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:12 AM
NEW: In resolving the standoff between the U.S. Attorney's Office and Zia Faruqui, Judge James Boasberg arrivals at a startling conclusion:
D.C. Code overrides rules of criminal procedure, and magistrates must still accept indictments secured in D.C. Superior Court. And essentially without limit.
D.C. Code overrides rules of criminal procedure, and magistrates must still accept indictments secured in D.C. Superior Court. And essentially without limit.
BREAKING: Judge Jia Cobb is blocking the National Guard deployment in DC, giving the government three weeks to prepare to wind down operations.
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov
November 20, 2025 at 8:01 PM
BREAKING: Judge Jia Cobb is blocking the National Guard deployment in DC, giving the government three weeks to prepare to wind down operations.
NEW: A class action filed in Massachusetts aims to block Homeland Security’s use of civil penalties to ramp up financial pressure on people seeking a path to legal status. In more than 20,000 instances, the Department has sent fines as high as $1.8 million.
Lawsuit Challenges Trump Administration Over $1.8 Million in Immigration Fines
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:06 PM
NEW: A class action filed in Massachusetts aims to block Homeland Security’s use of civil penalties to ramp up financial pressure on people seeking a path to legal status. In more than 20,000 instances, the Department has sent fines as high as $1.8 million.
Ellison often speaks to connections at the White House but, in at least one of the calls, engaged in a dialogue about possibly axing some of the CNN hosts whom Donald Trump is said to loathe, including Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar.
Larry Ellison discussed axing CNN hosts with White House in takeover bid talks
Exclusive: Senior officials indicated favorability toward Paramount Skydance acquiring Warner Bros Discovery
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Ellison often speaks to connections at the White House but, in at least one of the calls, engaged in a dialogue about possibly axing some of the CNN hosts whom Donald Trump is said to loathe, including Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar.
Reposted by Zach Montague
Judge Jeffrey Brown is a Trump appointee.
Whoa: A federal court just barred Texas from using its new congressional map, drawn by the GOP to target Dems.
"Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map."
Court says the old map must be used in 2026. Appeals are certain. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map."
Court says the old map must be used in 2026. Appeals are certain. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 18, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Judge Jeffrey Brown is a Trump appointee.
Nothing new from yet another probe into the 2016 Russian interference investigations
www.reuters.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Nothing new from yet another probe into the 2016 Russian interference investigations
Planned operations in Venezuela justified by the activities of a mythical drug cartel that the administration insists covertly runs the country. Echoes of the Iraq war.
Trump Team Calls Maduro a ‘Cartel’ Boss. That Word Doesn’t Mean What You Think.
Venezuelans coined a figure of speech for the phenomenon of generals corrupted by drug money: “Cartel de los Soles.” Then the US started talking about it as a literal organization.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/u...
Venezuelans coined a figure of speech for the phenomenon of generals corrupted by drug money: “Cartel de los Soles.” Then the US started talking about it as a literal organization.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/u...
Trump Team Calls Maduro a ‘Cartel’ Boss. That Word Doesn’t Mean What You Think.
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Planned operations in Venezuela justified by the activities of a mythical drug cartel that the administration insists covertly runs the country. Echoes of the Iraq war.
Reposted by Zach Montague
POST-SHUTDOWN LITIGATION SURGE: Trump admin sues California over newly-passed state laws that purport to require federal law enforcement to unmask and wear ID. Federal agencies won't comply, want laws declared unconstitutional, suit says
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Trump administration sues California over anti-ICE laws
California passed two state laws that block federal law enforcement from wearing masks and order agents not in uniform to wear visible IDs.
www.politico.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:18 AM
POST-SHUTDOWN LITIGATION SURGE: Trump admin sues California over newly-passed state laws that purport to require federal law enforcement to unmask and wear ID. Federal agencies won't comply, want laws declared unconstitutional, suit says
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
And under DOGE, also got to experience the novelty of on-demand cuts ordered up directly through social media lobbying. Back channels are effectively obsolete when everything is performative.
November 14, 2025 at 9:20 PM
And under DOGE, also got to experience the novelty of on-demand cuts ordered up directly through social media lobbying. Back channels are effectively obsolete when everything is performative.
Reposted by Zach Montague
NEW: The most important Sunday read.
Drug courts are saving lives. Red states love them. People depend on them. But Trump could very well blow it all up
via @citizencohn.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/drug-treat...
Drug courts are saving lives. Red states love them. People depend on them. But Trump could very well blow it all up
via @citizencohn.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/drug-treat...
Drug Courts Save Lives. That May Not Save Them From Trump.
An Alabama man’s recovery story shows what the program can do—and what could be lost.
www.thebulwark.com
November 2, 2025 at 4:06 PM
NEW: The most important Sunday read.
Drug courts are saving lives. Red states love them. People depend on them. But Trump could very well blow it all up
via @citizencohn.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/drug-treat...
Drug courts are saving lives. Red states love them. People depend on them. But Trump could very well blow it all up
via @citizencohn.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/drug-treat...
Reposted by Zach Montague
"The Federal Circuit has resumed normal operations effective immediately, November 13, 2025."
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USF...
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USF...
November 13, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"The Federal Circuit has resumed normal operations effective immediately, November 13, 2025."
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USF...
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USF...
Reposted by Zach Montague
Remember when Trump insisted that there were riots on the streets of Portland? It's because Fox News deliberately spliced footage of the 2020 riots into contemporary footage.
It's kinda funny, but the fact that the most powerful man in the world can be so easily manipulated is a bit 😬
It's kinda funny, but the fact that the most powerful man in the world can be so easily manipulated is a bit 😬
“Riots Raging”: The Misleading Story Fox News Told About Portland Before Trump Sent Troops
After reviewing coverage from the network and hours of social media videos that preceded Trump’s decision, ProPublica found that Fox’s portrayal of “Portland rioters” routinely instigating violence wa...
www.propublica.org
November 12, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Remember when Trump insisted that there were riots on the streets of Portland? It's because Fox News deliberately spliced footage of the 2020 riots into contemporary footage.
It's kinda funny, but the fact that the most powerful man in the world can be so easily manipulated is a bit 😬
It's kinda funny, but the fact that the most powerful man in the world can be so easily manipulated is a bit 😬
Reposted by Zach Montague
Reading that article led me to seek out other writing by Coviello. This is an excellent piece relevant to everyone in or who cares about American academia. www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
November 9, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Reading that article led me to seek out other writing by Coviello. This is an excellent piece relevant to everyone in or who cares about American academia. www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/...
Trump slips and nearly says SNAP is “bad for the company” instead of “the country” which does feel like the approach throughout this
Trump claims that food stamps "puts the country in jeopardy. People that are able-bodied can do a job, they leave their job because they figure they can pick this up, it's easier."
November 11, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Trump slips and nearly says SNAP is “bad for the company” instead of “the country” which does feel like the approach throughout this
New case filed today argues Russ Vought’s shutdown tactics on blue states violate the fifth amendment’s equal protection clause, specifically clean energy projects cancelled in sixteen Democratic-led states
Groups Sue to Reverse Trump’s Cuts to Energy Projects in Democratic States
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:15 PM
New case filed today argues Russ Vought’s shutdown tactics on blue states violate the fifth amendment’s equal protection clause, specifically clean energy projects cancelled in sixteen Democratic-led states
The short arc of Sean Dunn’s sandwich throwing case ends with a not guilty verdict today. Our fresh recap:
Jurors Find Sandwich Hurler Not Guilty of Assault
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:23 PM
The short arc of Sean Dunn’s sandwich throwing case ends with a not guilty verdict today. Our fresh recap:
Reposted by Zach Montague
"Sandwich Guy" found not guilty of assault
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Gift Article by @zjmontague.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/u...
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Gift Article by @zjmontague.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/u...
Jurors Find Sandwich Hurler Not Guilty of Assault
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:01 PM
"Sandwich Guy" found not guilty of assault
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Gift Article by @zjmontague.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/u...
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Gift Article by @zjmontague.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/u...