Defend Democracy Project
@defdemocracy.bsky.social
DDP is dedicated to ensuring that American voters determine the outcome of our elections.
Trump says he will only unfreeze $16 billion in frozen federal funding for a New York infrastructure project on the condition that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer agrees to rename Penn Station and Dulles airport after him.
Trump wants Penn Station, Dulles Airport named after him in funding deal with Schumer, sources say
Sources told ABC that Schumer rejected Trump's offer.
abcnews.go.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Trump says he will only unfreeze $16 billion in frozen federal funding for a New York infrastructure project on the condition that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer agrees to rename Penn Station and Dulles airport after him.
Reposted by Defend Democracy Project
BREAKING: @democracydefendersfund.org is filing an OIG complaint after DOJ illegally withheld records from AG Pam Bondi, DAG Todd Blanche & other leaders discussing the Epstein files
@axios.com: "DOJ omitted communication from Bondi, Patel in Epstein files, watchdog says"
@axios.com: "DOJ omitted communication from Bondi, Patel in Epstein files, watchdog says"
Missing records from Bondi and Patel draw scrutiny in Epstein release
The complaint calls it "deeply troubling" that no communications from Bondi or Patel appear in the ream of documents.
www.axios.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:43 PM
BREAKING: @democracydefendersfund.org is filing an OIG complaint after DOJ illegally withheld records from AG Pam Bondi, DAG Todd Blanche & other leaders discussing the Epstein files
@axios.com: "DOJ omitted communication from Bondi, Patel in Epstein files, watchdog says"
@axios.com: "DOJ omitted communication from Bondi, Patel in Epstein files, watchdog says"
Reposted by Defend Democracy Project
Nationwide rejection of Trump’s abuse of power has hit an inflection point
Americans hate it--plus my colleagues & I have beaten him in court HUNDREDS of times
If he tries election interference using ICE, we & the courts WILL stop him again
I explained on @ms.now 👇
Americans hate it--plus my colleagues & I have beaten him in court HUNDREDS of times
If he tries election interference using ICE, we & the courts WILL stop him again
I explained on @ms.now 👇
February 6, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Nationwide rejection of Trump’s abuse of power has hit an inflection point
Americans hate it--plus my colleagues & I have beaten him in court HUNDREDS of times
If he tries election interference using ICE, we & the courts WILL stop him again
I explained on @ms.now 👇
Americans hate it--plus my colleagues & I have beaten him in court HUNDREDS of times
If he tries election interference using ICE, we & the courts WILL stop him again
I explained on @ms.now 👇
On Thursday, the Trump administration finalized a sweeping new policy that would give the president broad power to fire or discipline up to 50k federal employees. It's a major escalation in its effort to politicize the civil service.
www.cnn.com/2026/02/05/p...
www.cnn.com/2026/02/05/p...
Trump administration plans to reclassify 50,000 federal workers, making them easier to fire | CNN Politics
In its latest effort to weaken the federal workforce, the Trump administration issued a rule on Thursday that would shift an estimated 50,000 senior career staffers into a new category that would make...
www.cnn.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:33 PM
On Thursday, the Trump administration finalized a sweeping new policy that would give the president broad power to fire or discipline up to 50k federal employees. It's a major escalation in its effort to politicize the civil service.
www.cnn.com/2026/02/05/p...
www.cnn.com/2026/02/05/p...
Fulton County filed a lawsuit to force the return of roughly 700 boxes of 2020 election ballots and records seized in an FBI raid. Trump has picked Fulton County as the epicenter of his false and dangerous narrative that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
Fulton County challenges FBI’s seizure of its 2020 ballots in court
It’s the Georgia county’s latest bid to defend its election practices against intensifying attacks from President Donald Trump and his Republican allies.
www.politico.com
February 5, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Fulton County filed a lawsuit to force the return of roughly 700 boxes of 2020 election ballots and records seized in an FBI raid. Trump has picked Fulton County as the epicenter of his false and dangerous narrative that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
The Supreme Court rejected a last-minute Republican challenge to California’s new congressional map, clearing the way for Democrats to counter the GOP’s broader effort to redraw districts nationwide in ways that advantage Republicans.
Supreme Court Clears Way for California Voting Map
The state’s Republican Party had asked the justices to step in and block the new congressional maps, which give an advantage to Democrats, before the midterms.
www.nytimes.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:30 PM
The Supreme Court rejected a last-minute Republican challenge to California’s new congressional map, clearing the way for Democrats to counter the GOP’s broader effort to redraw districts nationwide in ways that advantage Republicans.
Trump wants Republicans to “nationalize” elections, arguing that states act as agents of the federal government. Election law experts warn that the Constitution leaves primary authority over election administration with the states.
www.cnn.com
February 4, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Trump wants Republicans to “nationalize” elections, arguing that states act as agents of the federal government. Election law experts warn that the Constitution leaves primary authority over election administration with the states.
New arguments will be presented to a federal judge on Trump’s bid to overturn his New York election interference conviction. He is seeking to move the case to federal court, where he plans to ask for the conviction to be thrown out on grounds of presidential immunity.
Judge set to hear arguments as court gives Trump another shot at nixing hush money conviction
A federal judge is set to hear arguments as he again weighs a legal maneuver that could lead to President Donald Trump having his hush money conviction erased
abcnews.go.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:30 PM
New arguments will be presented to a federal judge on Trump’s bid to overturn his New York election interference conviction. He is seeking to move the case to federal court, where he plans to ask for the conviction to be thrown out on grounds of presidential immunity.
An academic labor union has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration's “gold card” visa program, arguing that the pay-for-play visa program is unlawful.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/u...
Lawsuit Argues Trump Gold Card Visa Program Prioritizes Wealth Over Ability
www.nytimes.com
February 4, 2026 at 3:28 PM
An academic labor union has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration's “gold card” visa program, arguing that the pay-for-play visa program is unlawful.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/u...
Congressional Democrats are calling on the DHS Inspector General to open a formal investigation into ICE’s use of force.
Democrats Call on ICE Watchdog to Speed Up Use of Force Inquiry
The inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security is scrutinizing use of force by ICE, according to Democrats in Congress who requested the report.
www.nytimes.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Congressional Democrats are calling on the DHS Inspector General to open a formal investigation into ICE’s use of force.
Trump is repeating debunked voter fraud claims to undermine trust in U.S. elections ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Trump says Republicans should ‘nationalize’ elections
The comments come less than a week after the FBI raided an elections facility in Georgia.
www.politico.com
February 3, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Trump is repeating debunked voter fraud claims to undermine trust in U.S. elections ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Lawyers for more than 200 alleged Jeffrey Epstein victims are asking a federal court to order the DOJ to remove its Epstein files website after survivors’ names and identifying details were exposed with inadequate redactions.
Epstein victims' lawyers ask court to order DOJ to take down Epstein files website
Attorneys for alleged victims of Epstein are urging two federal judges in New York to order the immediate takedown of the Justice Department’s Epstein Files website.
abcnews.go.com
February 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Lawyers for more than 200 alleged Jeffrey Epstein victims are asking a federal court to order the DOJ to remove its Epstein files website after survivors’ names and identifying details were exposed with inadequate redactions.
A Senate-passed shutdown-avoidance package now faces a House rule vote that Democrats are expected to reject, citing continued DHS and ICE funding.
Partial government shutdown enters third day as funding standoff continues
Democrats want changes in funding to the Department of Homeland Security in light of the fatal shootings of two US citizens during immigration raids.
www.bbc.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:30 PM
A Senate-passed shutdown-avoidance package now faces a House rule vote that Democrats are expected to reject, citing continued DHS and ICE funding.
Trump appears over 5,000 times in the DOJ's newly released batch of the Epstein files.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/u...
How Trump Appears in the Epstein Files
www.nytimes.com
February 2, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Trump appears over 5,000 times in the DOJ's newly released batch of the Epstein files.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/u...
Virginia Democrats are appealing a decision by a GOP-appointed federal judge to block a redistricting amendment in response to the GOP’s nationwide campaign to distort electoral maps in their favor.
Virginia Democrats appeal ruling on redistricting amendment
Virginia Democrats on Wednesday appealed a judge’s ruling that blocks a redistricting amendment from going before voters this spring as they look to pick up House seats ahead of the midterms. …
thehill.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Virginia Democrats are appealing a decision by a GOP-appointed federal judge to block a redistricting amendment in response to the GOP’s nationwide campaign to distort electoral maps in their favor.
The FBI raided the Fulton County elections office this week in an attempt to revitalize the already debunked claims of 2020 election fraud.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
FBI raid in Georgia has little legal basis – but serves Trump’s goal to weaken trust in election results
Raid on Fulton county election office is part of the Trump administration’s wider US push to fuel false claims of fraud
www.theguardian.com
January 30, 2026 at 5:48 PM
The FBI raided the Fulton County elections office this week in an attempt to revitalize the already debunked claims of 2020 election fraud.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Don Lemon has been arrested after filming a church protest in Minneapolis. This is not an isolated incident. It is part of a clear escalation by the administration against the press.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/u...
Federal Agents Arrest Don Lemon Over Minnesota Church Protest
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Don Lemon has been arrested after filming a church protest in Minneapolis. This is not an isolated incident. It is part of a clear escalation by the administration against the press.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/u...
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to cease detaining and deporting lawfully admitted refugees in Minnesota and to release those already held. The ruling says refugees have a legal right to live and work in the U.S. without fear.
Judge Orders Release of Minnesota Refugees Targeted in ICE Crackdown
A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order, which halts a Trump administration operation that has swept up at least 100 people so far.
www.nytimes.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:30 PM
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to cease detaining and deporting lawfully admitted refugees in Minnesota and to release those already held. The ruling says refugees have a legal right to live and work in the U.S. without fear.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Trump are in negotiations to pull DHS funding out of a broader spending package to avert a partial government shutdown.
thehill.com/homenews/sen...
thehill.com/homenews/sen...
thehill.com
January 29, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Trump are in negotiations to pull DHS funding out of a broader spending package to avert a partial government shutdown.
thehill.com/homenews/sen...
thehill.com/homenews/sen...
CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility says there’s no evidence Alex Pretti brandished a gun, directly contradicting Kristi Noem and providing the first official assessment of the shooting.
D.H.S. Review Does Not Say Pretti Brandished Gun, As Noem Claimed
An initial report from an internal agency watchdog says the Minneapolis man was shot by law enforcement after resisting arrest, but makes no mention of the allegations leveled by a Trump…
www.nytimes.com
January 28, 2026 at 6:30 PM
CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility says there’s no evidence Alex Pretti brandished a gun, directly contradicting Kristi Noem and providing the first official assessment of the shooting.
A man at Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Minneapolis town hall rushed the stage and sprayed her with an unknown substance before being tackled by security.
Something Went Wrong
Man arrested after Ilhan Omar attacked during town hall in Minneapolis
www.nbcnews.com
January 28, 2026 at 5:30 PM
A man at Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Minneapolis town hall rushed the stage and sprayed her with an unknown substance before being tackled by security.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s aggressive handling after the shooting of Alex Pretti has been drawing bipartisan criticism, even from her boss, Donald Trump.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/u...
Noem’s Handling of Shooting Put Her in Trump’s Penalty Box, but Just Briefly
www.nytimes.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s aggressive handling after the shooting of Alex Pretti has been drawing bipartisan criticism, even from her boss, Donald Trump.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/u...
Gregory Bovino has been stripped of his role as “commander at large” and will return to his previous post after the second killing of a U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minnesota.
Border patrol commander to leave Minneapolis after shooting of Alex Pretti
Gregory Bovino, an aggressive promoter of Trump’s deportation agenda, said to have been stripped of ‘commander at large’ title
www.theguardian.com
January 27, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Gregory Bovino has been stripped of his role as “commander at large” and will return to his previous post after the second killing of a U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minnesota.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom accused TikTok of suppressing anti-Trump content after users reported political posts critical of the president were restricted or removed.
www.cbsnews.com/news/newsom-...
www.cbsnews.com/news/newsom-...
Newsom probing TikTok over alleged suppression of anti-Trump content under new ownership
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he's launching a probe into allegations that TikTok censored content critical of President Trump.
www.cbsnews.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:50 PM
California Gov. Gavin Newsom accused TikTok of suppressing anti-Trump content after users reported political posts critical of the president were restricted or removed.
www.cbsnews.com/news/newsom-...
www.cbsnews.com/news/newsom-...
120 Congressional Democrats signed on to an impeachment resolution against HHS Sec. Kristi Noem for her failure to hold federal agents accountable.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
Democrats grow louder on calls for Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment
Eight more Democrats have joined an impeachment resolution against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after the latest fatal shooting by a federal agent.
www.nbcnews.com
January 26, 2026 at 7:07 PM
120 Congressional Democrats signed on to an impeachment resolution against HHS Sec. Kristi Noem for her failure to hold federal agents accountable.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...