News You Can Use Digest – February 6, 2026

National/Federal

Don Lemon Arrested by Federal Officials in Connection with Church Protest

MSN – Perry Stein, Molly Hennessy-Fiske, and Maeve Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 1/30/2026

Federal authorities arrested independent journalist Don Lemon, accusing him of violating congregants’ constitutional right to worship when he entered a church in Minnesota with protesters who were demonstrating against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. A magistrate judge had rejected an earlier attempt by the Justice Department to bring charges against Lemon and other protesters. But Justice Department officials, who had vowed to bring charges against Lemon, went to a federal grand jury and obtained an indictment.

Justice Department Releases Large Cache of Additional Epstein Files

MSN – Perry Stein and Amy Wang Reston (Washington Post) | Published: 1/30/2026

The Justice Department released what it said were 3 million more pages from the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the latest drop in the agency’s troubled scramble to comply with a federal law that requires the public release of files from the high-profile case. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said this tranche of files, which include 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, is expected to be the last major release of Epstein materials.

Judge Ordered 5-Year-Old Released, but Data Shows ICE Is Detaining More Kids

MSN – Arelis Hernández and María Luisa Paúl (Washington Post) | Published: 2/1/2026

The five-year-old boy, in a blue knit bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack, was returning from preschool when immigration officers detained him in late January in Minneapolis. A few days later, officers there took custody of a two-year-old girl after breaking her family’s car window. They are among an escalating number of children swept up in the Trump administration’s enforcement dragnet, which has drawn mounting public outrage over its aggressive tactics and increasingly indiscriminate ramifications.

DOJ Misconduct Complaint Against D.C. Federal Judge Dismissed

MSN – Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) | Published: 1/31/2026

A judicial misconduct complaint against Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg was dismissed because the Justice Department failed to show he exhibited bias against the Trump administration. The misconduct complaint was filed last year by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s then-chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, in an unusual move that showed how President Trump and his allies have ramped up attacks against federal judges across the country for stopping, slowing, or criticizing the administration’s signature initiatives.

Bill and Hillary Clinton Agree to Testify in House Epstein Investigation, Ahead of Contempt Vote

MSN – Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 2/2/2026

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said agreed to speak with members of the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Their announcement came days before the House planned to vote on whether to find the pair in contempt of Congress for refusing to sit for closed-door, transcribed depositions with the committee regarding Epstein.

Defense Dept. Effort to Punish Mark Kelly Draws Skepticism from Judge

MSN – Salvador Rizzo, Tara Copp, and Jasmine Golden (Washington Post) | Published: 2/3/2026

A federal judge sharply questioned the legality of the Defense Department’s efforts to censure and possibly demote Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, over his public criticism of the Trump administration. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to be expanding restrictions on free speech that have applied only to active-duty service members, not military retirees.

Election Officials Grapple with a Brain Drain as Threats Rise

MSN – Andrew Howard (Politico) | Published: 2/3/2026

Increasingly violent threats toward and harassment of public officials are driving more and more of those figures out of their jobs, a particular concern among local election officials, who have struggled with attrition for years. In the years since the 2020 election, roughly 50 percent of top local election officials across 11 western states have left their jobs since November 2020. The election administration world has been grappling with a significant brain drain since the 2020 pandemic and threats arising from conspiracy theories surrounding that year’s election.

Standoff Over ICE Tactics Could Trigger Another Partial Government Shutdown

MSN – Theodoric Meyer and Arelis Hernández (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2026

Congress is staring down another partial government shutdown unless Democrats strike a deal with President Trump and Republicans over new restrictions on federal immigration authorities, and some key lawmakers in both parties are not optimistic. Democratic lawmakers are seeking, among other things, tighter rules governing the use of warrants, independent investigations of alleged misconduct, and a ban on masks for federal immigration agents. Senate Democrats threatened to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security once it expires at the end of the day on February 13 if Republicans do not embrace the restrictions.

Trump Officials Awarded Venezuela Oil-Sale Contracts to Firms Tied to Bribery

MSN – Anthony Faiola and Evan Halper (Washington Post) | Published: 1/29/2026

Two global trading houses that brokered an opaque deal with the Trump administration to sell Venezuelan oil were previously prosecuted for bribery schemes involving oil sales elsewhere, underscoring concerns by anti-corruption experts and lawmakers that the arrangement is vulnerable to abuse. The administration granted confidential licenses to Vitol and Trafigura to sell Venezuelan oil with little independent oversight. The licenses come a year after the Trump administration gutted the foreign corrupt practices unit of the Justice Department, which brought charges against the two companies and their traders in 2020 and 2024.

The Washington Post, Owned by Jeff Bezos, Makes Dramatic Cuts

Yahoo News – Finya Swai (Politico) | Published: 2/4/2026

The Washington Post told employees it will begin sweeping layoffs, the latest blow to the storied newspaper under owner Jeff Bezos, confirming weeks of speculation about drastic newsroom cuts. The size and scope of the layoffs are not immediately clear. But hundreds of Post employees could lose their jobs, with sections including sports, metro, books, and international coverage hit particularly hard.

House Probe Finds ‘Substantial Evidence’ of Criminal Misconduct, Ethics Violations by Cherfilus-McCormick

Yahoo News – Anthony Man (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) | Published: 1/29/2026

An investigative subcommittee that spent months examining U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick found “substantial evidence of conduct” described in a criminal indictment against her last year and is bringing multiple charges against her. In November, Cherfilus-McCormick and other alleged co-conspirators were indicted on charges described by the Justice Department as “stealing federal disaster funds, laundering the proceeds, and using the money to support her 2021 congressional campaign.?”

Judge Says Trump Administration Must Let Lawmakers Make Unannounced Visits to ICE Detention Facilities

Yahoo News – Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 2/2/2026

A federal judge ruled the Department of Homeland Security likely broke the law when it barred members of Congress from visiting immigrant detention facilities without a week’s notice. U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb found that in crafting and enforcing the one-week-notice policy, the department relied on funds Congress specifically forbade from being used to deny lawmakers access to those facilities.

From the States and Municipalities

Alaska – Homer Rep. Vance Faces Ethics Probe Over Official Letter Pressuring Newspaper

Alaska Public Media – Eric Stone | Published: 1/29/2026

The Alaska House ethics committee launched an investigation into whether Rep. Sarah Vance illegally used state resources when she successfully pushed the local newspaper to remove and revise a story. The newspaper’s owner, Alabama-based Carpenter Media Group, removed, revised, and reposted the story without the reporter’s byline. Carpenter told the Columbia Journalism Review the article did not meet its standards.

California – All Lobbying Contracts Will Be Posted on City of Fresno’s Website Under New Law

MSN – Thaddeus Miller (Fresno Bee) | Published: 1/29/2026

The Fresno City Council adopted a plan to post lobbying contracts on the city’s website to increase transparency. The city has historically not required public reporting of contracts that fall below the $100,000-a-year threshold, which left room for a lobbyist or consultant to exceed the payout if they were paid in multiple contracts that were individually less than $100,000.

California – Corruption Case Against L.A. Councilmember Curren Price Can Move to Trial, Judge Rules

MSN – James Queally (Los Angeles Times) | Published: 1/29/2026

A judge ruled a corruption case against Los Angeles City Councilperson Curren Price can move forward to trial, ensuring the misconduct scandal will hang over the veteran politician’s final year in office. The judge determined prosecutors provided enough evidence to move forward on four counts of voting on matters in which Price had a conflict-of-interest, four counts of embezzlement, and four counts of perjury.

California – Supreme Court Clears Way for California Voting Map That Bolsters Democrats

MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 2/4/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed for now a new California voting map that could help Democrats gain up to five seats in Congress, the latest twist in a national fight seeking advantage in this year’s midterm elections. The ruling will remain in effect while a lawsuit challenging California’s map works its way through the courts. The Supreme Court ruled in December that the Texas map was constitutional, so many legal experts expected the justices to approve the California map as well.

California – Oakland Councilmember Asked City Contractor to Fund Her Nonprofit

Oaklandside – Eli Wolfe | Published: 2/3/2026

Partygoers gathered to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in a Jack London Square event hall in October, watching dance performances, listening to music, and eating heaps of catered food. The free bash was put on by Tiger Arts, a nonprofit created by Oakland City Councilperson Janani Ramachandran. But government ethics experts say the way the event was paid for raises questions about elected officials’ fundraising activities, specifically around behested payments in which public officials are allowed to act as the middlemen soliciting unlimited amounts of money from companies and foundations for other organizations.

Georgia – DNI Gabbard Put Trump on the Phone with FBI Agents Who Searched Fulton County Elections Office, Sources Say

MSN – Kristen Holmes (CNN) | Published: 2/2/2026

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard put President Trump on the phone with some of the FBI agents who conducted a controversial search of an elections office in Fulton County, Georgia, sources said. The unusual call underscores Trump’s involvement and interest in the probe of alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election. One source said Trump directed Gabbard to go to Atlanta for the search, and Gabbard herself confirmed that in a letter to top Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence committees.

Illinois – Veteran Lobbyist with Clients That Regularly Intersect with City Hall Weighs Run for Chicago Mayor

Chicago Sun-Times – Robert Herguth | Published: 1/29/2026

Mayor Brandon Johnson has personal and political entanglements with one of the more powerful special interests in the city, the Chicago Teachers Union. One of his likely challengers in the 2027 mayoral election, longtime lobbyist John Kelly, would have to deal with his own potential conflicts-of-interest if elected, largely because a number of his existing lobbying clients intersect with City Hall, and might also in the future.

Indiana – Hogsett Promised a ‘One-Stop Shop’ Ethics Portal. Ten Years Later, It Doesn’t Exist

MSN – Tony Cook (Indianapolis Star) | Published: 1/29/2026

Ethics filings, city contracts, and campaign finance reports can help citizens keep a watchful eye on their government, but right now they are spread across the city website. They are difficult to search, and in some cases, they are not online at all. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett recognized this problem and campaigned on fixing it. Once in office, he signed into law an ordinance requiring the city’s legal office to create “an online citizen information portal.” But 10 years later, no such portal exists.

Kentucky – KY Legislature Considers Ethics Commission Changes Amid Grossberg Case

MSN – Lucas Aulbach (Louisville Courier-Journal) | Published: 1/29/2026

A bill is pending in the House that would significantly alter operations within the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission by putting the House speaker and Senate president in charge of employing its leader and staff and allowing the commission to fine or require attorney fees to be paid by a person who files a complaint that is found to be frivolous, improper or containing “factual allegations which lack any evidentiary support.” The sponsors of House Bill 272 both said the bill will likely undergo changes before moving forward.

Kentucky – Embattled KY Rep. Grossberg Settles with Public Reprimand, Waives Ethics Hearing

Yahoo News – Austin Horn and Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 2/2/2026

The long saga between Rep. Daniel Grossberg and the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission came to a quiet end when Grossberg agreed to a settlement and reprimand just before a public hearing into his conduct was set to take place. As part of the agreement, Grossberg accepted two $1,000 fines for two of the three instances where the commission found probable cause and brought charges.

Maine – Maine Democratic Party Faces Ethics Probe Tied to Voter ID Referendum

Portland Press Herald – Billy Kobin | Published: 1/29/2026

Maine’s ethics commission will open an investigation into the state Democratic Party’s disclosed spending against last year’s unsuccessful referendum to enact voter ID requirements and new limits on absentee voting. The commission voted unanimously to investigate the party in response to a complaint from conservative activist Alex Titcomb, who spearheaded the referendum, Question 1. Maine voters resoundingly defeated the ballot initiative in November.

Maryland – Moore Campaign Accepted, Then Returned, Donations from Executive Tied to Firm Seeking State Contract

Yahoo News – Jeff Barker (Baltimore Sun) | Published: 1/29/2026

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s campaign accepted, then returned, contributions from a donor and political ally who co-hosted a fundraiser for Moore while linked to a bidder seeking a large state contract. The donor, Terry Speigner, is a former chair of the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee and president of NGEN, an IT services company that works with state and federal agencies. His firm was a subcontractor on a bid by Intralot, a Greek gaming company vying for a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars to oversee Maryland’s lottery operations.

Minnesota – In Minneapolis, All-Encompassing Immigration Story Tests a Newsroom in Midst of Digital Transition

MSN – David Bauder (Associated Press) | Published: 2/1/2026

With the eyes of a nation fixed on the unrest in Minneapolis, the events have not left local journalists overmatched. The Minnesota Star Tribune has broken stories, including the identity of the immigration enforcement officer who shot Renee Good, and produced a variety of informative and instructive pieces. At a time when many regional newspapers have become hollowed-out shells due to the decline in journalism as a business, the Star Tribune has kept staffing relatively steady. It rebranded itself from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and committed itself to a digital transformation.

Mississippi – Senate Moves Campaign-Finance Reform. House Panel Promptly Kills

Mississippi Today – Taylor Vance | Published: 2/2/2026

A Senate committee approved legislation to reform Mississippi’s notoriously lax campaign finance laws, while a House committee made clear it has no intentions of even considering it. The Senate Elections Committee approved a bill that would require local and state candidates to file reports online, cap cash contributions from any donor to candidates at $1,000 and corporate donations, cash or otherwise, to $1,000 a year. But the House Elections Committee, on the same day defeated a similar measure with no discussion.

New Jersey – Why This Powerful NJ Political Boss Keeps Beating Corruption Charges

MSN – Ted Sherman (NJ Advance Media) | Published: 1/30/2026

In another rebuke to the state attorney general’s office, an appeals court upheld the dismissal of a sweeping corruption indictment against Democratic power broker George Norcross III. The three‑judge panel found prosecutors failed to show the South Jersey political boss had committed any crime, and some of the charges were also barred by the statute of limitations.

New Jersey – Big Donors Had Access to Mikie Sherrill at Inaugural Ball. But the Public Won’t Have Access to the Donor List

Yahoo News – Matt Friedman and Daniel Han (Politico) | Published: 2/1/2026

At an Italian restaurant at American Dream mall, incoming Mikie Sherrill moved table to table to speak with business executives, lobbyists, and union leaders. The minimum price to attend was $100,000. The big-dollar donations to dine with the then-incoming New Jersey went toward her inaugural festivities. The six-figure contributions came despite a $500 limit in state law on inaugural donations. But through a loophole, donors were asked to give over $250,000, and a comprehensive list of their identities and donations may never be public.

Ohio – Ohio Newspapers Sue Judge Overseeing FirstEnergy Trial. Here’s Why

MSN – Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/29/2026

Three Ohio newspapers are asking the Ohio Supreme Court to immediately block enforcement of media restrictions imposed by a Summit County judge overseeing the high-profile trial of ex-FirstEnergy executives. The papers argue the orders amount to unlawful prior restraints on the press as they seek to follow the trial of Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling.

Ohio – Trial of Ex-FirstEnergy Executives Charged in $60M Ohio Bribery Scheme Begins

MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 2/3/2026

The $4.3 million payment FirstEnergy made to Sam Randazzo in 2019, shortly before he was appointed as Ohio’s top utility regulator, is at the center of the latest criminal trial in a $60 million bribery scandal. Prosecutors allege then-FirstEnergy Chief Executive Officer Chuck Jones and then-FirstEnergy Services Senior Vice President Michael Dowling played roles in orchestrating the payout to Randazzo in exchange for regulatory and legislative favors he would later deliver to the company. Both men argue the money was a lump sum settling Randazzo’s consulting agreement with the company.

Pennsylvania – Lawmaker Whose Second Job Running Trade Group Raised Ethics Concerns Says He’s Stepping Down

Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso | Published: 1/28/2026

A Pennsylvania lawmaker who simultaneously lead a trade group that pays a lobbyist to influence state government resigned. State Rep. Seth Grove said last May that he would retire at the end of his current term. That same month, the Pennsylvania Concrete and Aggregates Association announced it had appointed Grove to a leadership position he would assume in 2026, a trade industry publication reported. He began serving as chief executive officer on January 1 of this year. While allowed under the state’s lax ethics laws, the arrangement raised concerns among some Democratic colleagues and at least one ethics expert.

Texas – In Texas, Democrats Narrow GOP’s U.S. House Majority, Win Upset in State Senate

MSN – Brianna Tucker (Washington Post) | Published: 2/1/2026

Democrats narrowed Republicans’ U.S. House majority and flipped a state Senate seat on conservative terrain in a pair of special election runoffs in Texas with national implications. In special elections and other local races over the past year, Democrats have largely outperformed Republicans. National Democratic leaders have pointed to the results, along with sweeping victories in last fall’s elections, as reasons for optimism heading into this fall’s midterms.