White House chief of staff Susie Wiles acknowledged “score settling” lies behind many of the DOJ’s criminal prosecutions against Trump’s political enemies, and admitted some cases may look retaliatory.

Tuesday, December 16

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Trump’s top aide admits ‘score settling’ driving DOJ’s political prosecutions

- White House chief of staff Susie Wiles acknowledged ([link removed] ) “score settling” lies behind many of the Department of Justice’s criminal prosecutions against President Donald Trump’s political enemies, and admitted some cases may look retaliatory. “When there’s an opportunity, he will go for it,” she said.

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As DOJ sues more states for voter rolls, federal ‘power grab’ comes into focus

- With the 2026 midterms 11 months away, the DOJ is frantically pressuring states to hand over the private data of millions of Americans. One expert speculates ([link removed] ) this unprecedented push is a "power grab and a fishing expedition... meant to undermine state authority over elections."

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DOJ replaces voting section chief with lawyer tied to election conspiracists

- Republican attorney Eric Neff — who boasts a reputation of working with election-conspiracy theorists and who himself spread such theories — is replacing ([link removed] ) a veteran attorney with ties to Cleta Mitchell as the new acting chief of the voting section at the DOJ.

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Far right escalates calls for violence to free Tina Peters

- After Trump issued a legally unenforceable “full pardon” to Tina Peters — the Colorado election denier serving a nine-year prison sentence for her role in a voting system data breach — right-wing figures are escalating ([link removed] ) their calls for violence to free her.

- “WE THE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO BREAK TINA PETERS OUT OF PRISON IN 45 DAYS,” Jake Lang, a far-right congressional candidate who was charged with attacking police during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, posted. “If Tina M. Peters is not released from La Vista Prison in Colorado to Federal Authorities by January 31st, 2026; US MARSHALS & JANUARY 6ERS PATRIOTS WILL BE STORMING IN TO FREE TINA!!”

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Trump admin intensifies military probe against Democratic senator

- The Trump administration escalated ([link removed] ) its probe of Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly into an official Command Investigation under military law, further targeting a sitting U.S. senator for constitutionally protected speech.

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The Supreme Court’s secret plan to reshape America

- Harvard Law Professor Nicholas Bowie joined ([link removed] ) Marc to unpack how the Supreme Court’s conservative majority is dismantling decades of voting rights and congressional authority.

- From the Voting Rights Act to campaign finance reform, from Reconstruction to modern-day “history and tradition” tests, this conversation explores why SCOTUS is no longer exercising judicial restraint—but judicial supremacy.

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Coming up tomorrow

- Wednesday is the last day of a three-day preliminary injunction hearing in the GOP's challenge ([link removed] ) to California's new congressional map.

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