Lawfare No Bull

On June 3, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled, “Oversight Hearing – Department of Justice.” Over the course of two hours, the representatives questioned acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on whether the Justice Department would commit to scrapping its proposed $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization F...

On May 19, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled, “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Justice,” in which Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified for a 13% budget increase from the 2026 fiscal year, amounting to a total proposed budget of ​​$41.2 billion for the up...

On May 19, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral argument in Anthropic’s lawsuit against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense for its designation of the AI company as a supply chain risk. Judges Karen LeCraft Henderson, Gregory Katsas, and Neomi Rao questioned counsel for both parties on if the D.C. Circuit has the authority to review the Pentagon’s designation de...

On April 27, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Chatrie v. United States , centering on a Fourth Amendment challenge to the use of geofence warrants, which allow investigators to obtain location data stored by a service provider within a specific geographic area and time period. Over the course of two hours, the justices questioned Petitioner’s Counsel Adam G. Unikowsky and Depu...

On April 1, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Trump v. Barbara , which centered on a challenge to the president’s executive order signed on Jan. 20, 2025, that attempted to end birthright citizenship. Over the course of two hours, the justices questioned U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer and the ACLU’s Cecillia Wang on how the order comports with the 14th Amendment’s Citizen...

On March 18, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence held an open hearing entitled “Worldwide Threats,” which featured testimony from National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, Acting National Security Director and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command William Hartman, and Defense Intelligence Agency Director James Adams. The committee qu...

On January 22nd, former special counsel Jack Smith testified before the House Judiciary Committee in a hearing entitled , “Oversight of the Office of Special Counsel Jack Smith .” Over four and a half hours, the committee questioned Smith about the indictments previously brought against President Trump, Smith’s investigation into the January 6th riot at the Capitol, the decision to subpoena congre...

On October 7th, Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing entitled “Oversight of the Department of Justice.” The committee questioned Bondi about politicized personnel decisions at the Justice Department, the deployment of the National Guard to states, anti-corruption enforcement, border czar Tom Homan’s alleged acceptance of $50,000 during an FBI stin...

On September 17, FBI Director Kash Patel testified before the House Judiciary Committee in an annual hearing entitled “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” The committee questioned Patel about the firing of FBI agents involved in investigating President Trump, the Jeffrey Epstein case, the investigation into the murder of Charlie Kirk, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

On September 16, FBI Director Kash Patel testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in an annual hearing entitled “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” The committee questioned Patel about the firing of FBI agents involved in investigating President Trump, the Jeffrey Epstein case, the investigation into the murder of Charlie Kirk, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

Today on Lawfare No Bull: On June 10, the House Appropriations Subcommittee held an oversight hearing for the Department of Defense. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, and Bryn MacDonnell, Special Assistant Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer, testified before the committee. Members of t...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull:  On March 26, the House Intelligence Committee held the annual Worldwide Threats hearing based on the Annual Threat Assessment of the United States Intelligence Community. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel, National Security Agency and Central...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull:  On March 25, the Senate Intelligence Committee held the annual Worldwide Threats hearing based on the Annual Threat Assessment of the United States Intelligence Community. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel, National Security Agency and Centra...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull:  On March 24, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments on whether to stay a temporary restraining order issued on March 15—which bars summary removals of alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal gang—under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The panel, composed of Judge Patricia Millet, Judge Justin Mill...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull:  On Feb. 12, the Senate Judiciary Committee held the confirmation hearing of deputy attorney general nominee Todd Blanche. The Committee questioned Blanche about his representation of President Donald Trump in multiple criminal cases, whether he would recuse himself from future Department of Justice investigations into cases against Trump, the firings at the de...

Today on Lawfare No Bull : On Jan. 30, the Senate Judiciary Committee held the confirmation hearing of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director nominee Kash Patel. The Committee questioned Patel about his role in the Jan. 6 choir, his “enemies list” and views on political retribution, his testimony before the grand jury in the classified documents case, plans for the FBI if confirmed, and mo...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull:  On Jan. 30, the Senate Intelligence Committee held a confirmation hearing for Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard. The Committee questioned Gabbard about her views on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, her opinion of Edward Snowden, her 2017 meeting with Syria’s then-president Bashar Assad, her reaction to Russia’s in...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull:  On Jan. 29 and 30, Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. appeared for confirmation hearings before the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions respectively. The Committees questioned Kennedy about topics that may be of interest to  Lawfare  listeners, including his vie...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull:  On Jan. 17, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held the confirmation hearing of Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Kristi Noem. The Committee questioned Noem about immigration, domestic terrorism, disaster relief assistance, the Secret Service, and more. To receive ad-free podcasts, become a  Lawfare  Material Supp...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull:  On Jan. 15, the Senate Judiciary Committee held the confirmation hearing of presumptive attorney general nominee Pam Bondi. The Committee questioned Bondi about how she will approach issues such as violent crime and immigration, her view of presumptive FBI director nominee Kash Patel, and how she will maintain the independence of the Department of Justice if t...

Today on  Lawfare No Bull : On Jan. 15, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held the confirmation hearing of presumptive secretary of state nominee Marco Rubio. The Committee questioned Sen. Rubio about his views on U.S. relations with China, his support for Taiwan and Ukraine, humanitarian crises in Haiti and Sudan, the Israel-Gaza War, and more. To receive ad-free podcasts, become a&nbsp...

Today on Lawfare No Bull : On Jan. 15, the Senate Intelligence Committee held the confirmation hearing for presumptive CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe. The Committee questioned Ratcliffe about his commitment to nonpartisanship, how the CIA can keep pace with U.S. adversaries’ technological advances, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and more. To receive ad-free podcasts, become a&nbsp...

Today on Lawfare No Bull:  On Jan. 14, the Senate Armed Services Committee held the confirmation hearing of presumptive Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth. The Committee questioned Hegseth about his past comments on women in the military, qualifications for the role, “wokeness” and DEI, plans to reform the Navy, allegations of sexual assault, and more. To receive ad-free podcasts, beco...

On January 10, New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan sentenced President-elect Donald Trump to an “unconditional discharge” in the New York hush money case , in which Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts. Trump will face no jail time, financial penalties, or probation. The sentencing marked an end to the only case against Trump that reached trial and makes Trump the first president...

On May 8, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown testified during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on President Joe Biden’s 2025 Defense Budget Request. Several senators inquired about the Biden administration and Defense Department’s decision to pause the shipment of aid and weapons to Israel amidst the ongoing war in Gaza. Se...