CfA’s Bove Complaint, Anti-Abortion Group Fights Transparency in Texas, and the Child Safety Rift

CfA Files Complaint Regarding Apparent Quid-Pro-Quo Scheme Between DOJ, Eric Adams

On Friday, CfA filed an official complaint against acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who appeared in court on Wednesday to defend the Department of Justice’s motion to dismiss the bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Although he could have filed the motion himself, Bove instead threatened to fire every lawyer in the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section if no one stepped forward to do it. Bove’s actions appear to be part of a quid-pro-quo arrangement between DOJ and Adams, which may be conditioned on Adams’ support for President Trump’s policy agenda. At least eight prosecutors have resigned in protest, starting with Manhattan’s acting US Attorney Danielle Sassoon.

Attorneys in New York are governed by the state Bar’s Rule of Professional Responsibility—and there is no question that they apply to Bove. Arranging an under-the-table deal with the subject of an investigation appears to violate those roles, as does attempting to coerce other lawyers to go along with the plan. Now, CfA is asking the Attorney Grievance Committees for both the Southern District of New York and the First Judicial Department of New York to investigate whether Bove violated the state bar’s Rules of Professional Conduct.

CfA’s complaint was included in the New York Times’ coverage of the case, here.

Texas Anti-Abortion Group Protests State’s Attempt to Combat Fraud

In December, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services announced new criteria for its Thriving Texas Families program (TTF), which funnels taxpayer dollars to anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), which do not provide quality healthcare. In 2024, an investigation by ProPublica and CBS news found that the program was “riddled” with waste, thanks to its loose reporting requirements and a reimbursement model that allowed subcontractors to be paid set fees for their services. Now, the state has released updated guidelines for TTF—and they have made at least one anti-abortion group very unhappy.

In an announcement published this week, Texas Right to Life described the changes at TTF as “sabotage,” because they would impose “unnecessary financial and operational burdens” and prevent providers from “focus[ing] on their ministry.” This sentiment was echoed in a letter from Texas State Representative Jeff Leach, who specifically objected to a new rule that prevents CPCs from being reimbursed at or near full market rate for the distribution of goods they receive as donations, like diapers and baby clothes. As CBS reported last year, one Texas CPC paid a nearby diaper bank just $1,590 for an annual supply of 120,000 diapers. Under TTF’s old rules, that CPC could bill the state $30 for distributing a pack of diapers that cost them just over a quarter—with little preventing them from pocketing the difference at the taxpayer’s expense.

Rift Grows Between Senate Republicans and Mike Johnson on Big Tech

On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held yet another hearing to discuss threats to children’s online safety, with a focus on issues like sextortion and Big Tech’s lobbying against bipartisan regulation. Last year, the Senate made progress with KOSA by tweaking its language to ensure that content related to gender and sexuality would not be censored, prompting groups like GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, and the National Center for Transgender Equality drop their opposition. The bill is currently stalled in the House, where tech companies argued that KOSA could be used to stifle conservative speech. One unsigned memo, titled “KOSA is a Huge Threat to Pro-Life Groups,” appeared to resonate with some lawmakers after being circulated to Republican offices in the summer of 2024. The Wall Street Journal later reported that the memo had been distributed by Matt Bravo—a lobbyist and former congressional staffer representing Meta.

Both Republican and Democratic members of the Judiciary Committee criticized Big Tech’s lobbying efforts; in her opening statement, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) argued that the industry “went with distortions and lies to the House,” a sentiment that was echoed by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL).

One witness, South Carolina State Rep. Brandon Guffey, told the committee how a sextortion scam led to the suicide of his oldest son, Gavin. Though Guffey traveled to Washington to deliver his testimony, he informed Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) that he had been unable to arrange a meeting with Speaker Mike Jonson (R-LA), or even speak to his staff.

What We’re Reading

Missouri lawmaker proposes registry of pregnant women ‘at risk’ for abortions

Texas Banned Abortion. Then Sepsis Rates Soared.

Georgia lawmakers unite to tackle unregulated 'anti-abortion clinics' across the state