In a clear example of Trump’s weaponization of government, the Justice Department opened a grand jury probe into Obama administration officials based on misleading claims by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. It comes after Trump declared former President Barack Obama guilty of treason and all but ordered the DOJ to investigate.

Thursday, August 7

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By Jacob Knutson, reporter

President Donald Trump’s name is in thousands of headlines a day, but in this newsletter, I sift through the stories you should pay attention to and include updates on the latest lawsuits against the administration.

What weaponization of the government looks like

- Anonymous Department of Justice (DOJ) officials said ([link removed] ) Attorney General Pam Bondi launched a grand jury investigation into Obama administration officials based on misleading claims Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently made about the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

- Bondi directed an unnamed federal prosecutor to begin presenting evidence to a grand jury to secure a potential indictment. But because of Gabbard’s nonexistent evidence and statute of limitations, it’s unclear who would be charged or what the charges would be.

- The move comes after Trump declared former President Barack Obama guilty of treason and all but ordered the DOJ to open an investigation into Gabbard’s so-called findings.

Jacob’s reporting gives readers the information they need to stay informed and take action. As an independent media outlet, we count on readers like you. Become a member and help fund our fearless reporting. ([link removed] )

And they’re coming for ex-prosecutor Jack Smith, too

- The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) confirmed it’s investigating Jack Smith, a former DOJ official who oversaw two criminal cases against Trump before he returned to the White House.

- Prompted by allegations that Smith engaged in political activity by bringing criminal charges against Trump before the 2024 election, the probe is bizarre for several reasons. It’s unlike the cases the OSC typically handles, and there’s very little the office could do to penalize Smith, who’s no longer a federal employee.

- The strangeness can be largely explained by the fact that the OSC’s independence, like many other so-called independent agencies, has been compromised by the Trump loyalists now at their helm.

Trump shoots the messenger

- Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Erika McEntarfer after claiming that the fact-finding agency’s latest jobs report was “rigged” to make him look bad.

- McEntarfer’s dismissal of course threatens the credibility of U.S. economic data. But as one economist noted, it’s also an attack on democracy itself. By suppressing the real-world effects of its policies, the Trump administration is trying to perpetuate lies and skirt accountability.

- The only slim silver lining in all of this is that McEntarfer’s temporary replacement, Bill Wiatrowski, has worked in the bureau for over four decades and has served as acting commissioner twice before, so the integrity of BLS data should be safe from political manipulation — at least for now.

Democracy Docket is tracking the 65 most important Trump accountability lawsuits fighting the administration’s power grabs. Become a member to find out which ones have succeeded so far. ([link removed] )

Dive deeper: Judges warn of rising threats as Trump steps up attack on courts

In rare public remarks, a group of federal judges recently detailed the numerous violent threats they faced after ruling against the Trump administration. These threats occurred as Trump and his Republican allies attacked the judges in public and called for several of them to be impeached.

- One judge said six credible death threats were made against him, including one originating from someone searching for his address on the dark web because they wanted “Smith & Wesson” to pay him a visit.

- Another said his home was targeted by a bomb threat and a “swatting” attack after an anonymous caller told the local sheriff’s office that the judge had murdered his wife.

- The most heartbreaking detail was that multiple judges have received anonymous pizza deliveries with the recipient listed as Daniel Anderl, the late son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas. Anderl was fatally shot in 2020 by a disgruntled attorney.

To do list

- The Brennan Center for Justice is hosting a virtual discussion on the Voting Rights Act (VRA) Aug. 19 at 3 p.m. ET. The VRA turned 60 years old yesterday, but the Supreme Court is poised to further gut the landmark law. With the Trump administration's hostility to voting rights, the law is more important than ever.

Odds and ends

- Watchdog again says Trump violated federal spending law: The Government Accountability Office said the Trump administration again violated the Impoundment Control Act by canceling National Institutes of Health research grants and slow rolling new awards.

- ICE’s illegal profiling: Illegal profiling accounts for a large portion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests this year, according to a new CATO Institute analysis on ICE data.

- Speaking of … An appeals court upheld a lower-court ruling barring Department of Homeland Security officials from arresting people in Los Angeles based solely on their appearance, the language they speak or their occupation.

Along with the news you need and exclusive analysis is a to-do list, featuring opportunities for you to get involved and become a part of the opposition. Upgrade to Democracy Docket premium today to get every edition. ([link removed] )

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Quote of the week

For this week’s quote, I wanted to highlight a recent piece by Jessica Pishko, an independent journalist, lawyer and Democracy Docket contributor, on the Trump administration’s effort to turn local police forces into appendages of ICE.

“The result has been to turn ICE into the biggest police force in the country, governed almost entirely at the discretion of President Donald Trump and his allies. This federally-backed secret police is employing tactics that have terrorized communities, trampled on constitutional rights, and eroded local democracy.”

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