Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 1m

9th Cir. panel pauses judge's order against federalizing OR National Guard, leaves in place another (as yet unappealed) order barring deployment of OR & CA guard in Portland. 9th Cir arguments tomw. (Clarifies confusing omission in earlier post.) Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

storage.courtlistener.com

1

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 7h

JUST IN: Overstock founder Patrick Byrne formally defaulted by court in libel suit Hunter Biden brought against him. Biden lawyers to propose size of default judgment in coming weeks. Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/09...

Hunter Biden seeks arrest of former Overstock.com CEO in defamation case

Attorneys for the ex-president’s son ask a federal judge to issue a bench warrant against defendant Patrick Byrne for failing to respond to court orders.

www.politico.com

27 280 970

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 8h

JUST IN: Feds say they are incapable of moving Kilmar Abrego Garcia from PA to TN for court session Friday in his criminal case. A week lead time isn't enough, prosecutors say, plus there's a hearing on one of his civil suits Friday in Maryland. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

storage.courtlistener.com

42 170 490

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 9h

BREAKING: Comey case meets rocket docket. He pleads not guilty. Trial date Jan. 5. Comey to move to dismiss arguing Halligan wasn't validly appointed. Massive discovery could slow case. Prosecutors made clear they don't know what they have. w/@kyledcheney www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

James Comey pleads not guilty to criminal charges following Trump pressure to prosecute

The judge set a trial date of Jan. 5.

www.politico.com

10 31 130

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 1d

UPDATE: Judge Illston has taken over unions' suit against shutdown-related RIFs, accepting it as related to earlier RIFs suit she was assigned. Sets TRO hearing for Oct. 16, 1030AM PT.

28 77

Reposted by Josh Gerstein

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 1d

It was a joke; NYT excerpt going around is misleading

Daniel Drezner @dandrezner.bsky.social · 1d

There’s a lot in Bari Weiss’ 2023 FedSoc speech that merits scrutiny but I think the Times did a disservice by closing with this quote — given what she says immediately after. fedsoc.org/commentary/f...

46 10 73

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 1d

UPDATE: A source shares this message VOA chief Abramowitz sent to workforce following DC Circuit ruling allowing him to remain in his post despite Trump's attempt to fire him:

5 160 690

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 2d

In addition to whatever Durham told the 2nd most recent prosecutors, all the exculpatory evidence Durham gathered on this subject will have to be turned over to Comey in discovery
abcnews.go.com/US/special-c...

Ex-special counsel John Durham undercut case against James Comey in interview with prosecutors: Sources

John Durham, who investigated the Russia probe, told prosecutors probing James Comey that had been unable to uncover evidence supporting charges against him, sources say.

abcnews.go.com

27 240 930

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 2d

JUST IN: #SCOTUS denies Google's bid to block some relief a judge ordered in Epic Games antitrust challenge to Google Play Store practices. Full court took up Google's request and denied without comment or noted dissent. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

25A354 Order

www.documentcloud.org

1 8 23

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 2d

JUST IN: DC Circuit denies Trump admin bid to carry out firing of Voice of America Director Michael Abramowitz. 3-0. Judges Millett (Obama), Pillard (Obama), Garcia (Biden). Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

storage.courtlistener.com

10 220 1.1K

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 2d

BREAKING: #SCOTUS denies review of Ghislaine Maxwell's convictions for sex trafficking involving Jeffrey Epstein. No dissent or explanation.

22 91 760

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 2d

BREAKING: Judge issues 2nd order blocking National Guard deployment to aid ICE in Portland, OR, after Trump sends CA Guard in & moves to send TX Guard, too. Judge Karin Immergut cites actions 'in direct contravention' of earlier ruling. w/ @kyledcheney.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Judge blocks Trump’s National Guard deployment in Portland for second time

The ruling came in an emergency hearing Sunday night.

www.politico.com

7 42 190

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 2d

LATEST: CA joined OR's existing lawsuit, broadening it to cover both Trump deployment of OR Guard & new deployment of CA Guard to OR. Broadening doesn't need Judge Immergut's approval, but a new TRO to cover CA Guard does. w/@kyledcheney @jonesblakej www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Newsom joins Oregon’s suit after Trump sends California National Guard to Oregon

“This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power,” the governor said in a statement.

www.politico.com

8 130 670

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 3d

One question this raises: Does the Trump administration's arguably improper appeal of the TRO to the 9th Circuit put the CA deployment beyond jurisdiction of OR district judge until 9th Circuit resolves that appeal.

8 12 55

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 3d

BREAKING: California joins Oregon's existing suit over National Guard deployment, both request Judge Immergut issue TRO against CA guard being sent to OR, argue Trump admin move is attempt to circumvent court order. Docs: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

OR2ndTRORequest100525

www.documentcloud.org

27 380 1.5K

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 3d

UPDATE: State and Portland already responded to oppose stay: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

OregonNatGuardStayOppCA9100525

www.documentcloud.org

6 25 92

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 3d

JUST IN: Trump administration asks 9th Circuit for emergency stay of judge's order blocking Oregon National Guard deployment for ICE security there. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

OregonNatGuardCA9StayMot100525

www.documentcloud.org

20 100 300

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 3d

JUST IN: Trump admin appeals judge's ruling against National Guard deployment for ICE security in Oregon

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 4d

NEW: Judge Immergut's says Trump's assessment of "war-ravaged" Portland was not made in "good faith" Even under a legal standard that gives the president "great deference," she said, there's no basis for "ignoring the facts on the ground."

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

8 44 110

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 4d

AG Pam Bondi vows to appeal 'woefully insufficient' 8+ year sentence judge imposed today on California resident Sophie Roske, who pled guilty to attempt to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his home in 2022. DOJ had asked for 30 years. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Would-be Kavanaugh assassin sentenced to over 8 years in prison

Prosecutors had sought a 30-year sentence.

www.politico.com

25 36 96

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 6d

Pentagon spokesman's language signals that this Hill briefing wasn't just classified but purportedly "Top Secret" www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

Exclusive | Lawmakers From Both Sides Pressed Pentagon on Legal Basis for Cartel Boat Strikes

The Defense Department general counsel faced questions from Republicans and Democrats in a closed-door briefing

www.wsj.com

7 38 89

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 6d

Immergut, who had the support of both Oregon's Democratic senators when nominated by Trump in 2019, served on Independent Counsel Ken Starr's staff and personally questioned Monica Lewinsky www.wweek.com/news/2019/03...

The Portland Lawyer Who Grilled Monica Lewinsky in the Starr Investigation Will Sail into Federal Judgeship

Karin Immergut, who as a young Portland prosecutor grilled Monica Lewinsky, will soon take a seat on the federal bench.

www.wweek.com

4 15 46

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 6d

TRO hearing to go forward as scheduled tomorrow 1PM ET

3 2 35

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 6d

BREAKING: At Trump DOJ request, Judge Michael Simon (Obama) recuses from Oregon's suit over activation of its National Guard for immigration enforcement/ICE security. New Judge Karin Immergut (Trump). DOJ argued comments by Simon's wife @RepBonamici about case merited recusal.

69 140 330

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 6d

JUST IN: Fed judge sides with Arizona DA over Trump DOJ, orders murder suspect in federal custody turned over to state court for arraignment. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

storage.courtlistener.com

17 48

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 6d

SHUTDOWN FALLOUT: @JusticeOIG has a new report on FBI Section 702 surveillance but can't post it online because their website is maintained by @cigiegov which is closed & Trump wants to shutter permanently. So IG emailed the report out: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

26-002 Review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Querying Practices Under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

www.documentcloud.org

20 45