Harry Litman

"This week, we’re featuring a very personal story about righting an injustice against long odds. It lifted my spirits, and I hope it might lift yours, too."

Ninth Circuit holds against the administration’s effort to force CA to set aside votes that the feds have determined –whatever the hell that means –might have been cast by ineligible voters. Very important decision and would have been disaster to go the other way, as 1 judge voted in dissent.

"The DOJ knows that it can’t win this case. It’s all part of an effort to stoke the fires of grievance and try to undermine confidence in the election."

Pundits say the economy will define the midterms. That begs the question: just how bad is this economy for most Americans? @justinwolfers.bsky.social takes a close look at what Trump's business savvy has achieved: FULL EPISODE: https://youtu.be/uF02qvPBh2E

Big news: Court finds Maurene Comey's termination was unlawful and violated her rights under the Civil Service Reform Act, grants reinstatement and backpay. It's a strong and welcome punch in the nose to a bully. I'll be doing a longer youtube on it shortly at youtube.com@talkingfeds

No surprise after Sup Court decision re Chicago but particularly encouraging that court ruled there was no rebellion or danger of rebellion —ie made decision itself rather than deferring to Trump Court Says Trump Violated Law in Los Angeles National Guard Deployment www.nytimes.com/2026/10/24/u...

Completely off-topic, this is a small sweet book I came across this week.  The author is a writer and artist, and it’s a 50 page essay about parenthood and drawing followed by 150 pages of diverse, often rough sketches of her son. I Am Drawing You: A Mother, A Child, A Sketchbook a.co/d/0gJ7nbxE

Another day, another Trump press advisor forced to resign. Britt McHenry, a State Department press adviser who previously worked for ESPN and Fox News Media, caught on camera throwing her drink at a fan during a basketball game and blowing kisses to the crowd while being escorted out. Only the best.

DOJ filed a lawsuit to block Alaska's Senate results if the Republican candidate loses. I spoke with four lawyers about the crucial effort to protect the midterms from attacks just like this one. Check out the Talking Feds roundtable episode here:

"Trump’s BBC lawsuit has now become about the central questions that would have determined his fate had Jack Smith’s January 6 prosecution gone to trial." My latest: https://harrylitman.substack.com/p/trump-hoist-by-his-own-petard

What if ICE raids polling places? What if MAGA sheriffs seize ballot boxes? How about if Trump just tries to cancel the election completely? I talked to four lawyers about the nightmare midterms scenarios and whether we're ready for them. Check it out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc4X...

NYT reports that the DOJ has opened a criminal investigation into Corey Lewandowski over accusations that he profited from his role as a top adviser to the DHS Wd normally assume this is legit--not a standard-issue political enemy anyway--but there is no normal, and plenty of infighting in admin.

Join me on Substack Live at 7 pm ET for this week’s Ask Me Anything. From Trump’s BBC lawsuit to a new reprisal prosecution to the fight over East Potomac Park Golf Course, there’s no shortage of legal news to discuss this week. Drop your questions for me here or in the chat tonight. See you then.

This looks to be the ultimate selective prosecution. Feds have been taking a pass on cases involving marijuana distribution businesses, which are still, to most peoples’ surprise, mostly technically illegal under federal law. And they also indicted her daughter www.cnn.com/2026/10/22/p...

Court orders Trump to sit for a deposition in his lawsuit against the BBC. The whole case is boomeranging against him and coming to focus on January 6. I’ll have a Substack essay out on it in a few hours. harrylitman.substack.com

What the hell? Per WSJ, Ukrainian drones have been forced to fly more slowly because of new limits on Starshield, the military version of Starlink,put in place at Elon Musk‘s personal direction. Zelensky told Rubio the speed needs to be restored. How in the world are we letting Musk call the shots?

what an incredibly tangled web they weave in the White House pay-to-play culture. Shenanigans and possible crimes by Habba, her husband, a pardon recipient, and of course Trump himself. Looking forward to discussing on @deadlinewh.bsky.social with @nicollewallace.bsky.social at 5 PM ET.

Well well well. Supreme Court refuses to grant administration's request to deny gender-transition medical treatments for transgender inmates at federal prisons Unsigned per curiam w/ 2 dissents saying they wd grant the emergency request. 3 guesses as to the 2 dissenters, & the first 2 don't count!

"The DOJ has taken a new giant step in its legal creativity. It has started advancing claims that aren’t a stretch of the law, or a misreading of it, but are wholly unanchored from it." My latest:

The hearing before Judge Reyes on East Potomac Golf Course has resumed. Plainly one of the most fiery hearings of Trump 2.0. I just taped a longer YouTube on the stakes--including Rule 11 and contempt--that DOJ lawyers could face for the filings in Reyes's courtroom.

Hearing before Reyes on East Potomac Golf Course has just resumed. Incredibly tempestuous. They are taking testimony and probing government contention that the tree removals were pursuant to a 2019 plan, not Trump's editc. @rparloff.bsky.social is providing excellent real time summary.

Judge Reyes is in the process of going to war with the DOJ over their squirrelly/dishonest filings in the East Potomac golf course case. She is pushing DOJ lawyer into the corner and then pushing more. There’s a acrid scent of contempt and Rule 11 in the courtroom.

"I have said before that Volume II will eventually be made public, and I hold to that view. But this is a bona fide case of justice delayed being justice denied. Every month the report stays locked away, Trump’s version goes unrebutted."

"If Democrats take the House, the dynamic would change quickly. The House Judiciary Committee could subpoena the Justice Department for Volume II. That would set Cannon’s injunction on a collision course with the oversight power of a coequal branch..."

Katie Zachariah out, a casualty of her lies about being an attorney, which may yet still play out with the california bar. I’m not an expert, but I’m thinking that five days must be the shortest tenure in history for a White House press secretary.

Trump, who hadn't known that Nidal Hassan is in a wheelchair, cancel plans to live stream Hassan's execution, which still will take place, by firing squad, December 3 absent court intervention.

Rs may be struggling, but there’s some real danger signs as Elon pours in $$$ and DOJ signals it might wade into the elections to help Trump. Michelle Cottle, @davidgura.bsky.social, and @sykescharlie.bsky.social join me to think through what the midterms home stretch will bring. Check it out:

Ask Me Anything TODAY at 7 pm ET, open to ALL Talking Feds subscribers Usually a space reserved for paid subscribers, AMA is routinely one of my favorite hours of the week. Come check it out! Send me your questions in the comments below or ask them in the Substack live chat tomorrow. See you there.

"A president in political free fall weeks before the midterms might have better uses for his energy than pumping his legs in midair like Wile E. Coyote. But the reprisal agenda seems to matter more to Trump than anything, including his party's fortunes."

Guilfoyle resigns. Ie walks before they made her run. Don’t think this put an end to investigation of her misdeeds, starting with having a MAGA businessman pay her 100k Am x debt.

searing column by @mjtoma.bsky.social pinpoints the moral abyss that Hegseth's call for a public execution condemns us to. newrepublic.com/article/2165...

That and “I was actually working against him from the inside.”

From eminent child psychiatrist @jonathanslater.bsky.social: “Blaming screens is a convenient way to avoid harder,deeper issues: inadequate mental health care and a system that chronically underfunds treatment.” I’m a Child Psychiatrist. Screens Are Not the Problem. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/09/o...

"There rarely is much of a mystery behind Trump’s authoritarian impulses, and there isn’t here." My latest:

Obviously the shooting preempts my appearance on @lauracoates.com (who by the way is killing it in her live coverage of the shooting). I’m sitting in the studio watching it with everyone else. More on Cassidy Hutchinson later.

Plus the clear dynamic is ICE as rogue agency and NYPD trying to keep the peace.

7 shots fired. 4 pm in afternoon. At a car with 5-year old in it. Can’t use deadly force except in response to imminent threat of death of serious bodily injury. As in, from what we know, a blatantly illegal shooting. That’s without regard to victim’s criminal record. 7 Shots Fired.

“We want ICE out of the city. All they do is terrorize the city.” This is going to go big

Holy crap. NYC man shot by masked ICE agents and whisked away. 5 year old in car, street crowded w/ families & children. Mamdani now speaking, calls it an outrage. Remember: can't use deadly force w/o imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury. ICS "sows chaos and terror across our country."

The next quarry for Trump's reprisal prosecution spree: Cassidy Hutchinson. Beyond outrageous. Chances of a conviction here are nil, and there are ways in which it could really come back to bite the Administration. Looking forward to discussing on @cnn.com with @lauracoates.com at 11:30 PM, on set!

Not sure if it can get more nasty and repulsive than attempted indictment of Cassidy Hutchinson, which has great potential for backfiring on Blanche and DOJ. Looking forward to discussing, along w/ CNN et al injunction, on @deadlinewh.bsky.social w/ guest host @alexwagner.bsky.social at 4:20 PM ET.

We forget about the stories as the media glare moves to the latest outrage. I am in DC for the week, and the National Guard is still a presence on the streets. Especially jarring in the nations capital, like an occupying force.

CHANGE OF TIME for Q&A -- sorry, folks. It'll now be at 5pm ET/2pm PT today. Join us on Substack!

TODAY at 4pm ET/1pm PT I'll be on the @talkingfeds.bsky.social Substack for our weekly LIVE Q&A for paid subscribers. Subscribe here (bit.ly/TFSubstack) and comment your questions below this post

Republicans have a huge cash advantage, but they're finding out that money only goes so far. Here's @dgraham.bsky.social on this week's roundtable, talking about watching Rs set $$$ on fire. Listen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc5b...

Judge Kelly about to convene hearing on motion by CNN et al to enjoin Trump's yanking of passes because he doesn't like what they broadcast -- raw viewpoint discrimination. Looking forward to discussing on set on @msnowreports.bsky.social with @peteralexandertvs.bsky.social at 11:35 AM ET.

I’ve been away this week, but in my absence @jonathanalter.bsky.social, @dgraham.bsky.social, and @mollyjongfast.bsky.social got together for a great roundtable about Republicans giving up on key races, potential stumbling blocks for Dems, and violent rants from a muddled Trump. Don’t miss it:

The Supreme Court begins its term with public confidence in it at a nadir. And Trump still jerking CNN, Politico, and MS around, excluding Politico from the plane and therefore its role as pool rep today. Looking forward to discussing on @cnn w/ @lauracoates.com on set at 11:40 PM ET.

"An American polity increasingly turning against Trump has started to connect the degradations of his presidency to the Court that enabled many of them."

“...in the court’s polite idiom, the government took a whupping. Nearly all observers, including me, anticipate an opinion permitting Boasberg to resume his contempt investigation.”

Flooding the air waves at a location near you, paid for by you with public money: Yet-to-be-aired spots include a trio of ads highlighting the US military and operations in Iran and Venezuela, one called “God Made Trump” and another recapping the UFC fight he hosted at the White House.