January 16, 2026 •
News You Can Use Digest – January 16, 2026
National/Federal
Judge Grills Feds Over ICE Rule Blocking Lawmakers from Surprise Oversight Visits
Courthouse News Service – Ryan Knappenberger | Published: 1/14/2026
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to explain whether it was unlawfully using congressionally appropriated funds to block members of Congress from conducting surprise oversight visits to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities. In December, U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb ruled that a new set of ICE policies requiring lawmakers to provide notice of such visits seven days in advance was likely unlawful and beyond the Department of Homeland Security’s authority, freezing the policies for the time being.
ICE and Activists Clash Over Doxing and Privacy, in Court and Streets
MSN – Joseph Menn (Washington Post) | Published: 1/15/2026
As immigration agents and protesters clash in the streets, a parallel battle is unfolding over sensitive data used to identify and hold those on the other side to account. Government officers are using new tools featuring real-time location data and license-plate tracking to investigate protesters. Activists are using burner phones and donated dash cams to counter those efforts, recording masked agents and compiling lists of names and badge numbers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The government has charged activists under criminal statutes and tried to compel online platforms to reveal the identities of activists using their sites.
FBI Executes Search Warrant at Washington Post Reporter’s Home
MSN – Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 1/14/2026
The FBI executed a search warrant at a Washington Post reporter’s home as part of an investigation into a government contractor accused of illegally retaining classified government materials. The reporter, Hannah Natanson, was at her home at the time of the search. Federal agents searched her home and her devices, seizing her phone, two laptops, and a Garmin watch. Federal regulations intended to protect a free press are designed to make it difficult to use aggressive law enforcement tactics against reporters to obtain the identities of their sources or information.
Trump Makes Obscene Gesture, Mouths Expletive at Detroit Factory Heckler
MSN – Natalie Allison and Dan Merica (Washington Post) | Published: 1/13/2026
President Trump made an obscene gesture with his middle finger and mouthed an expletive to a factory employee who shouted at him during a tour of a Ford plant in Michigan, a reaction the White House said was “appropriate” given the heckling. Out of frame in a cellphone video, a person can be heard yelling “pedophile protector” just before Trump mouthed the insult, an apparent reference to the Trump administration’s handling of the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Commerce Seeks to Strike ‘Redundant,’ ‘Obsolete’ Provisions from Lobbying Regs
MSN – Graham Thompson (The Well News) | Published: 1/14/2026
The Commerce Department wants to amend its regulations governing restrictions on lobbying, specifically to remove “redundant, obsolete and inefficient provisions.” The regulation slated for the changes is the decades-old 15 CFR Part 28, a set of rules that implemented government-wide restrictions on the use of appropriated funds for lobbying activities in connection with federal contracts, grants, loans, and cooperative agreements.
Washington’s New Lobbyists: Paid online influencers with few rules
MSN – Maggie Severns, Natalie Andrews, Josh Dawsey, and Eliza Collins (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 1/11/2026
Donald Trump’s return to the White House has transformed the federal government and upended the business of lobbying, creating a new class of Washington operatives that blur the lines between consulting, advocacy, and journalism. Corporate and foreign interests that used to rely primarily on paid lobbyists to pitch their case to lawmakers and administration officials are instead pouring money into trying to get their cause promoted by a group of young, conservative influencers known to be close to Trump’s staff.
Sen. Mark Kelly Sues Hegseth Over Censure, Potential Demotion
MSN – Noah Robertson and Tara Copp (Washington Post) | Published: 1/12/2026
Sen. Mark Kelly filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s letter of censure and effort to potentially demote the retired Navy officer, escalating a confrontation over a video reminding U.S. service members they can refuse illegal orders. Kelly’s lawyers argued the Pentagon’s inquiry and formal reprimand, unlawfully punished the senator for his speech and violated his due process.
House Votes to Subpoena Journalist Over Report on Delta Force Commander
MSN – Scott Nover and Kadia Goba (Washington Post) | Published: 1/8/2026
A House Oversight Committee vote to subpoena journalist Seth Harp over his reporting on the U.S. military operation in Venezuela has raised concerns among press freedom watchers, who say the action disregards First Amendment guarantees. The day after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Harp shared on X a photograph and biography of a military officer he identified as the commander of the Army’s Delta Force unit, which played a central role in the Caracas operation. Harp later wrote on X that the social media site locked his account until he deleted the post.
Smithsonian Removes Trump Impeachment Text as It Swaps His Portrait
MSN – Samantha Chery, Janay Kingsberry, and Kelsey Ables (Washington Post) | Published: 1/10/2026
The National Portrait Gallery removed a swath of text that mentioned President Trump’s two impeachments and the insurrection at the Capitol as it swapped out a prominent photo of him. It replaced a photo accompanied by a longer caption recounting Trump’s first term and his reelection. “Impeached twice, on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection after supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, he was acquitted by the Senate in both trials,” it read in part.
Justice Department Opens a Criminal Investigation of Fed Chair
MSN – Andrew Ackerman and Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) | Published: 1/11/2026
The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation of Federal Reserve Board Chairperson Jerome Powell, tied to the renovation of the Fed’s headquarters along the National Mall. Powell accused the Justice Department of using the threat of criminal prosecution to pressure the central bank to lower interest rates, describing newly issued grand jury subpoenas as an unprecedented challenge to the Fed’s independence.
Virginia and Maryland at Center of Congressional Redistricting Battle
MSN – Erin Cox, Teo Armus, and Katie Shepherd (Washington Post) | Published: 1/13/2026
In what could be Democrats’ last wave of mid-cycle redistricting, the Virginia and Maryland Legislatures will each convene with national party leaders pushing them to redraw congressional maps and net as many as five seats to help build an advantage ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats in both states will hold majorities and the governor’s seat as debate unfolds, and they have been heavily lobbied for months to press for as many seats as possible, efforts that have had mixed results.
Top Prosecutors in DC., Minneapolis Leave Amid Turmoil Over Shooting Probe
MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 1/13/2026
Multiple senior prosecutors in the District of Columbia and Minnesota are leaving their jobs amid turmoil over the Trump administration’s handling of the shooting death of a Minneapolis woman. The departures include at least five prosecutors from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minneapolis, including the office’s second-in-command. The Minnesota resignations followed demands by Justice Department leaders to investigate the widow of Renée Good, the woman killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot into her car.
These Prosecutors Spent Years on Cases. Then Trump Granted Pardons.
MSN – Perry Stein (Washington Post) | Published: 1/14/2026
White-collar and public corruption cases are among the most resource-intensive for the Justice Department to pursue. Prosecutors, FBI agents, and other specialists often work for years to build such cases, following money trails and interviewing scores of witnesses before they even file an indictment. More than half a dozen experienced prosecutors said Trump’s clemency acts have eroded faith among current and former Justice Department employees that the cases they devote years to prosecuting will lead to accountability.
Trump Is Trying to Change How the Midterm Elections Are Conducted
MSN – Patrick Marley and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 1/12/2026
President Trump, fearful that a Congress controlled by Democrats could investigate him, impeach him, and stymie his agenda, is using every tool he can find to try to influence the 2026 midterm elections. Many of these endeavors go far beyond typical political persuasion, challenging long-established democratic norms. They include demands that Republican state lawmakers redraw congressional districts before the constitutionally required 10-year schedule, the prosecution of political opponents, a push to toughen voter registration rules, and attempts to end the use of voting machines and mail ballots.
Trump’s ‘Superstar’ Appellate Judges Have Voted 133-12 in His Favor
Seattle Times – Mattathias Schwartz and Emma Schartz (New York Times) | Published: 1/11/2026
President Trump has found a powerful but obscure bulwark in the appeals court judges he appointed during his first term. They have voted overwhelmingly in his favor when his administration’s actions have been challenged in court in his current term, an analysis of their 2025 records shows. Appellate judges chosen by Trump in his first term repeatedly reversed rulings made by District Court judges in his second, clearing the way for his policies and gradually eroding a perception early last year that the legal system was thwarting his efforts to amass presidential power.
Several of Kennedy’s Dietary Advisers Have Ties to Meat and Dairy Interests
Seattle Times – Alice Callahan and Maggie Astor (New York Times) | Published: 1/11/2026
Soon after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as the nation’s health secretary, he promised to overhaul the federal nutrition guidelines. A key step, he said, would be to “toss out the people who were writing the guidelines with conflicts-of-interest.” His own panel, he said, would “have no conflicts-of-interest.” But the new guidelines, which emphasize protein, meat, cheese, and milk, were informed by a panel of experts with several ties to the meat and dairy industries.
From the States and Municipalities
California – No Campaign? No Problem. Inside California Political Elites’ Shadowy Spending
MSN – Nicole Nixon and Kate Wolffe (Sacramento Bee) | Published: 1/11/2026
The indictment of Dana Williamson, a former top aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom, opened a window to Sacramento’s campaign finance ecosystem, showing the ways that lawmakers, lobbyists, consultants, and interest groups use accounts to trade money, time, and access. A review of more than 100 accounts and lobbying records reveals how two types of accounts in particular – ballot measure committees and campaign accounts held by ex-lawmakers – are commonly used to shore up political connections and help elected officials live large, while spending little, if anything, on campaigns those accounts were ostensibly designed to support.
California – Federal Judges Allow California to Use New US House Map Ahead of 2026 Election
MSN – Trân Nguyễn (Associated Press) | Published: 1/14/2026
California can use a new voter-approved U.S. House map that is designed to boost Democrats in the 2026 midterms, a federal three-judge panel ruled. The complaint accused California of violating the Constitution by using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters when drawing the new district lines. The map, aimed at giving Democrats a shot at flipping as many as five House seats next year, was decisively approved by voters through Proposition 50 in November.
Colorado Sun – Taylor Dolven | Published: 1/9/2026
A group of state lawmakers say they did not violate Colorado’s gift ban when they attended a retreat at a ritzy hotel in Vail in October with lobbyists but still will not say where they got the money to pay for legislators’ hotel rooms, food, and drinks, totaling $32,000. In response to complaints against the lawmakers filed with the Independent Ethics Commission, the lawmakers say they are in the clear because their caucus covered the $32,671.15 tab with money given to the group.
Colorado – Colorado Appeals Panel Skeptical of Sentencing for Former County Clerk Who Breached Election Systems
MSN – Colleen Slevin (Associated Press) | Published: 1/14/2025
A Colorado appeals court panel seemed skeptical that a judge could use former county clerk Tina Peters’ insistence on spreading election conspiracy theories as part of the reason to sentence her to nine years in prison for orchestrating a data breach of election equipment. The three-judge panel was dismissive of many of the arguments made by Peters’ attorneys. But they grilled the state’s lawyer over the trial judge reciting Peters’ false statements about elections in handing down her sentence.
Florida – She Made a Facebook Comment About Her Mayor. Then the Police Arrived.
MSN – Praveena Somasundaram (Washington Post) | Published: 1/14/2026
Raquel Pacheco began recording on her phone as she opened her front door to the pair of police officers standing outside. They told her they had questions about a Facebook comment she had written about Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. The now-public tussle over Pacheco’s Facebook comment is another salvo in a battle between activists across the country and authorities whom they accuse of stifling speech about divisive political topics.
Illinois – Supreme Court Says Candidates Can Challenge Vote Counting Rules
Yahoo News – Josh Gerstein (Politico) | Published: 1/14/2026
Candidates for public office can sue in advance over vote counting practices they contend are illegal, the Supreme Court ruled. The justices said U.S. Rep. Rep. Michael Bost of Illinois can proceed with a lawsuit challenging a practice President Trump has long decried: counting ballots received after Election Day.
Indiana – ‘Paid Protester’ Lobbying Bill Advances to Senate Floor with ‘Substantial’ Edits Expected
Yahoo News – Leslie Bonilla Muñiz (Indiana Capital Chronicle) | Published: 1/13/2026
Legislation requiring paid political influencers to report to Indiana lobbying regulators heads to the Senate floor despite major concerns from regulators and First Amendment advocates, and the author’s admission the bill was drafted in a rush. The bill focuses on “influence campaigns,” defined as attempts to mobilize the public to take some action or contact state officials, including via protest.
Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Says Judge Can Spend Campaign Money on His Role as Mardi Gras Krewe Royalty
MSN – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 1/15/2026
A Jefferson Parish judge who has been chosen king of a Carnival krewe can spend his campaign money to purchase merchandise for his role, according to the Louisiana Board of Ethics. Judge Adrian Adams, who is up for reelection this year, specifically asked if he could use political contributions to purchase cups, beads, and other carnival favors bearing his name and image to be given out at parades and other Mardi Gras festivities.
Louisiana – Louisiana Ethics Board Might Seek Exemption for Elected Officials to New Privacy Law
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 1/14/2026
The Louisiana Board of Ethics might seek an exemption from a new privacy law that allows current and retired judges, and soon hundreds of other public officials, to remove their personal information from its online records and website. The board’s staff recommended it ask state legislators to write an exception into the statute for documents the board oversees. Lawmakers would have to approve a change to the law, and their legislative session begins March 9.
Louisiana – Landry Can Appoint Three More Members to Ethics Board, Controlling Majority of Panel
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 1/9/2026
Gov. Jeff Landry has the power to appoint three more members to the Louisiana Board of Ethics this year, giving him control over the majority of the entity that enforces campaign finance and government transparency laws. Three of the 15 board members’ terms expired January 1. The governor controls all seats now open to new appointees. He selected five new members last year. Appointing three more would give him a slim majority of eight members.
Michigan – Before Road Funding Deal, Road Builder Money Flowed to Michigan Lawmakers
Bridge Michigan – Simon Schuster | Published: 1/9/2026
Less than two months before Michigan lawmakers finalized a historic deal to pump as much as $2 billion a year into road repairs, a slew of road construction executives whose companies will benefit from the spending opened their checkbooks at an upscale steakhouse in metro Detroit. Those donations more than doubled compared to prior years as House Speaker Mike Hall and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pushed for a bipartisan road funding deal, according to an analysis by Bridge Michigan.
Mississippi – FBI Tracked Jackson Leaders Years Before 2023 Sting, Documents Show
Yahoo News – Charlie Drape (Clarion Ledger) | Published: 1/14/2026
The FBI was secretly tracking former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens nearly a year before federal prosecutors said their public corruption case began. The records were made public as part of Owens’ motion to dismiss his 2024 indictment, in which his lawyers attached hundreds of documents, including FBI emails, confidential informant reports, and discovery materials produced by prosecutors. Owens argues the government improperly targeted and entrapped him.
New Mexico – Lawmaker Streamlines Lobbyist Disclosure Bill for Second Try
New Mexico In Depth – Marjorie Childress | Published: 1/12/2026
New Mexico Rep. Sarah Silva filed a bill that requires lobbyists or their employers to file a report within 48 hours of when they start lobbying on legislation. The reports must identify the specific bill, their position on it, and which employer is paying them to lobby. Because the upcoming legislative session is a short “budget” session, the governor must add the lobbying transparency bill to lawmakers’ agenda in order for them to consider and vote on the measure.
New York – Former Adams Aide Tony Herbert Arrested on Sweeping Federal Bribery Charges
Yahoo News – Molly Crane-Newman, Chris Sommerfeldt, Thomas Tracey, and Josephine Stratman (New York Daily News) | Published: 1/13/2026
Tony Herbert, a former official in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration and longtime fixture in New York City politics, was arrested by federal authorities on sweeping public corruption charges alleging he took bribes and kickbacks during his time at City Hall. The indictment alleges he was engaging in public corruption during his stints in Adams’s Community Affairs Unit and as Citywide Public Housing Liaison.
North Carolina – NC Warns Supreme Court Candidate Over ‘Prohibited’ Lobbyist Campaign Donation
MSN – Kyle Ingram (Raleigh News and Observer) | Published: 1/13/2026
The North Carolina State Board of Elections sent a warning letter to Rep. Sarah Stevens, the Republican candidate for the state Supreme Court, after she was accused of violating the law by accepting political contributions from two lobbyists. State law prohibits sitting lawmakers from accepting campaign donations from a lobbyist, even though the donation was for Stevens’ judicial campaign.
North Dakota – Financial Disclosures for North Dakota Officials, Candidates Now Available for Free Online
Yahoo News – Mary Steurer (North Dakota Monitor) | Published: 1/12/2026
A new website allows members of the public to view the financial interest statements of North Dakota political candidates and other elected or appointed officials. Moving forward, the public will be able to download the forms for free online. State filings previously were maintained as paper records and could only be accessed by submitting a request to the North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office, which could involve a fee.
Ohio – Judge Clears Way for Householder’s State Trial in HB 6 Scandal. Yost Has This Warning
MSN – David Gambino (Cleveland Plain Dealer) | Published: 1/8/2026
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder will continue to face state felony charges stemming from the House Bill 6 scandal after a Cuyahoga County judge denied his motion to dismiss the case. Common Pleas Judge Kevin Kelley Householder’s arguments that investigators exceeded their authority, Cuyahoga County was an improper venue, and several charges were time‑barred and should have been filed only as misdemeanor campaign finance offenses.
Oregon – Facing $25M Request, Oregon Lawmakers Again Float Delaying Historic Campaign Finance Law
MSN – Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) | Published: 1/13/2026
Multiple Oregon lawmakers of both parties have expressed support for delaying implementation of the state’s law that will limit political contributions and increase transparency. Top officials of the secretary of state’s office have requested $25 million in the upcoming legislative session to keep the implementation of the law on track. But they have said that amount is only a “placeholder” estimate, largely because the agency has not yet hired a contractor to create some of the technological infrastructure required by the law. Without further guidance and additional funding, agency officials have warned the rollout of the law could be botched.
Oregon – Longtime Oregon Lawmaker Admits to Ethics Violation, But Fails to Disclose Business Client
Portland Oregonian – Les Zaitz (Salem Recorder) | Published: 1/9/2026
For the second time in a year, state Rep. Greg Smith has conceded violating Oregon law by not fully disclosing clients of his private consulting company. Smith agreed to a letter of education from the Government Ethics Commission over the violation. That sanction is standard for the commission in matters concerning disclosures.
Rhode Island – Foulkes Wants to Ban Lobbyist Donations During Legislative Sessions
MSN – Patrick Anderson (Providence Journal) | Published: 1/12/2026
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Helena Foulkes is calling on her 2026 election rivals in Rhode Island to renounce donations from lobbyists this year, just as the traditional political fundraising season kicks into high gear. Foulkes says all statewide officeholders and General Assembly members, plus anyone running for those offices, should not be allowed to accept contributions from registered lobbyists during the annual legislative session.
MSN – Eric Dexheimer (Houston Chronicle) | Published: 1/14/2026
When state Rep. Gary Gates passed legislation closing an affordable housing loophole that threatened to cost Texas cities hundreds of millions of dollars in lost property tax revenue, he considered the law one of his biggest-ever legislative achievements. Gates owns and manages low-income housing properties. His new law shut the door on controversial local government agencies that had inked hundreds of deals across the state. Developers who profited from the deals challenged the new rules in court. Gates, acting in his private capacity as an affordable-housing landlord, joined the legal battle opposing the developers.
Virginia – Trump Officials Fire High-Ranking Prosecutor in Virginia Amid Turmoil
MSN – Salvador Rizzo, Perry Stein, and Steve Thompson (Washington Post) | Published: 1/12/2026
A veteran prosecutor who was recruited to help run a key U.S. attorney’s office in Virginia was abruptly dismissed after disagreements with the Trump administration. Robert McBride was first assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia for about two months, starting after President Trump and his administration purged the top prosecutors in the office and ordered that criminal charges be filed against two of the president’s perceived political opponents, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Washington – Mayor Katie Wilson Pays Small Fine for Child Care Help During Campaign
Seattle Times – David Kroman | Published: 1/14/2026
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson paid $250 for failing to report more than $10,000 in payments made by her parents to help with childcare during her 2025 campaign. Because, according to Wilson’s own account, the money was given to allow her more financial flexibility to campaign for office, the payments should have been reported as in-kind contributions, concluded Wayne Barnett, executive director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.
Washington – Board Finds Reasonable Cause Ferguson Violated Ethics Law
Seattle Times – Jim Brunner | Published: 1/11/2026
The Washington State Executive Ethics Board found “reasonable cause” to believe Gov. Bob Ferguson violated the law by bringing his former top aide onto a state plane last year. The board voted to accept the findings of a staff investigation that found Ferguson illegally “provided a special privilege” to Mike Webb, his longtime former top aide, “by allowing them passage on a state aircraft.” State law generally prohibits the use of state resources for private gain.
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