John Roth
@johnrothdc.bsky.social
Former federal prosecutor, former DHS Inspector General. Ethics and compliance leader in the private sector. Interested in governance, corruption, and justice issues.
This is quite a startling drop, to the detriment of public safety.
NEW: President Trump has repeatedly threatened to bring federal agents, or even soldiers, to San Francisco to battle crime. His administration has actually done the opposite, quietly taking federal law enforcement away from the city to do immigration work instead.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
December 2, 2025 at 3:32 PM
This is quite a startling drop, to the detriment of public safety.
Another apparent series of misrepresentations to two federal courts by the Department of Justice in the Abrego Garcia cases.
November 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Another apparent series of misrepresentations to two federal courts by the Department of Justice in the Abrego Garcia cases.
Reposted by John Roth
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
![II. Credibility
The Court next addresses the credibility of the parties’ evidence and witnesses. After reviewing all the evidence submitted to the Court and listening to the testimony elicited at the preliminary injunction hearing, during depositions, and in other court proceedings, the Court finds Defendants’ evidence simply not credible. [FN 6]
Plaintiffs submitted a mountain of evidence, providing the Court with over eighty declarations, numerous videos and articles, and other evidence. Defendants did not rebut anything that Plaintiffs set forth in their declarations or testimony, even with BWC footage.
[FN 6] In another case considering some of the same evidence presented to this Court, another court in this district also found that the perceptions of certain of Defendants’ declarants, such as Hott and Parra, were not reliable. See Illinois v. Trump, No. 25-cv-12174, 2025 WL 2886645, at *5 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 10, 2025) (noting a “troubling trend of Defendants’ declarants equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning, and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting, or doing violence”), motion to stay denied in part, 155 F.4th 929 (7th Cir. 2025).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreifpyry2il5toxbr3iejgrsxs6kmnwve75qwnhebfp44ieyjrfpsdu@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 11:04 PM
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
This is insane. A government I no longer recognize.
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
November 22, 2025 at 12:05 AM
This is insane. A government I no longer recognize.
Inconceivable numbers. Each one would be a scandal in normal times.
We've updated our Study.
New stats (jaw-dropping imho):
1. DOJ noncompliance with court orders:
26 cases
2. Courts’ distrust of government information and representations:
Over 60 cases
3. Court findings of arbitrary and capricious government conduct:
68 cases
New stats (jaw-dropping imho):
1. DOJ noncompliance with court orders:
26 cases
2. Courts’ distrust of government information and representations:
Over 60 cases
3. Court findings of arbitrary and capricious government conduct:
68 cases
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
November 21, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Inconceivable numbers. Each one would be a scandal in normal times.
Reposted by John Roth
A couple of days ago, we saw another data point, not well publicized, about the cultural health of the Department of Justice.
November 20, 2025 at 3:56 PM
A couple of days ago, we saw another data point, not well publicized, about the cultural health of the Department of Justice.
Reposted by John Roth
To be clear, if you are still driving a Tesla or using X/Twitter, this is what you are supporting. There are non-racist, non-antisemitic alternatives that at least try to tell the truth. apple.news/AZsDQzHogSEO...
White nationalist talking points and racial pseudoscience: welcome to Elon Musk’s Grokipedia — Guardian US
World’s richest person wanted to ‘purge’ propaganda from Wikipedia, so he created a compendium of racist disinformation
apple.news
November 17, 2025 at 12:20 PM
To be clear, if you are still driving a Tesla or using X/Twitter, this is what you are supporting. There are non-racist, non-antisemitic alternatives that at least try to tell the truth. apple.news/AZsDQzHogSEO...
Reposted by John Roth
One hallmark of democratic erosion is when leaders treat dissent as betrayal. Here, Trump attacks an elected official for independent voting choices, and it’s a classic sign of replacing party pluralism with personal loyalty.
November 15, 2025 at 12:48 PM
One hallmark of democratic erosion is when leaders treat dissent as betrayal. Here, Trump attacks an elected official for independent voting choices, and it’s a classic sign of replacing party pluralism with personal loyalty.
For those who are interested in the true culture of the Department of Justice (at least historically) I recommend the following:
open.substack.com/pub/justicec...
open.substack.com/pub/justicec...
Current Assistant U.S. Attorneys Have the Privilege to Represent the United States
You don't represent a president, an attorney general, or a U.S. Attorney. You represent the cause of justice, and that is a privilege – but also a responsibility.
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:14 PM
For those who are interested in the true culture of the Department of Justice (at least historically) I recommend the following:
open.substack.com/pub/justicec...
open.substack.com/pub/justicec...
Judge Ellis ruled yesterday that the lead Border Patrol official in charge of DHS' immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, Gregory Bovino, admitted that he lied in sworn deposition testimony concerning the use of force during operations.
capitolnewsillinois.com/news/restric...
capitolnewsillinois.com/news/restric...
Restrictions on federal immigration agents’ use of riot control weapons extended indefinitely
Article Summary A federal judge has indefinitely extended restrictions on immigration agents’ use of riot control weapons like tear gas
capitolnewsillinois.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Judge Ellis ruled yesterday that the lead Border Patrol official in charge of DHS' immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, Gregory Bovino, admitted that he lied in sworn deposition testimony concerning the use of force during operations.
capitolnewsillinois.com/news/restric...
capitolnewsillinois.com/news/restric...
Reposted by John Roth
Culture and Courage
open.substack.com/pub/steadyst...
Critical guardrails against tyranny: Personal and professional ethics and courage.
open.substack.com/pub/steadyst...
Critical guardrails against tyranny: Personal and professional ethics and courage.
Culture and Courage
The Steady State | by The Honorable John Roth
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Culture and Courage
open.substack.com/pub/steadyst...
Critical guardrails against tyranny: Personal and professional ethics and courage.
open.substack.com/pub/steadyst...
Critical guardrails against tyranny: Personal and professional ethics and courage.
I’ve been thinking a bit over the last few months about organizational culture, including the culture of the Department of Justice, where I spent the majority of my career.
So I wrote something:
substack.com/@steadystate...
So I wrote something:
substack.com/@steadystate...
The Steady State (@steadystate1)
Critical guardrails against tyranny: personal and professional ethics and courage.
substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:40 AM
I’ve been thinking a bit over the last few months about organizational culture, including the culture of the Department of Justice, where I spent the majority of my career.
So I wrote something:
substack.com/@steadystate...
So I wrote something:
substack.com/@steadystate...
www.cbsnews.com/news/erez-re...
More troubling news on the status of the Justice Department, this time in a report from 60 Minutes.
More troubling news on the status of the Justice Department, this time in a report from 60 Minutes.
Fired Justice Department lawyer says he refused to lie in the Abrego Garcia case
Former Justice Department lawyer Erez Reuveni is speaking out about a pattern of troubling behavior he says he witnessed inside the DOJ that undermined the rule of law.
www.cbsnews.com
October 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
www.cbsnews.com/news/erez-re...
More troubling news on the status of the Justice Department, this time in a report from 60 Minutes.
More troubling news on the status of the Justice Department, this time in a report from 60 Minutes.
Two more career prosecutors (this time in EDVA) fired for upholding their ethical obligations. (Specifically, "refrain from prosecuting a charge that the prosecutor knows is not supported by probable cause.") Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/u...
Prosecutor Who Rejected Trump’s Pressure to Charge James Is Fired
www.nytimes.com
October 18, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Two more career prosecutors (this time in EDVA) fired for upholding their ethical obligations. (Specifically, "refrain from prosecuting a charge that the prosecutor knows is not supported by probable cause.") Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/u...
Not a single AUSA from EDVA appeared at Jim Comey’s arraignment. It speaks both to the integrity of the AUSAs in that office and the ill motives in bringing the indictment.
October 10, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Not a single AUSA from EDVA appeared at Jim Comey’s arraignment. It speaks both to the integrity of the AUSAs in that office and the ill motives in bringing the indictment.
District court opinion granting an evidentiary hearing in Abrego Garcia on vindictive prosecution because Todd Blanche, Krist Noam, and Pam Bondi couldn’t keep their mouths shut.
Full opinion here:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Full opinion here:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com
October 4, 2025 at 5:29 PM
District court opinion granting an evidentiary hearing in Abrego Garcia on vindictive prosecution because Todd Blanche, Krist Noam, and Pam Bondi couldn’t keep their mouths shut.
Full opinion here:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Full opinion here:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
In 1987 I took my first oath as a federal prosecutor, to “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
October 3, 2025 at 3:05 AM
In 1987 I took my first oath as a federal prosecutor, to “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
The single most important attribute of an Inspector General is independence. Without that, nothing else matters. I hope the Senate will take its role seriously in examining the fitness of these candidates.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump oversight picks include scandal-hit ex-lawmaker, antiabortion lawyer
Several nominees have clearly partisan backgrounds, including two with controversial histories and two with ties to the agency they would be investigating.
www.washingtonpost.com
May 30, 2025 at 9:24 PM
The single most important attribute of an Inspector General is independence. Without that, nothing else matters. I hope the Senate will take its role seriously in examining the fitness of these candidates.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Reposted by John Roth
My new column:
I’ve always cringed when people say, “Live everyday like it’s your last.” If I did that, the remainder of my days would be devoted to eating fried chicken wings while sitting on my sofa watching "The Real Housewives."
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
I’ve always cringed when people say, “Live everyday like it’s your last.” If I did that, the remainder of my days would be devoted to eating fried chicken wings while sitting on my sofa watching "The Real Housewives."
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
Another person I love has died. I've developed a horrible fear of death. | Opinion
If I 'live everyday like it's your last,' the remainder of my days would be devoted to eating fried chicken while watching 'The Real Housewives.'
www.usatoday.com
April 13, 2025 at 2:33 AM
My new column:
I’ve always cringed when people say, “Live everyday like it’s your last.” If I did that, the remainder of my days would be devoted to eating fried chicken wings while sitting on my sofa watching "The Real Housewives."
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
I’ve always cringed when people say, “Live everyday like it’s your last.” If I did that, the remainder of my days would be devoted to eating fried chicken wings while sitting on my sofa watching "The Real Housewives."
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
David Brooks’ mea culpa is definitely worth a read. An exercise in intellectual humility with some future optimism for our dark times.
David Brooks’ mea culpa is definitely worth a read. An exercise in intellectual humility with some future optimism for our dark times.
I Should Have Seen This Coming
When I joined the conservative movement in the 1980s, there were two types of people: those who cared earnestly about ideas, and those who wanted only to shock the left. The reactionary fringe has won...
www.theatlantic.com
April 10, 2025 at 2:47 PM
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
David Brooks’ mea culpa is definitely worth a read. An exercise in intellectual humility with some future optimism for our dark times.
David Brooks’ mea culpa is definitely worth a read. An exercise in intellectual humility with some future optimism for our dark times.
Reposted by John Roth
A DHS spokesperson defended Trump’s gutting of the agency’s civil rights office, saying of the fired staffers: “rather than supporting law enforcement efforts, they often functioned as internal adversaries to slow down operations.”
New, @davidmcswane.bsky.social @hannahallam.bsky.social
New, @davidmcswane.bsky.social @hannahallam.bsky.social
“They Don’t Care About Civil Rights”: Trump’s Shuttering of DHS Oversight Arm Freezes 600 Cases, Imperils Human Rights
The closure of the 150-person office, which protected the civil rights of both immigrants and U.S. citizens, strips Homeland Security of its internal guardrails as the Trump administration turns DHS i...
www.propublica.org
April 8, 2025 at 5:28 PM
A DHS spokesperson defended Trump’s gutting of the agency’s civil rights office, saying of the fired staffers: “rather than supporting law enforcement efforts, they often functioned as internal adversaries to slow down operations.”
New, @davidmcswane.bsky.social @hannahallam.bsky.social
New, @davidmcswane.bsky.social @hannahallam.bsky.social