UnJustified

President Trump says he’ll nominate Todd Blanche as Attorney General, and has named Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence. A federal judge has re-opened the case that led to the slush fund settlement to investigate possible collusion and a fraud on the court as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies he’ll drop the fund but not the Trump family tax immunity. John Bolton takes a plea deal for one felony count of mishandling national defense information. Amid personnel changes at the Justice Department and the Pentagon, 2020 Election Denier Kurt Olsen joins the US Attorneys Office in the Southern District of Florida. The lead prosecutor in the seashells case leaves. A January 6th rioter gets a sensitive counterterrorism job. Plus listener questions.

The Department of Justice has established a $1.8B “anti-weaponization fund” after Trump dropped his lawsuit against the IRS. A former federal prosecutor has been indicted for sending herself copies of Volume II of Jack Smith’s final report. A federal judge has dismissed the charges against Kilmar Ábrego García on vindictive and selective prosecution grounds. The Justice Department has dropped all remaining charges against the Broadview 6 after a grand jury transcript showed gross misconduct. Plus listener questions.

The FBI is investigating the Atlantic reporter who wrote a detailed story of Director Kash Patel’s alleged heavy drinking and erratic behavior. Patel even ordered polygraphs for nearly two dozen staff members looking for leaks. A second federal judge has blocked the Department of Justice from accessing data seized from Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith spoke at a private event last month saying Trump has corrupted the Justice Department, and that it’s become difficult to track the number of times judges have accused DOJ officials of dishonesty or lack of candor. A federal judge rules that the government can keep the ballots seized from election offices in Fulton County, Georgia.

Jeanine Pirro gets shut out by a federal grand jury trying to indict six members of Congress for their video asking military members to disregard illegal orders. Judges in the Northern District appointed Donald Kinsella US attorney to replace John Sarcone, and Todd Blanche promptly fired him. Former Special Counsel Deputy in Jack Smith’s office, JP Cooney, is running for Congress in Virginia. A federal judge has blocked Trump's effort to transfer 20 former death row inmates commuted by President Biden to the notorious ADX Supermax Prison. Plus listener questions…

The FBI executed a search warrant on the Fulton County Georgia Election Offices with Director of National Intelligence Tusli Gabbard in tow. Four journalists including Don Lemon were arrested by the Justice Department and charged with conspiracy against rights and threat of force to impede religious freedom The US Attorney’s office in Minneapolis is in crisis over concerns that they were being asked to execute orders that went against the department’s mission and best practices. AG: and members of the Pulitzer Prize Board have sued Donald Trump for documents and communications surrounding the Mueller investigation that are still being kept secret. Plus listener questions…

The Department of Justice faces mass resignations from the Civil Rights Division and the Minneapolis US Attorney’s office over the handling of the killing of Renee Nicole Good. Judge Engelmayer asks the parties for briefing on whether he has jurisdiction to appoint a special master, and whether Congressmen Khanna and Massie have standing to ask for one. Jack Smith has agreed to testify publicly this week as experts debunk claims that he infringed on Donald Trump’s free speech. President Trump is becoming disillusioned with Attorney General Pam Bondi and wants to create an office within the Justice Department that reports directly to the White House. Plus listener questions…

Jack Smith testified for 8 hours to House Judiciary.Allison picked some of the key moments to talk about.

Lawyers for former CIA Chief John Brennan have written to the Chief Judge in the Southern District of Florida accusing the Justice Department of forum shopping. The Supreme Court has ruled that Trump does not have the authority to deploy the National Guard under title 10 USC section 12406. The Justice Department issues a memo asking assistant US Attorneys to work through the holidays to redact the Epstein files as they claim to have found a million new documents. The White House has taken over the Justice Department communications on social media. Plus listener questions…