Freedom of Speech | Freedom of Press | Freedom to Peacably Assemble | Free Exercise and Non-Establishment of Religion | Right to Bear Arms | Freedom from Unreasonable Searches and Seizures | No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house | The powers not delegated to the United States…are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people | No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice
The RULE OF LAW, which guarantees these constitutional rights and limitations, is at serious risk, as chronicled below.
A good source for tracking lawsuits against Trump Executive Orders and OMB Actions:
Just Security: litigation tracker – legal challenges to Trump Administration actions
Sat, March 29, 2025:
What to Know About Trump’s Order Taking Aim at the Smithsonian. The president’s order called for curbing the independence of the sprawling network of museums and urging it to promote “American greatness.” – NYT
Justice Sonia Sotomayor calls for ‘fearlessly independent’ judges; Sotomayor’s remarks appeared to be a rebuke of recent attacks on the judiciary by President Donald Trump and his allies. – WP
Fri, March 28, 2025:
Judges block Trump orders targeting two law firms as Skadden cuts deal – Reuters
If Trump Defies the Courts, It Will Backfire Badly. It’s not in his own self-interest. – Politico
Emboldened Trump Squeezes Traditional Media; News organizations grapple with threats from a more combative Trump 2.0 – WSJ
I am the Turkish President’s main challenger. I was arrested. – NYT (GovBudget publisher: Is this America’s future in 2028?)
Senator Chris Murphy: “This Is How Democracy Dies—Everybody Just Gets Scared” – New Yorker
Appeals court allows Trump’s removal of independent agency leaders for now; A lower court had blocked the president from firing leaders at the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board, in a case that could land before the Supreme Court. – WP
Thurs, March 27, 2025:
Trump Administration disbands DOJ anti-kleptocracy unit which had ensnared a number of Trump supporters – WP
Today, FTC Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after the president attempted to fire them without cause. This move directly violates a federal statute, as well as 90 years of binding Supreme Court precedent that protects the FTC — and other independent agencies like the Federal Reserve — from political interference. – ifyoucankeepit.org
Wed, March 26, 2025:
Trump Is Trying to Gain More Power Over Elections. Is His Effort Legal? A far-reaching executive order aims to reshape the country’s voting laws, is sure to be challenged in court and reflects the president’s concerted push to expand his power. – NYT
Tues, March 25, 2025:
Republican lawmakers take aim at nationwide injunctions; Plans for hearings and a vote on legislation to limit the reach of district judge rulings – Roll Call
House Speaker Mike Johnson warns Congress has the power to stop funding federal courts amid high-stakes White House legal battles. – ABC
Sun, March 23, 2025:
Autocrats roll back rights and rule of law — and cite Trump’s example; Trump’s statements, policies and actions are providing cover for attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law around the world. – WP
A White House memo issued Saturday directs AG Pam Bondi “to seek sanctions against attorneys and law firms who engage in frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious litigation” against the government, and also instructs Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “to prioritize enforcement” of regulations governing attorney conduct in immigration courts. Trump is “doubling down on his threats against the American legal system,” writes POLITICO’s Ali Bianco, as he takes “an increasingly adversarial stance toward the legal system, including both judges who have ruled against his policies and lawyers and firms that he has viewed as wronging him.” – Politico
Thurs, March 20, 2025:
“Pam Bondi vowed at her confirmation hearing this year that ‘politics will not play a part’ in her time as attorney general. Now she’s leading a Justice Department more visibly aligned with the political agenda of the White House than any in recent history.” – WP
More than a dozen judges have said Trump probably broke the law, averaging one such finding every four days – WP
Trump’s move to fire Democrats puts FTC’s independence in doubt – WP
Why Washington and the business world are freaking out about Trump’s FTC firings – Politico
Wed, March 19, 2025:
Judges Fear for Their Safety Amid a Wave of Threats; Federal judges are worried that online threats against those who oversee high-profile cases challenging Trump administration policies may lead to real-world violence. NYTimes
Murkowski says her colleagues are afraid of Trump and Musk: “I’m not going to compromise my own integrity.” – Politico
Tues, March 18, 2025:
Chief Justice Roberts rebukes Trump call to impeach judges for rulings – Bloomberg
The Chief Justice said in an email: “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.” Roberts’ comments followed Trump’s call for the impeachment of US District Judge James Boasberg, who on Saturday tried to pause the deportation of hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members.
Administration nears open defiance of the courts; in its conflict with a federal judge, the Justice Dept. claims to be complying with orders while provoking a constitutional crisis. New Yorker/Marcus
Mon, March 17, 2025:
Trump escalates fight with federal courts over deportation authority; Several legal experts said the deportation episode marks a dramatic — and troubling — escalation in the Trump administration’s pushback against the courts. – WP
Trump’s border czar: “I don’t care what the judges think” – Axios
America’s voice, silenced; Trump is dismantling programs that push back against dictatorship and reach people in closed societies. – WP Editorial Board
Sat, March 15, 2025:
Trump Orders Gutting of 7 Agencies, Including Voice of America’s Parent
The order targeting the agencies, largely obscure entities that address issues like labor mediation and homelessness prevention, appeared to test the bounds of the president’s power. – NYT
Thurs, March 13, 2025:
Trump asks Supreme Court to curb judges’ power to block policies nationwide, arguing their reach should extend only to their district – Politico
Top IRS lawyer pushed aside as DOGE seeks records and 20 percent staff cuts. Elon Musk’s team has provoked concern among career staff over requests for tax records of undocumented immigrants. – WP
Wed, March 12, 2025:
Owner Jeff Bezos wants to transform the Opinions section of the paper, where I worked for forty years. After the publisher killed my column disagreeing with that move—it appears here in full—I decided to quit. – New Yorker/Ruth Marcus
Tues, March 11, 2025:
Judges warn against impeachments for rulings against Trump – Roll Call
How Trump is reshaping reality by hiding data. Curating reality is an old political game, but Trump’s sweeping statistical purges are part of a broader attempt to reinvent “truth.” – WP
A Great Unraveling is Underway – NYT/Friedman
Sat, March 9, 2025:
Musk and DOGE try to slash government by cutting out those who answer to voters – AP
Fri, March 7, 2025:
The one question that really matters: if Trump defies the courts, then what? – NYT
Thur, March 6, 2025:
Inside the White House’s new media strategy to promote Trump as “King” – WP
“After years of working to undermine mainstream outlets and neutralize critical reporting, Trump’s allies are now pushing a parallel information universe of social media feeds and right-wing firebrands to sell the country on his expansionist approach to presidential power.”
People are going silent: fearing retribution, Trump critics muzzle themselves – NYT
Wed, March 5, 2025:
Federal Appeals Court clears the way for administration to fire head of the office designed to protect federal whistleblowers – NYT
In just five days, Trump has set the country back nearly 100 years – WP
Tues, March 4, 2025:
Speaker Johnson tells GOP lawmakers to skip town halls after an onslaught of protests – AP
Sun, March 2, 2025:
Trump’s moves test the limits of presidential power and the resilience of US democracy – AP
Gilded Age is back–corporate dominance over politics brought power, wealth and backlash – Politico
Sat, March 1, 2025:
Trump cannot fire head of independent watchdog agency without cause, judge rules – WP
Fri, Feb 28, 2025:
Rapidly spreading authoritarianism from this administration threatens all our freedoms – WP/Milbank
Trump officials start dismantling civil rights offices, as part of DOGE’s secret plan; Legal experts say unwinding a civil-rights-era bulwark designed to safeguard employees’ rights removes a crucial check on institutional power – WP
Democratic Party sues claiming Trump’s executive order aimed at independent agencies will gut the Federal Election Commission – NYT
The MAGA war on speech – NYT
Thurs, Feb 27, 2025:
Warning to law firms: Stand up for the rule of law while you can; one by one, Trump is fencing in all his potential opponents. Now he’s sending a clear warning to lawyers to back off – WP/Marcus
Wed, Feb 26, 2025:
Trump nominees won’t say they’d always follow court rulings – Bloomberg Law
Bezos imposes limits on Washington Post opinion pages; says opinion pages will defend free market and “personal liberties” – AP
WH limits newswires in press pool takeover – Bloomberg
Justice Dept. nominees suggest some court orders can be ignored – NYT
The anti-Trump resistance begins to wake in earnest – WP
Tues, Feb 25, 2025:
DOGE’s grab of personal data stokes privacy and security fears – WP
James Carville op-ed
Sun, Feb 23, 2025:
“Dark MAGA” spreads as conservatives embrace Musk’s influence on Trump – AP
Sat, Feb 22, 2025:
Frustrated Dems urge leader to show more fight against Trump – NYT
As Trump pursues his policies, Democratic AGs block his path. Attorneys general have worked for months to craft legal opposition to the president’s agenda. Now they’re putting it into practice.-WP
With Pentagon purge, Trump thrusts military into uncharted territory; The abrupt removal of six top officers has deepened concern among the president’s critics, who fear he intends to impose his political will on the nonpartisan institution. – WP
Fri, Feb 21, 2025:
Trump wants to take over D.C. How would that work? – WP
Trump to Governor of Maine: “We are the federal law.”– USA today via Yahoo
SCOTUS declines for now to let Trump fire head of federal whistleblower office – Bloomberg
Staff at multiple agencies instructed not to speak to Congress – The Hill
In podcasts, DC US attorney discussed investigating Trump foes – WP
Trump this week quoted one of history’s most infamous dictators, Napoleon, while he mused that he should run for an unconstitutional third term – WP
Trump expected to take control of USPS, fire postal board, officials say – WP
Thurs, Feb 20, 2025:
How DOGE’s access to IRS data puts taxpayer information at risk – TPC
Trump is making it harder for SCOTUS to side with him – Politico
Trump dismantles office fighting foreign influence in U.S. elections – NYT
Trump comes close to the red line of openly defying judges, experts say – WP
When the guardrails holding back law enforcement fail – WP/Marcus
DOGE employee cuts fall heavily on NHTSA, which regulates TESLA – WP
Wed, Feb 19, 2025:
While Musk dismantles a pro-democracy group, America’s enemies cheer; DOGE targets National Endowment for Democracy – WP/Boot
Mexico has lessons for Democrats trying to oppose Trump – WP/Krauze
Congress has itself to blame for current constitutional crisis – Rollcall/Pearlstein
Tues, Feb 18, 2025:
Trump signs order to claim power over independent agencies – Politico
Judge refuses to block Musk, DOGE from 7 federal agencies – The Hill
Trump isn’t playacting when he invokes Napoleon; he is fawning over strongmen past and present because he want to emulate them – Bloomberg
Mon, Feb 17, 2025:
Trump suggests no laws violated if he “save” country – The Hill
Sun, Feb 16, 2025:
What’s behind Vance’s stunning decision to embrace Germany’s neo-Nazi AfD – WP
First test of Trump’s power to fire officials at independent agencies reaches SCOTUS – NYT
Washington Post backs out of “Fire Elon Musk” ad order – The Hill
Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS – WP
Sat, Feb 15, 2025:
AP reporter barred from Air Force One over “Gulf of Mexico” terminology dispute – AP
Trump: “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law” – X Truth Social
Fri, Feb 14, 2025:
AP reporters barred from WH events. Next time it could be you. – WP
Many Trump Administration personnel actions are unlawful – David Super
Thurs, Feb 13, 2025:
The president summarily fired and replaced top officials at five watchdog offices in an apparent attempt to consolidate power over the sprawling federal bureaucracy. – WP
Is Trump going to defy the judiciary? – WP/Marcus
Wed, Feb 12, 2025:
While lawsuits challenging plans such as ending birthright citizenship and dismantling federal agencies raise weighty constitutional issues, they also claim Trump failed to follow the correct procedures as required under the 1946 Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which allows judges to throw out federal agency actions that are “arbitrary and capricious,” for example, failing to articulate why the agencies are changing policy. – NBC
Eight govt inspectors general have sued over their mass firing that removed oversight of Trump Administration – AP
Trump fires USAID IG one day after report about food spoiling in warehouses due to DOGE – WP
Reagan/Bush counsel explains why DOGE is unconstitutional – WP
Associated Press barred from WH briefing for not changing guide to reflect Trump’s “Gulf of America” order – The Economist
Trump firing lawsuits could lead to more presidential power – Roll Call
Tues, Feb 11, 2025:
Trump muses about a third term, over and over again – NYT
Trump’s clash with the courts escalates – Politico
There’s no need to guess. JD Vance is ready to ignore the courts – Politico
Mon, Feb 10, 2025:
Five former Treasury secretaries: our democracy is under siege – NYT
Trump’s actions have created a constitutional crisis, scholars say – NYT
Trump allies suggest defying court orders after stinging legal rebukes – WP
Sat, Feb 8, 2025:
A sample of the govt webpages Trump doesn’t want you to see – WP
Federal judge blocks Musk’s DOGE from access to Treasury Dept material – WP
Trump says he will fire Kennedy Center board members, appoint himself chair – WP
Trump dismisses archivist to the United States who became the target of Trump’s ire when the independent agency sought to retrieve documents from his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022 – WP
Fri, Feb 7, 2025:
Trump-Bannon strategy: Flooding the zone – NPR
Kash Patel was paid by Russian filmmaker with Kremlin ties, docs show – WP
White House forces showdown over Congress’ power of the purse – NYT
Now will we believe what is happening right in front of us – NYT/K. Stewart
US ordered not to release list of FBI agents tied to Jan. 6 cases – Roll Call
Who will stand up to Trump’s un-American rule by decree – The Hill/Marshall
Trump’s power grab defies GOP orthodoxy on local control; NY city traffic, CA water, middle school sports…few policies are outside the reach of Trump’s power grab – NYT
Thurs, Feb 6, 2025:
Can the courts — can anyone — stop Trump? – WP/Marcus
Trump shuttering specialized FBI team combating foreign election interference threats – CNN
Wed, Feb 5, 2025:
Trump’s early moves are terrifying Washington. A legal resistance is imminent. – Politico
Trump and Musk are moving to smother these three pieces of the government-CFPB, AID, DoEd–CNN
What is state capture? A warning for Americans – NYT
Trump brazenly defies laws in escalating executive power grab; President Trump has appeared to feel little constraint by any need to show respect for the rule of law – NYT
More than 8,000 web pages across more than a dozen agencies have been taken down – NYT
Musk Is a ‘Special Government Employee.’ What Does That Mean? – NYT
White House says Musk will police his own conflicts of interest – Bloomberg
“Musk, 53, is the CEO of SpaceX, which has significant government contracts with NASA and the US military. The company’s rocket launches are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. He is also the CEO of Tesla Inc., the electric car-maker that has been the subject of probes by several federal agencies ranging from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“I don’t know of any other case, anywhere, in which an individual could determine for himself whether he had a conflict of interest,” said Donald Kettl… former dean at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. “In fact, self-determination of a conflict of interest is itself a conflict of interest.”
Tues, Feb 4, 2025: A legal counteroffensive to beat back Trump’s government purges – NYT
Mon, Feb 3, 2025: Trump kicks aside Congress with sweeping claims of presidential power – WSJ
Wed, Jan 29, 2025: Trump’s retribution continues with removal of Gen. Milley’s security – NYTimes
Wed, Jan 29, 2025: Trump is dismantling system that guards against govt malfeasance – NYTimes
Wed, Jan 29, 2025: DOJ drops case against Trump’s former co-defendants in classified docs – CNN
Mon, Jan 27, 2025:
What America’s Tech Billionaires Really Bought When They Backed Donald Trump – Bloomberg
Why government needs independent inspectors general – WashPost
“Sen. Joni Ernst launched a new Inspector General Caucus on Jan. 15, with the laudable goal of empowering watchdogs across the executive branch as they identify waste, fraud and abuse. She said the inspectors general “supplied key details” in creating her road map for the “Department of Government Efficiency” and in gathering information on how few federal employees come into the office. “Their work has been invaluable,” she said. Her fellow Iowa Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley, added: “I rely heavily on these independent watchdogs when carrying out my constitutional responsibility of oversight.” Nine days later, President Donald Trump fired at least 15 inspectors general in a Friday night purge….Trump is violating a 2022 law that passed with strong bipartisan support to protect the IGs’ independence. ”
Sun, Jan 26, 2025: WH warns of “consequences” for Republicans who don’t support all of Trump’s nominees – NBC
Sun, Jan 26, 2025: Trump pardoned the Jan 6 convicts; now his DOJ is wiping evidence of rioters’ crimes from the internet – CNN
Fri, Jan 24, 2025: Supreme Court to weigh constitutionality of religious charter school – CNN
Thurs, Jan 23, 2025: Experts blast Trump’s censorship order as “direct assault on reality” – CNN
Tues, Jan 21, 2025:
Trump finds a new way for foreign govt’s to pay him off, Crypto– WPost/Rampell
A look at false claims Trump made at inaugural events – AP
Mon, Jan 20, 2025:
Trump commutes sentences of far-right extremist leaders as he pardons nearly 1,500 Jan. 6th U.S. Capitol rioters convicted of assaulting police, damaging the U.S. Capitol, and seeking to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power; most Americans oppose the pardons – CNN
“Trump granted full pardons to nearly all defendants involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and commuted the sentences of 14. Among the recipients of clemency from Trump were leaders of far-right groups who had been found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other offenses in connection with the Capitol attack.” – WSJ
Fri, Jan 17, 2025: Biden says Equal Rights Amendment is ratified, kicking off legal battle – CNN
Tues, Jan 14, 2025: Trump’s threat to U.S. liberal democracy – FT
Tues, Jan. 7, 2025: Four years after Capitol riot, Congress certifies Trump’s victory peacefully – NYT
Mon, Jan. 6, 2025: Congress overhauled the electoral count process after 2021 violence – NYT
The new law says the Vice President, ““shall have no power to solely determine, accept, reject, or otherwise adjudicate or resolve disputes over the proper certificate of ascertainment of appointment of electors, the validity of electors, or the votes of electors.” The Electoral Count Act “also raised the threshold for members of Congress to object to a state’s electoral count, from a single member to at least one-fifth of the members of both the House and Senate.”
Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025:
Joe Biden: What Americans should remember about Jan. 6 – WashPost
“A Day of Love”: How Trump Inverted the Violent History of Jan. 6 – NYTimes
Friday, Dec. 6, 2024:
Musk spent more than a quarter billion dollars to elect Trump – CNN
They gave millions to Trump. Now they’re named to top jobs – Bloomberg
Trump has assembled an uber-wealthy Cabinet, raising risks of ethics conflicts – WashPost
Wed, Dec. 4, 2024: Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser – AP
Tues, Dec. 31, 2024: Lessons from a bumpy “super year” of global elections – AP
Sat, Dec 14, 2025: Trump’s executive order strategy: Go ahead, sue me – WashPost
Wed, Nov. 20, 2024: Trump’s recess appointment gambit is unconstitutional – Bloomberg
Tues, Nov. 19, 2024: Trump ignores transition rules. It’s a ‘hostile takeover,’ ally says – WashPost