Brad Heath
@bradheath.bsky.social
DC reporter for Reuters on crime, justice and investigations. Data, documents and "convoluted KGB style back-door" stuff. Lawyer, but not yours. 202-527-9709, [email protected]
Pinned
Brad Heath
@bradheath.bsky.social
· Nov 12
How to reach me:
Email: [email protected]
Phone, Signal: 202 527-9709
WhatsApp: 703 835-7998
1333 H St., NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005
Email: [email protected]
Phone, Signal: 202 527-9709
WhatsApp: 703 835-7998
1333 H St., NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005
Reposted by Brad Heath
JUST IN: Judge Sooknanan has rejected DOJ's effort to dismiss a lawsuit brought by immigration detainees at Guanatanamo Bay, saying the plaintiffs made a plausible claim that the policy is illegal and punitive. ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
December 5, 2025 at 8:40 PM
JUST IN: Judge Sooknanan has rejected DOJ's effort to dismiss a lawsuit brought by immigration detainees at Guanatanamo Bay, saying the plaintiffs made a plausible claim that the policy is illegal and punitive. ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
Reposted by Brad Heath
#SCOTUS adds 4 cases to its docket, including one (but not both) of the birthright citizenship cases.
As for why only one, this is the case that cleanly presents the merits (where Court’s likely to rule against Trump); the other case would’ve required the justices to decide if states had standing.
As for why only one, this is the case that cleanly presents the merits (where Court’s likely to rule against Trump); the other case would’ve required the justices to decide if states had standing.
December 5, 2025 at 6:58 PM
#SCOTUS adds 4 cases to its docket, including one (but not both) of the birthright citizenship cases.
As for why only one, this is the case that cleanly presents the merits (where Court’s likely to rule against Trump); the other case would’ve required the justices to decide if states had standing.
As for why only one, this is the case that cleanly presents the merits (where Court’s likely to rule against Trump); the other case would’ve required the justices to decide if states had standing.
Reposted by Brad Heath
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Federal judge orders unsealing of grand jury transcripts from abandoned Jeffrey Epstein investigation in Florida.
December 5, 2025 at 6:18 PM
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Federal judge orders unsealing of grand jury transcripts from abandoned Jeffrey Epstein investigation in Florida.
Reposted by Brad Heath
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announces another boat strike in response to a request/wish from Turning Point USA’s Andrew Kolvet.
December 5, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announces another boat strike in response to a request/wish from Turning Point USA’s Andrew Kolvet.
FBI Director Kash Patel has — on more than one occasion — ordered that the security detail protecting his girlfriend escort one of her allegedly inebriated friends home after a night of partying in Nashville, according to three people with knowledge of the incidents.
www.ms.now/news/kash-pa...
www.ms.now/news/kash-pa...
December 5, 2025 at 4:18 PM
FBI Director Kash Patel has — on more than one occasion — ordered that the security detail protecting his girlfriend escort one of her allegedly inebriated friends home after a night of partying in Nashville, according to three people with knowledge of the incidents.
www.ms.now/news/kash-pa...
www.ms.now/news/kash-pa...
Reposted by Brad Heath
SCOOP: The Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect told the FBI he believed in 2020 election conspiracy theories.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he believed 2020 election conspiracy theories
The suspect has been cooperating with the FBI, according to sources, and is expected to make his first court appearance on Friday.
www.nbcnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:14 PM
SCOOP: The Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect told the FBI he believed in 2020 election conspiracy theories.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
"It is difficult to find people knowledgeable about the relevant body of law and not working for Mr. Trump who think the United States is really in an armed conflict."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/u...
Second Strike Scrutiny Obscures Larger Question About Trump’s Boat Attacks
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:51 PM
"It is difficult to find people knowledgeable about the relevant body of law and not working for Mr. Trump who think the United States is really in an armed conflict."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/u...
Reposted by Brad Heath
NEW: The Trump Justice Department failed to secure an indictment today against New York Attorney General Letitia James.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Grand jury declines to indict N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James, less than two weeks after the first case was dismissed
Federal officials failed to secure the new indictment against James, whom Trump has targeted, after a judge said the previous one was secured by an unlawfully appointed prosecutor.
www.nbcnews.com
December 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
NEW: The Trump Justice Department failed to secure an indictment today against New York Attorney General Letitia James.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Reposted by Brad Heath
December 4, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Reposted by Brad Heath
UPDATE: Prosecutors helped ID Brian Cole Jr. as the suspected pipe bomber by tracing purchases he made in 2019 and 2020 that include all the components of the pipe bombs discovered outside the RNC and DNC. See the full complaint:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
UPDATE: Prosecutors helped ID Brian Cole Jr. as the suspected pipe bomber by tracing purchases he made in 2019 and 2020 that include all the components of the pipe bombs discovered outside the RNC and DNC. See the full complaint:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
The Inspector General says some of the Signal messages on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's personal phone about strikes in Yemen had been deleted, so "we had to rely in part on the transcript of the chat The Atlantic posted publicly."
December 4, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The Inspector General says some of the Signal messages on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's personal phone about strikes in Yemen had been deleted, so "we had to rely in part on the transcript of the chat The Atlantic posted publicly."
The seditious conspiracy statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2384, criminalizes interfering with the government "by force," so it's not obvious how a video posted online would fit.
Scoop: FBI aims to escalate its inquiry into 6 Democrats who made video for troops by pressing domestic terrorism squad to launch a formal seditious conspiracy investigation. Washington Field Office leaders are pushing back b/c they don't see a crime. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
FBI Seeks ‘Seditious Conspiracy’ Probe of Democratic Lawmakers
The FBI is pressuring domestic terrorism agents to open a seditious conspiracy investigation into six Democratic lawmakers who advised military service members to defy unlawful orders, according to th...
news.bloomberglaw.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:31 PM
The seditious conspiracy statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2384, criminalizes interfering with the government "by force," so it's not obvious how a video posted online would fit.
Reposted by Brad Heath
A federal grand jury was meeting on Thursday to consider a second set of criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, a source familiar with the matter said, after a judge threw out an initial set of charges against the prominent antagonist of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Grand jury weighs second criminal case against Trump antagonist Letitia James, source says
A federal grand jury was meeting on Thursday to consider a second set of criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, a source familiar with the matter said, after a judge threw out an initial set of charges against the prominent antagonist of U.S. President Donald Trump.
reut.rs
December 4, 2025 at 3:05 PM
A federal grand jury was meeting on Thursday to consider a second set of criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, a source familiar with the matter said, after a judge threw out an initial set of charges against the prominent antagonist of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Reposted by Brad Heath
the @washingtonpost.com reports that 80% of aliens arrested in DC crackdown had no criminal record--932 individuals. (DHS spox Tricia McLaughlin routinely asserts that 70% of those arrested have US criminal records.)
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
December 4, 2025 at 12:59 PM
the @washingtonpost.com reports that 80% of aliens arrested in DC crackdown had no criminal record--932 individuals. (DHS spox Tricia McLaughlin routinely asserts that 70% of those arrested have US criminal records.)
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Reposted by Brad Heath
JUST IN: The NY Times lawsuit names names, saying the Pentagon's new press restrictions violate the First Amendment by forcing out journalists who ask adversarial questions and replacing them with avowed MAGA supporters. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 4, 2025 at 11:12 AM
JUST IN: The NY Times lawsuit names names, saying the Pentagon's new press restrictions violate the First Amendment by forcing out journalists who ask adversarial questions and replacing them with avowed MAGA supporters. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Brad Heath
With the pardon of Rep. Henry Cuellar D-TX, who had been accused of bribery and corruption, President Trump has now pardoned 12 members of Congress - 10 Republicans and 2 Democrats. (All but Cuellar had been convicted.)
December 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
With the pardon of Rep. Henry Cuellar D-TX, who had been accused of bribery and corruption, President Trump has now pardoned 12 members of Congress - 10 Republicans and 2 Democrats. (All but Cuellar had been convicted.)
For the life of me, I cannot understand why news organizations are adopting AI widgets like this, especially when they're pinned to the top of an article so that readers see them before they ever see the text.
It's practically begging readers to not read the things you're paying people to write.
It's practically begging readers to not read the things you're paying people to write.
December 3, 2025 at 3:30 PM
For the life of me, I cannot understand why news organizations are adopting AI widgets like this, especially when they're pinned to the top of an article so that readers see them before they ever see the text.
It's practically begging readers to not read the things you're paying people to write.
It's practically begging readers to not read the things you're paying people to write.
Reposted by Brad Heath
Lead Post reporter on that story Alex Horton served in the infantry in Iraq.
Q: So you didn't see any survivors after that first strike?
HEGSETH: I did not personally see survivors. The thing was on fire. This is called the fog of war. This is what you in the press don't understand. You sit in your air conditioned offices and plant fake stories in the Washington Post
HEGSETH: I did not personally see survivors. The thing was on fire. This is called the fog of war. This is what you in the press don't understand. You sit in your air conditioned offices and plant fake stories in the Washington Post
December 2, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Lead Post reporter on that story Alex Horton served in the infantry in Iraq.
Reposted by Brad Heath
Order of the day, courtesy of Judge Amy Berman Jackson in DC. Earlier: www.npr.org/2024/04/26/1...
December 2, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Order of the day, courtesy of Judge Amy Berman Jackson in DC. Earlier: www.npr.org/2024/04/26/1...
Reposted by Brad Heath
SCOOP: Dan Richman, a key figure in the now-dismissed case against James Comey, has filed suit over the gov't's handling of data seized from his devices.
He says his constitutional rights were violated — and seeks to block DOJ from further use of the materials.
open.substack.com/pub/annabowe...
He says his constitutional rights were violated — and seeks to block DOJ from further use of the materials.
open.substack.com/pub/annabowe...
The Civil Suit That Could Derail the Comey Prosecution (Again)
Daniel Richman, a central figure in the now-dismissed criminal case against James Comey, files suit over the government's handling of his property.
open.substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:57 AM
SCOOP: Dan Richman, a key figure in the now-dismissed case against James Comey, has filed suit over the gov't's handling of data seized from his devices.
He says his constitutional rights were violated — and seeks to block DOJ from further use of the materials.
open.substack.com/pub/annabowe...
He says his constitutional rights were violated — and seeks to block DOJ from further use of the materials.
open.substack.com/pub/annabowe...
There have been at least 19 murders in D.C. since Trump deployed the National Guard here in August. One was the murder of a Guard soldier less than a week ago.
December 2, 2025 at 5:45 PM
There have been at least 19 murders in D.C. since Trump deployed the National Guard here in August. One was the murder of a Guard soldier less than a week ago.
Reposted by Brad Heath
Bear in mind this is a taxpayer-funded government comms staffer posting these things. Gregory Bovino testified under oath that he does not run the @CMDROpAtLargeCA account, although he sometimes dictates tweets for it. He claimed not to know how to post on the account (take that for what you will).
December 2, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Bear in mind this is a taxpayer-funded government comms staffer posting these things. Gregory Bovino testified under oath that he does not run the @CMDROpAtLargeCA account, although he sometimes dictates tweets for it. He claimed not to know how to post on the account (take that for what you will).
It's not totally clear that re-indicting Comey will give the government a clean slate. It'll still have to litigate the time bar, which might turn on the validity of the first indictment.
Plus, if DOJ doesn't (successfully) appeal, it's stuck with the ruling that Halligan isn't the U.S. attorney.
Plus, if DOJ doesn't (successfully) appeal, it's stuck with the ruling that Halligan isn't the U.S. attorney.
Breaking on MS NOW: The Trump Justice Department is considering seeking another indictment of James Comey this week in the Eastern District of Virginia. It might be going before a grand jury today.
This would be in lieu of appealing the ruling from last week dismissing the case against Comey.
This would be in lieu of appealing the ruling from last week dismissing the case against Comey.
December 2, 2025 at 3:54 PM
It's not totally clear that re-indicting Comey will give the government a clean slate. It'll still have to litigate the time bar, which might turn on the validity of the first indictment.
Plus, if DOJ doesn't (successfully) appeal, it's stuck with the ruling that Halligan isn't the U.S. attorney.
Plus, if DOJ doesn't (successfully) appeal, it's stuck with the ruling that Halligan isn't the U.S. attorney.
From Reuters: President Donald Trump has pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was released from a U.S. prison where he was serving a 45-year sentence on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
December 2, 2025 at 2:37 PM
From Reuters: President Donald Trump has pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was released from a U.S. prison where he was serving a 45-year sentence on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
Reposted by Brad Heath
BREAKING NYT:
The Trump admin just fired eight immigration judges in New York City.
All the judges were dismissed from the immigration offices at 26 Federal Plaza — a building that houses the NYC headquarters of ICE and has become the epicenter of migrant arrests in the city.
The Trump admin just fired eight immigration judges in New York City.
All the judges were dismissed from the immigration offices at 26 Federal Plaza — a building that houses the NYC headquarters of ICE and has become the epicenter of migrant arrests in the city.
Trump Administration Fires 8 Immigration Judges in New York
www.nytimes.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:25 AM
BREAKING NYT:
The Trump admin just fired eight immigration judges in New York City.
All the judges were dismissed from the immigration offices at 26 Federal Plaza — a building that houses the NYC headquarters of ICE and has become the epicenter of migrant arrests in the city.
The Trump admin just fired eight immigration judges in New York City.
All the judges were dismissed from the immigration offices at 26 Federal Plaza — a building that houses the NYC headquarters of ICE and has become the epicenter of migrant arrests in the city.