Ryan Goodman
@rgoodlaw.bsky.social
https://www.youtube.com/@RGoodLaw
Co-editor-in-chief @justsecurity.org. Chaired Prof at NYU Law. Former Chaired Prof Harvard. Former Special Counsel Defense Dept.
https://www.justsecurity.org/author/goodmanryan
Ryan Goodman is an American legal scholar who is the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Professor of Law at NYU School of Law and is the founding co-editor-in-chief of its website Just Security, which focuses on U.S. national security law and policy. Goodman joined the NYU faculty in 2009. .. more
Political science
68%
Sociology
13%
Abuse of power extending beyond Senator Kelly
"FBI has requested interviews with six Democratic U.S. lawmakers."
DOJ official "said the interviews were to determine 'if there's any wrongdoing and then go from there.'"
Note: For video accurately stating military law
www.reuters.com/world/us/fbi...
"FBI has requested interviews with six Democratic U.S. lawmakers."
DOJ official "said the interviews were to determine 'if there's any wrongdoing and then go from there.'"
Note: For video accurately stating military law
www.reuters.com/world/us/fbi...
Pentagon investigates Democratic senator for telling troops to refuse 'illegal orders'
The Pentagon says it's opening an investigation into Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly in the wake of a video of Democratic lawmakers urging servicemembers not to comply with "illegal orders."
www.npr.org
4/ "This is a real stretch by the administration," "very rare," "politically charged."
"It is hard to see it going forwards" because of First Amendment.
- Mick Wagoner, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel; military lawyer for 17 years
www.npr.org/2025/11/24/n...
"It is hard to see it going forwards" because of First Amendment.
- Mick Wagoner, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel; military lawyer for 17 years
www.npr.org/2025/11/24/n...
Pentagon investigating Sen. Mark Kelly after ‘you can refuse illegal orders’ video
news.azpm.org
3/ Pentagon’s investigation “absurd” and proposed charges “ridiculous.”
Senator Kelly was “reminding troops of their duty to follow the law and to not engage in illegal activities.”
- Kristine Huskey, Professor at University of Arizona law school and director of its Veterans’ Advocacy Law Clinic
Senator Kelly was “reminding troops of their duty to follow the law and to not engage in illegal activities.”
- Kristine Huskey, Professor at University of Arizona law school and director of its Veterans’ Advocacy Law Clinic
Pentagon Opens Inquiry Into Senator Mark Kelly Over What Hegseth Calls ‘Seditious’ Video
www.nytimes.com
2/
“I have no idea what they’d court-martial him for.”
“It’s preposterous.”
-- Eliot A. Cohen, a military historian who worked for President George W. Bush
reporting by @gregjaffe.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/u...
“I have no idea what they’d court-martial him for.”
“It’s preposterous.”
-- Eliot A. Cohen, a military historian who worked for President George W. Bush
reporting by @gregjaffe.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/u...
Reposted by Robert C. Richards, Mary L. Dudziak
Pentagon Investigates Misconduct Allegations Against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly
The review comes after Kelly, a retired Navy captain, appeared in a video with other lawmakers telling military members not to obey unlawful orders.
www.wsj.com
Senator Kelly’s remarks in the video are “a 100% accurate representation of what the law says."
“No American citizen should have to deal with this type of preposterous investigation.”
- Professor Eugene Fidell, leading military justice expert in Wall Street Journal
www.wsj.com/politics/mar...
“No American citizen should have to deal with this type of preposterous investigation.”
- Professor Eugene Fidell, leading military justice expert in Wall Street Journal
www.wsj.com/politics/mar...
"I don't regard Putin as a bad guy."
- U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff
This should send shivers down the spine of Republican and Democratic members of Congress alike.
It's a 'perspective' not capable of negotiating for true U.S. interests.
(video via Republicans Against Trump on X)
- U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff
This should send shivers down the spine of Republican and Democratic members of Congress alike.
It's a 'perspective' not capable of negotiating for true U.S. interests.
(video via Republicans Against Trump on X)
11/24/25 ☀️ AM:
PRESENTED BY IN THIS EDITION What MTG got rightCIA in Mexico raised concerns about Crenshaw to LangleyCan Congress actually pass Russia sanctions
punchbowl.news
Punchbowl News: "The idea that Republicans could lose their majority this Congress is no longer far-fetched"
A senior House Republican: "'Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose the majority before this term is out.'"
punchbowl.news/archive/1124...
A senior House Republican: "'Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose the majority before this term is out.'"
punchbowl.news/archive/1124...
Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Richard S.J. Tol, Jason Lyall
What a headline:
US Senators Say They Spoke With Rubio About Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan Who Denied It Is a US Plan
(This as other US officials are still saying it is the US plan)
US Senators Say They Spoke With Rubio About Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan Who Denied It Is a US Plan
(This as other US officials are still saying it is the US plan)
How the Pentagon sidelined lawyers while testing the legal limits of military action | CNN Politics
For weeks earlier this year, the Army’s top uniformed lawyer had been raising legal concerns inside the Pentagon about some of the new policies being rolled out dictating how the military can be used ...
www.cnn.com
6) Plus CNN @natashabertrand.bsky.social's earlier reporting of moves inside the Pentagon.
How the Pentagon sidelined lawyers while testing the legal limits of military action
How the Pentagon sidelined lawyers while testing the legal limits of military action
5) There's even more.
"Many of the lawyers and other career officials at the White House National Security Council, Pentagon and Justice Department who had ... raised concerns about using lethal force against narcotraffickers had either left government or were reassigned or removed."
"Many of the lawyers and other career officials at the White House National Security Council, Pentagon and Justice Department who had ... raised concerns about using lethal force against narcotraffickers had either left government or were reassigned or removed."
4) The CIA Americas and Counternarcotics Mission Center's lawyer "who questioned the use of lethal force against drug traffickers has been reassigned and replaced."
3/ The National Security Counsel's Legal Adviser Paul Ney (who earlier served loyally as Trump 1.0 Pentagon General Counsel) "had been among the lawyers who had raised concerns about the legality of lethal strikes."
He was cast out in May.
He was cast out in May.
2/ CIA Acting General Counsel, a career lawyer, "was among those who had raised questions about the legality of the agency’s use of lethal force."
What happened next?
CIA Deputy Director Ellis stepped in to become acting General Counsel and still hold his policy position. He then approved the ops.
What happened next?
CIA Deputy Director Ellis stepped in to become acting General Counsel and still hold his policy position. He then approved the ops.
White House blew past legal concerns in deadly strikes on drug boats
The Trump administration sidestepped skeptical lawyers across national security agencies as it pursued a military campaign against alleged narcotraffickers, officials say.
www.washingtonpost.com
On the patently unlawful boat strikes
It's hard for USGs to claim ‘mistake of law’ or ‘advice of counsel’ – when they’re firing lawyers who wouldn't sign off on the strikes.
WaPo's new revelations on firings or removals:
1) CIA General Counsel
2) NSC Legal Adviser
3) CIA Mission Center’s lawyer
🧵
It's hard for USGs to claim ‘mistake of law’ or ‘advice of counsel’ – when they’re firing lawyers who wouldn't sign off on the strikes.
WaPo's new revelations on firings or removals:
1) CIA General Counsel
2) NSC Legal Adviser
3) CIA Mission Center’s lawyer
🧵
democrats-judiciary.house.gov
2/ source (Ranking Member House Judiciary Committee @raskin.house.gov letter to AG Bondi)
democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-su...
democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-su...
Reposted by Steve Peers
Reminder:
SDNY "was running an active investigation into Jeffrey Epstein[’s] ... coconspirators. In January [2025], SDNY prosecutors were ordered to transfer the Epstein case files to DOJ headquarters in Washington, D.C. ... the investigation into co-conspirators has inexplicably ceased."
SDNY "was running an active investigation into Jeffrey Epstein[’s] ... coconspirators. In January [2025], SDNY prosecutors were ordered to transfer the Epstein case files to DOJ headquarters in Washington, D.C. ... the investigation into co-conspirators has inexplicably ceased."
The “Presumption of Regularity” in Trump Administration Litigation
Comprehensive study of court cases involving Trump administration and the basis for courts no longer giving a "presumption of regularity."
www.justsecurity.org
4) I guess we'll have to update our newly updated Study, which we published at noon on November 20, 2025.
The study documents all cases of government noncompliance with court orders and cases of government misinformation provided to courts.
www.justsecurity.org/120547/presu...
The study documents all cases of government noncompliance with court orders and cases of government misinformation provided to courts.
www.justsecurity.org/120547/presu...
3) "There's no way to sugarcoat it, it was in defiance of my order."
Judge Paula Xinis, November 20, 2025
Judge Paula Xinis, November 20, 2025
2) "At some point, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to believe almost anything that [U.S. Government] Defendants represent."
- Judge Sara Ellis, November 20, 2025
- Judge Sara Ellis, November 20, 2025
Reposted by Scott A. Imberman
A Thursday in U.S. courts
1) "This Court has grave concerns about the government’s apparent willingness to disregard this Court’s orders, even after previous admonition."
- Judge Stephanie. Gallagher, Trump appointee, Nov. 20, 2025
1) "This Court has grave concerns about the government’s apparent willingness to disregard this Court’s orders, even after previous admonition."
- Judge Stephanie. Gallagher, Trump appointee, Nov. 20, 2025
3/3 Link to Judge Cobb's decision overturning the president's deployment of the DC Guard to fight crime and use of out of states Guard forces:
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
Fact check: Trump’s false claims about the Insurrection Act | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump has made a series of inaccurate claims in recent days about the Insurrection Act, the old law he has mused about invoking to deploy troops to some US cities.
www.cnn.com
2/3 What Judge Cobb wrote dovetails with Daniel Dale's fact check.
Fact check: Trump’s false claims about the Insurrection Act
Fact check: Trump’s false claims about the Insurrection Act
Judge halts Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in DC | CNN
CNN’s Erin Burnett talks to Ryan Goodman, former Special Counsel at the Dept. of Defense, about a federal judge ordering President Trump to immediately end his DC national guard deployment.
www.cnn.com
Judge Cobb's strong signal:
"The President wields a powerful tool under Title 10 and the Insurrection Act. ... That expansive Title 10 authority, however, is limited by equally strong restraints."
(President Trump has wrongly claimed "no more court cases" if he were to invoke the Act.)
1/3
"The President wields a powerful tool under Title 10 and the Insurrection Act. ... That expansive Title 10 authority, however, is limited by equally strong restraints."
(President Trump has wrongly claimed "no more court cases" if he were to invoke the Act.)
1/3
Prosecutors quiz witness on Ed Martin, Bill Pulte moves in Schiff case
Prosecutors questioned a California Republican activist about her contact with Trump administration officials over their mortgage fraud investigation into Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California).
www.washingtonpost.com
2/ "Federal officials appeared to be questioning whether Martin and Pulte divulged information about an ongoing criminal investigation of Schiff with people who were not authorized to be a part of it, according to a subpoena issued in the case and another person familiar with the interview."
thehill.com
Now this: "The Coast Guard said Thursday a Washington Post report that claimed it will no longer classify swastikas and nooses as hate symbols is 'categorically false.'"
thehill.com/policy/defen...
thehill.com/policy/defen...
DOJ, FBI probing top Trump administration officials over investigations of president's adversaries: Sources
The DOJ is probing the conduct of at least two top administration officials for possibly jeopardizing the criminal investigations of Trump's political foes, sources say.
abcnews.go.com
Wow
"[Ed] Martin is also believed to have shared sensitive grand jury information about the James case with at least one unauthorized individual as well as worked with another person from outside the federal government to examine potential evidence in the Schiff and James probes."
"[Ed] Martin is also believed to have shared sensitive grand jury information about the James case with at least one unauthorized individual as well as worked with another person from outside the federal government to examine potential evidence in the Schiff and James probes."
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
"US Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and that more than 400,000 US troops died fighting against in World War II, as a hate symbol, according to a new policy that takes effect next month."
2/ "The inquiry, according to the additional sources, include the office of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche at Justice Department headquarters looking into the work of people who may have been dispatched or held themselves out to witnesses improperly around the mortgage fraud investigation."
Justice Department is investigating handling of Adam Schiff mortgage fraud probe led by Ed Martin and Bill Pulte | CNN Politics
The Justice Department is investigating possible issues with the mortgage fraud investigation into California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff that is run by two Trump administration political appointees, ...
www.cnn.com
Christine Bish "told CNN ... that prosecutors 'seemed more concerned' about looking into whether 'there was conspiracy or collusion between me and Pulte or me and Ed Martin.'"
www.cnn.com/2025/11/20/p...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/20/p...
Reposted by David R. Miller
SCOOP: A federal grand jury in Maryland is investigating whether FHFA director Bill Pulte and Justice Department prosecutor Ed Martin improperly appointed unauthorized people to help in mortgage fraud investigations of President Trump's critics. With @carolleonnig.bsky.social
Extraordinary sign of life for the rule of law.
Dilanian also writes: "[T]he probe is focused on whether the mortgage fraud investigations of Sen. Adam Schiff and possibly New York Attorney General Letitia James have been tainted by the investigative methods allegedly used by Pulte and Martin."
Dilanian also writes: "[T]he probe is focused on whether the mortgage fraud investigations of Sen. Adam Schiff and possibly New York Attorney General Letitia James have been tainted by the investigative methods allegedly used by Pulte and Martin."