Anna Bower

EXCLUSIVE: One Saturday afternoon in October, my phone lit up with a notification. I glanced down at the message. “Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began. So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...

Note: The “preliminary hearing” scheduled for today could be quite interesting & consequential. It’s not an initial appearance—it’s a probable cause hearing in which the magistrate decides whether to dismiss the complaint. Witnesses could be called, with cross examination by the defense.

While you were sleeping: DOJ files superseding complaint, adds obstruction counts in case against former FBI agents Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides Preliminary hearing set for today at 11 am. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Lmfao

“I thought it was”

This is the central question of an entire smash hit documentary, counselor

Press X to doubt

At 4 p.m. ET, @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org will sit down with @mollyroberts.bsky.social, @annabower.bsky.social, @rparloff.bsky.social, and @ericcolumbus.bsky.social Columbus to discuss developments in litigation against Trump administration’s policies. youtube.com/live/KPgBGey...

It’s not even about him commenting on the ongoing investigation. He’s responding to a public statement by a congressman by calling the congressman a “criminal” and posting body cam photos from his 2023 arrest by state highway patrol for a misdemeanor DUI charge. bsky.app/profile/jmal...

He is remarkably consistent in supporting alleged perpetrators and enablers of sexual violence and attacking their victims

For anyone wondering about how the Louise Lucas indictment relates to DOJ's so-called "60 day rule" about pre-election actions, Jack Goldsmith wrote about the purported rule for @lawfaremedia.org in October 2024: www.lawfaremedia.org/article/what...

The woman responsible for the Civil Rights Division at the United States Justice Department says she’s “indictment maxxing”

You’ve seen "You Can See Everything." Now you can see everything Elizabeth Holmes said under oath. I rounded up the full transcripts from her criminal trial, plus video of her 2017 SEC deposition. See it on Slip Opinion, and subscribe (it's free) for more: annabower.substack.com/p/you-can-se...

People with knowledge keep saying - in public and to me in private - that you get a pardon in this government by literally paying a bribe. I mean at some point it’s all going to come out, right?

NEW: Lindsay Graham and Jim Clyburn were under FBI investigation for bribery. Then Trump dismantled the DOJ & FBI public corruption units. The investigation died. We unearthed it: www.propublica.org/article/nava...

To clarify, this is just my top three atm. Obviously, there are other contenders. Sandwich guy, reflecting pool, UFC White House show. The list goes on. (WITAOD is disqualified. As leader of the movement, I must recuse, or it would top the list every time.)

Remember: To make the list, the underlying facts/legal issues have to be both extremely stupid AND consequential for the rule of law or democracy bsky.app/profile/anna...

You’ve seen "You Can See Everything." Now you can see everything Elizabeth Holmes said under oath. I rounded up the full transcripts from her criminal trial, plus video of her 2017 SEC deposition. See it on Slip Opinion, and subscribe (it's free) for more: annabower.substack.com/p/you-can-se...

Reyes, before she wraps up golf course hearing, says her family has been texting her, "freaking out" over CNN report about death threats bc of this case. "A federal judge is getting death threats over a golf course. I really don’t think that’s what the founders envisioned."

I just………….

Gonna start a new thread for the argument on the PI, to clean things up. Starting with Final Agency Action.

I am thankfully now on my laptop instead of my phone, so I should be able to type faster and capture more of the word-for-word when we come back.

Good fucking god, did you just "not relevant" a direct question from the judge?

Oh. Oh honey. No.

JR: maybe clear courtroom and go under seal, do a voir dire. 15 min break now

JR: deliberative. Must be info to help agency formulate decision. Does not apply to purely factual info. Must not be working law of agency which I assume that you ppl know what that means. When back, argument on pre-decisional nature of privilege and also plan on how move forward

Stanley Woodward for DOJ: intruding on A/C privilege but deliberative privilege as well JR: if you want to get into that…I will lay out test, then questions. Privilege to apply info must be predecisional, before agency’s final decision. What is the decision that info pertains to?

JR: painfully aware from litigating just bc lawyer on email during mtg doesn’t make all privileged, has to be request for legal advice, giving of it. Facts about when, why, don’t strike me as legal advice. But sensitive to not intruding on privilege

GW: email. ... AL: what role did Griess have. ... GW: i dont interact with him on regular basis. AL: the meeting of 10/5 ... afternoon? GW: i have so many meetings ... AL: included Bowron? GW: [not sure. lots of meetings] AL: what was discussed about trees on 10/5 GW: legal counsel present /46

Judge asks witness to step away while she discusses with attys. lawyer on email does not make whole convo privileged. has to be request for legal advice or opinion. but i'm sensitive. Mr. woodward how would you like to proceed? SW: both atty/client & deliberative process privilege implicated /47

AL: anyone involved in golf courses under Trump name GW: no AL: Meredith O’Rourke (fundraiser) GW: no

AL: you said you found out CLR in September. How done on basis of CLR you weren’t aware of? GW: NPS was aware. Their intent to implement AL: how was it you learned what happened in summer was pursuant to CLR? DOJ: objection, make sure not eliciting privileged testimony

I’m here. Abbe Lowell questioning Gregory Wischer.

JR: in any answers please don’t discuss back and forth w/ DOJ or DOI attorneys AL: I can be clear. Your testimony said aware of CLR in September. Said some fence op occurred in summer, before aware anything to do with CLR. Anyone at agency before stand today that fence had to do w/ CLR?

GW: yes, along with the sea wall, it’s to clean it up. AL: when aware of CLR? GW: mid/late Sept. looked it up online. AL: what caused you to? GW: throughout summer looking at ways to clean up the course. We would go out, look at it, otherwise look at documents

GW: We’ve been cleaning up the course all summer.” Abbe Lowell: Removing trees = cleaning up the course? Judge Reyes: trees cut down healthy, non-invasive. Cleaning up to remove 400+? GW: “Trash Island” last Saturday JR: non-invasive, healthy trees? Back to AL’s question

Molly has arrived for the golf course hearing and is live posting about it, too! Follow along ⬇️👇

AL: asking about Culture Landsape Report of 2019 and tree management plan (TMP) of last week. AL: trees removed 10/10 in the number of 100s. aware? GW: yes AL: people in Adm claimed that was operated pursuant to cultural landscape report of 2019. is that really true? GW: could you restate question?

GW: from time i became deputy. AL: going to ask about public course at East Potomac ... one is 2019 plan. one is Trump plan. You no doubt saw there is now a plan to build championship plan. you saw? GW: yes AL: & post this morning GW: yes /20

wild thread thus far

GW says he really thought the TMP was done pursuant to 2019. AL: if operation on 10/10 to remove >400 trees was going to be done under CLR to restore the course the way it was intended & plan was, as president announced, to start renovations 11/1 or immediately, why implement TMP for 2 weeks /22

RS: i have no reason to believe-- J: if you can't answer q2uestion just say you can't answer did DOJ understand when making reps to me that TMP plan had nothing to do with Wash National redesign of course and only and everythiing to do with2019 report. yes? no? can't answer? /18

J: we'll go to testimony Judge calls Greg Wischer Stan Woodward has no questions to begin. Judge sequesters govt witnesses sequestered. Also the plaintiffs. Abbe Lowell (for plaintiffs): AL: how long dep chief of staff GW: may 2025 AL: working on various efforts dealing with monuments? /19