In Front of Noses: Petty Policy-Making

Of course, “policy-making” is giving more credit than is due.

photo of sandwich, jam, tomatoes, lunch, food, healthy food, croissant, healthy, cheese, grilled, dish, cuisine, ingredient, baked goods, breakfast, produce, ham and cheese sandwich, staple food, breakfast sandwich, finger food, brunch, junk food, fast food, appetizer, meal, meat, american food, ham, greek food photo of sandwich, jam, tomatoes, lunch, food, healthy food, croissant, healthy, cheese, grilled, dish, cuisine, ingredient, baked goods, breakfast, produce, ham and cheese sandwich, staple food, breakfast sandwich, finger food, brunch, junk food, fast food, appetizer, meal, meat, american food, ham, greek food

DC Grand Jury Refuses to Indict Over ‘Illegal Orders’ Video

An absurd matter has come to its rightful conclusion.

Nihilistic Violent Extremism?

Some criminologists have identified a new trend.

photo of wood, woman, monument, female, statue, portrait, symbol, balance, astrology, sculpture, art, grace, justice, head, marble, horizontal, large, law, carving, right, fate, character, forward, case law, horoscope, payday, ancient history, zodiac sign, signs of the zodiac, justitia photo of wood, woman, monument, female, statue, portrait, symbol, balance, astrology, sculpture, art, grace, justice, head, marble, horizontal, large, law, carving, right, fate, character, forward, case law, horoscope, payday, ancient history, zodiac sign, signs of the zodiac, justitia

In Front of Our Noses: Judicial Nominees and Their Public Obeisance

Loyalty tests on display by those seeking lifetime appointments to the bench.

Federal agents ram a man's vehicle and demand identification at Park Avenue and 35th Street in Minneapolis on January 12, 2026. The Latino man says he was let go once they realized he was a US citizen. While doing so, a crowd as well as more officers continued to arrive before releasing tear gas and pepper spraying members of the media and their cameras. Federal agents ram a man's vehicle and demand identification at Park Avenue and 35th Street in Minneapolis on January 12, 2026. The Latino man says he was let go once they realized he was a US citizen. While doing so, a crowd as well as more officers continued to arrive before releasing tear gas and pepper spraying members of the media and their cameras.

Take off the Masks

There is no reason for ICE operatives to wear masks save they don’t want to be held accountable.

A Headline for the Trump Era

Combining two items that will be hallmarks of his second term.

Fine Line Between Public Right to Know and Doxxing

Ethics and masked law enforcement.

So, Noem Was Just Following Orders?

The finger-pointing continues

Bovino Out of Minneapolis

And maybe out entirely.

Bovino Needs to Read the First Amendment

Gestapo is as Gestapo does.

Video Tells The Tale

And, like with Renee Good, it tells us that the administration is brazenly lying to us.

Being a Tough Guy Ain’t as Easy as it Looks!

The movies always make it seem so simple!

Less Than Meets the Eye?

Trump’s style may obscure a lack of substance.

This is Fascism

Just the latest example.

Federal agents ram a man's vehicle and demand identification at Park Avenue and 35th Street in Minneapolis on January 12, 2026. The Latino man says he was let go once they realized he was a US citizen. While doing so, a crowd as well as more officers continued to arrive before releasing tear gas and pepper spraying members of the media and their cameras. Federal agents ram a man's vehicle and demand identification at Park Avenue and 35th Street in Minneapolis on January 12, 2026. The Latino man says he was let go once they realized he was a US citizen. While doing so, a crowd as well as more officers continued to arrive before releasing tear gas and pepper spraying members of the media and their cameras.

Mess in Minnesota

Going from bad to worse.

photo of wood, woman, monument, female, statue, portrait, symbol, balance, astrology, sculpture, art, grace, justice, head, marble, horizontal, large, law, carving, right, fate, character, forward, case law, horoscope, payday, ancient history, zodiac sign, signs of the zodiac, justitia photo of wood, woman, monument, female, statue, portrait, symbol, balance, astrology, sculpture, art, grace, justice, head, marble, horizontal, large, law, carving, right, fate, character, forward, case law, horoscope, payday, ancient history, zodiac sign, signs of the zodiac, justitia

(Also) In Front of Our Noses: The Ongoing Corruption of DoJ

More attacks on political enemies.

In Front of Our Noses: Abuses of the Pardon Power

Part of the never-ending story of abuse and corruption.

Blowing Up Boats Using Disguised Aircraft?

The NYT reports about likely war crimes by US forces.

The Propaganda Must Flow

DHS is more than willing to actively lie.

ICE Kills, Noem and Trump Lie

Just another day under this administration.

Just Following Orders

An oft-misunderstood legal principle.

President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

The Legality of the Maduro Raid

“When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

U.S. Invades Venezuela, Captures President

We’ve seen this movie before.

Expanding ICE

Betty Boop, Nancy Drew, and Others Entering Public Domain

Thousands of works from 1930 will lose copyright protection with the New Year.

Legal Extortion

A bad year for OTB.

Bongino to Resign

Spouting opinions is far easier work that governing based on facts.

More Grotesqueries from the Trump Administration

Reveling in cruelty.

Greg Bovino’s Costuming Choices

It is hard to ignore the aesthetic he is invoking.

Cruelty to Meet Quotas

The administration continues to show its ideological stripes.

More on Indefensible Behavior

A reminder the US government sent people to CECOT who were then tortured.

SCOTUS, the Unitary Executive “Theory,” and the Debilitation of the Modern State

Permanent damage appears to be coming (oh, and it enhances the authoritarian power of the presidency as well).

Indefensible Acts

Cruelty in service of nativist purity.

The Futility of Blowing Up Some Boats

Tough guys actions don’t solve massive problems.

The Pro-Murder Narrative

Who needs evidence and due process when “bad guys” are involved.

In Front of Our Noses: Plans to Pardon a Convicted Drug Cartel Leader

(While murdering people without due process because of [checks notes] drugs.)

Hegseth Ordered ‘No Quarter’ for Drug Boats

A clear violation of the laws of war. But do they apply?

photo of person, suit, black and white, people, military, soldier, army, monochrome, weapon, camouflage, war, shooting, gun, bullets, dangerous, troop, afghanistan, combat, cartridge, monochrome photography, machine gun, militia, camouflage battledress, projectiles, battledress, camouflage photo of person, suit, black and white, people, military, soldier, army, monochrome, weapon, camouflage, war, shooting, gun, bullets, dangerous, troop, afghanistan, combat, cartridge, monochrome photography, machine gun, militia, camouflage battledress, projectiles, battledress, camouflage

DC Shooter Was Part of CIA-Directed Unit

A childhood friend claims he had PTSD from his actions.

Two National Guardsmen Shot in DC

A suspect, an Afghan national, is in custody.

Expertise Matters

Some signs of hope and of deep concern due to Trump appointees.

The Preponderance of the Trumpness

Thinking about how what is known about Trump and Epstein.

Trump Bows To Reality, Says Release Epstein Files

After months of demanding Republicans resist, he says “We have nothing to hide.”

Epstein Files Discharge Petition Reaches Target

Newly-Sworn-in-Rep. Grijalva provides the final signature.

SCOTUS Rejects Same-Sex Marriage Case

A bit of good news.

SCOTUS Blocks Order for Full SNAP Payments

It’s not what you think.

Justice for Sandwich Guy

Not even a misdemeanor.

Judges Order Administration to Pay SNAP Benefits

It turns out that mandatory spending is, well, mandatory.