Newsletter:
(Another) Friday Night Massacre
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President Trump has continued to move to radically reshape the federal government — spuriously scapegoating diversity hiring ([link removed]) , offering buyouts to federal workers ([link removed]) , ousting DOJ employees ([link removed]) who investigated him, and threatening to fire ([link removed]) top FBI officials — and turn it into a bureaucracy of loyalists. And he’s taking direct aim at the institutions and people meant to hold him accountable.

His late-night, end-of-the-week firings of 17 independent inspectors general ([link removed]) is a clear example. Inspectors general — nonpartisan officials charged with rooting out waste, fraud, and abuses of office at their respective agencies — have long been a target of a president openly disdainful of oversight.

The firings were not only a clear signal of Trump’s intent to evade the systems meant to keep his administration in check — they were also illegal.
* Under the Inspector General Act of 1978 ([link removed]) , Congress must receive 30 days’ notice before an inspector general is dismissed. The law was amended in 2022 to, among other things, require substantive explanation, including case-specific reasons.
* Trump’s norm-breaking firings ([link removed]) raise concerns that he could replace the independent watchdogs with loyalists and further undermine government transparency and oversight ([link removed]) .
* The political independence of inspectors general — and thus their ability to act in the interest of the public, and not the president or agency heads — is crucial for their ability to safeguard government programs that affect millions of Americans.

We immediately filed FOIA requests ([link removed]) to several agencies for related communications, including with the Trump transition team, the White House, or Congress.
* Requests went to the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, HHS, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, the Interior, State, the Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and Transportation, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Administration and Social Security Administration.

* “By abruptly firing over a dozen independent watchdogs without the required notice to Congress, President Trump has brazenly violated federal law and attacked the very systems leading to accountability in the federal government,” our deputy executive director Liz Hempowicz said ([link removed]) . “We plan to uncover the facts so the public and lawmakers can hold the administration responsible for these abuses of power.”

Opposing Pam Bondi’s and Kash Patel’s Nominations

We joined the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights ([link removed]) and more than 90 civil rights organizations this week in opposing Trump’s nomination of Pam Bondi ([link removed]) to be U.S. attorney general. Bondi’s history of unflinching loyalty to Trump and her problematic civil rights record prove she is unfit to fairly and independently lead the Justice Department.
* Bondi promoted Trump’s stolen election lies ([link removed]) after the 2020 election and served as a personal lawyer ([link removed]) for Trump during his first impeachment trial. In 2013, as Florida attorney general, Bondi declined to investigate ([link removed]) allegations of fraud against the for-profit Trump University after Trump’s family foundation sent a check for $25,000 ([link removed]) to a political action committee she was associated with.
* During her tenure in Florida, Bondi advocated to repeal the Affordable Care Act ([link removed]) , supported restrictions on abortion ([link removed]) , and fought against certain LGBTQ+ rights ([link removed]) , including the legalization of same-sex marriage ([link removed]) .

Trump routinely sought to use the Justice Department for his own political benefit during his first term, and just within his first week and a half back in the Oval Office he has already ([link removed]) demonstrated ([link removed]) his intent ([link removed]) to manipulate and abuse the department during his second term.
* The U.S. attorney general is accountable to the American people — not the president — and must be committed to ensuring the department enforces laws fairly for all.

Bondi’s nomination — as well as the nomination of Kash Patel ([link removed]) , another avowed loyalist, to lead the FBI — represent a grave threat to the rule of law and the independence of the Justice Department.
* We’ve been investigating Patel, who had his confirmation hearing on Thursday, since the first Trump administration, when he held positions at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Pentagon.
* “Kash Patel’s nomination is powerful evidence that President Trump values personal fealty over qualifications and commitment to the rule of law,” said our interim executive director, Chioma Chukwu. “Any official who publishes a list of ‘enemies’ has no business heading the principal investigative arm of the Department of Justice.”

On the Records

New Florida AG’s Secrecy
As the Orlando Sentinel highlighted ([link removed]) this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newly appointed state attorney general, James Uthmeier, is at the center of legal battles over public records, including one lawsuit brought by the Florida Center for Government Accountability.
* Our lawsuit ([link removed]) against the governor’s office for his pattern or practice of failing to properly respond to public records requests in violation of state law seeks a range of documents, including the calendars of Uthmeier, who served as DeSantis’ chief of staff.
* On Monday, we’ll present oral arguments in the case addressing DeSantis’ motion to dismiss ([link removed]) our lawsuit, and our own motion to force his office to provide discovery. This week, a judge rejected DeSantis’ motion to dismiss one of our four claims.

Uthmeier’s name is a familiar one for those who followed our investigation of the governor’s controversial migrant relocation efforts.
* In 2022, we obtained documents related to the flights ([link removed]) that transported undocumented immigrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.
* The records contain text messages of the officials and contractors who arranged the political stunt; mentions in the text messages of someone named “James” are potentially references to Uthmeier.

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ Far-Right Education Connections
After Trump removed restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducting raids in schools, this week Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters proposed new rules ([link removed]) that would require the state’s public schools to track students’ legal immigration status ([link removed]) .
* Records obtained by American Oversight and recently reported on by the New York Times Magazine ([link removed]) reveal close ties between the Oklahoma State Education Department (OSDE) under Walters and far-right education groups including Moms for Liberty, PragerU, and Parents Defending Education.
* The records, such as a document circulated by Walters’ staff titled “Putting God Back in the Classroom,” shed light on his efforts to inject white Christian nationalism into public education.
* In September 2023, Walters claimed in testimony before a U.S. House committee that Chinese influence was impacting Oklahoma schools ([link removed]) . Records we obtained show that Parents Defending Education sent Walters research and records about Chinese politics and influence, and had met with OSDE about “foreign influence in public schools,” in the weeks leading up to his testimony.
* The records also show that Walters was in frequent contact with officials at the Heritage Foundation, including Lindsey Burke, the lead author of Project 2025’s chapter on education.

Other Stories We’re Following

Trump Administration
* Firings, freezes and layoffs: A look at Trump’s moves against federal employees and programs (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Democrats demand info on DOJ shakeup, firings (Politico ([link removed]) )
* Trump White House rescinds memo freezing federal money after widespread confusion (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Trump signs settlement agreement with Meta, source says (CNN ([link removed]) )
* Proud Boys leader thanks Trump for January 6 pardon and vows revenge (Guardian ([link removed]) )
* Trump pardoned the January 6 convicts. Now his DOJ is wiping evidence of rioters’ crimes from the internet (CNN ([link removed]) )
* Trump fires acting Labor Board chair in legally dubious move (Axios ([link removed]) )
* Senior U.S. official to exit after rift with Musk allies over payment system (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* As his first act, new Federal Trade Commission antitrust watchdog attacks diversity and inclusion (Ohio Capital Journal ([link removed]) )

Voting Rights
* U.S. seeks to drop case against Virginia over voter-roll cleanup before election (Votebeat ([link removed]) )
* Supreme Court leaves in place Mississippi’s voting ban for people convicted of some crimes (Associated Press ([link removed]) )

National News
* U.S. air force resumes teaching videos on first Black and female pilots after DEI review (Guardian ([link removed]) )
* Musk lawyer tries to build a powerhouse firm with a billionaire client (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* Appeals court strikes down federal ban on handgun sales to teenagers (New York Times ([link removed]) )

LGBTQ Rights
* Idaho lawmakers want Supreme Court to overturn same-sex marriage decision (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* Trans community fears Trump's actions will upend legal precedent on prison protections (NPR ([link removed]) )
* Trump signs an order restricting gender-affirming care for minors (NPR ([link removed]) )
* ​​Justice Department drops case against Texas doctor charged with leaking trans care data (NBC News ([link removed]) )
* Trump order targets transgender troops and ‘radical gender ideology’ (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* Trump moves toward pushing openly transgender people out of military (New York Times ([link removed]) )

Abortion and Reproductive Rights
* Pentagon scrubs Biden-era abortion travel policy (The Hill ([link removed]) )
* Trump administration takes first anti-abortion move on world stage (Politico ([link removed]) )
* Federal judge revives legal effort to limit access to abortion pill (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* ‘Using the devil’s own tools against them': Abortion opponents turn to environmental laws (Politico ([link removed]) )
* Trump Justice Dept. limits enforcement of FACE Act, which protects reproductive health facilities (CBS News ([link removed]) )

Threats to Education
* Trump Education Department revives DeVos-era Title IX sex discrimination rules (Chalkbeat ([link removed]) )
* Trump orders Education, Labor and other departments to enhance school choice (NPR ([link removed]) )
* Trump issues orders on K-12 ‘indoctrination,’ school choice and campus protests (Politico ([link removed]) )
* Tennessee lawmakers just passed a $447M school choice bill. Here's what it does (Tennessean ([link removed]) )

Civil Rights
* Trump is reversing the Justice Department's civil rights policies (NBC News ([link removed]) )
* Trump doesn't only want to end DEI. He's also voiding a Civil Rights-era anti-discrimination rule. (CBS News ([link removed]) )
* Trump fires two Democratic commissioners of agency that enforces civil rights laws in the workplace (Associated Press ([link removed]) )

Government Transparency and Public Records Law
* A Defense Department directive to expand access to military courts falls short of federal law’s requirements (ProPublica ([link removed]) )
* Will disbanding Utah’s public records committee streamline the appeals process? (Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed]) )
* Tennessee’s immigration enforcement division would be confidential (Tennessee Lookout ([link removed]) )

Immigration
* Trump officials issue quotas to ICE officers to ramp up arrests (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* Trump’s border emergency declaration comes amid relative calm after years of major turmoil (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Trump directs Guantanamo Bay to be prepared to host up to 30,000 migrants (CNN ([link removed]) )
* Trump administration may pull money from TSA, Coast Guard to help ICE afford costly deportations (NBC News ([link removed]) )
* Trump administration revokes deportation protections for 600,000 Venezuelans (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Trump immigration raids snag U.S. citizens, including Native Americans, raising racial profiling fears (NBC News ([link removed]) )
* Advocate groups ordered to stop aiding refugees who have already arrived in US (CNN ([link removed]) )
* The tech arsenal that could power Trump’s immigration crackdown (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* Homan defends immigration raids at middle, elementary schools (The Hill ([link removed]) )
* Trump administration seeking more aircraft for mass deportations (Bloomberg ([link removed]) )

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