Ryan Goodman

Another FBI leader standing up for the rule of law

“Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own, as good people are being walked out of the FBI and others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy."

James Dennehy, FBI NY Field Office

Top F.B.I. Agent in New York Vows to ‘Dig In’ After Removals at Agency

James E. Dennehy, the highly respected leader of the largest and most important field office in the bureau, said the F.B.I. was in a “battle of our own.”

Valor

Danielle Sassoon, Acting U.S. attorney for SDNY - refuses to drop Adams charges and resigns

John Keller, Acting head of DOJ Public Integrity Section - refuses and resigns

Kevin Driscoll, Acting head of DOJ Criminal Division - refuses and resigns

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

Top federal prosecutor in N.Y. resigns after refusing to drop Adams charges

Two top prosecutors in Washington also resigned over the DOJ order to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

This is how it's done.

A strong and principled response by WilmerHale to the illegal Executive Order attack - a form of attempted government intimidation declared unconstitutional by a federal judge.

This is how to guard the rule of law.

1/ ❗Really chilling.

Thanks to Sen. Mark Warner, for releasing Memo from acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove to FBI leadership ordering the purge.

-Memo is a clear abuse of power and weaponization of DOJ
-Memo bolsters FBI lawsuits filed today. VERY clear the list is for retaliatory purposes

Major General Randy E. Manner, former Acting Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau statement to Fox News:

"This is an inappropriate use of the National Guard and is not warranted.”

Wow. What a sign that criminal case against Abrego Garcia may be politically cooked up.

"Schrader’s resignation was prompted by concerns that the case was being pursued for political reasons"

Schrader spent 15 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nashville and was chief of the criminal division

Abrego Garcia indictment led top federal prosecutor in Tennessee to resign: Sources

2 points here:

1) There's no statute of limitations in New York for Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes (maybe also options in New Mexico and Florida). A pardon can't stop state prosecutions.

2) We just got another reason to release the Epstein files: so the public can test Maxwell's truthfulness.

▶

Second shoe drops

2nd Complaint filed against FBI purge.

This by Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association (approx 14,000 members)

Privacy rights - public release of names
Administrative Procedure Act
First Amendment - for retaliation
Due Process
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

<thread>

On the left:

June 12, Judge Breyer writing that THE test for whether the US Marines/Guard violate Posse Comitatus will be whether they've engaged in "detaining" civilians.

On the right:

June 13: See for yourself.

Note: The DoD has confirmed the detention of civilian to Reuters.

WOW on Pretti's denial of medical treatment

"I informed the ICE agents that I am a physician, and I asked to
assess the victim.

At first, the ICE agents wouldn't let me through. ... But none of the ICE agents who were near the victim were performing CPR, ... None of the agents were helping him."

Wall Street Journal Editorial Board comes out swinging against JD Vance.

Indeed, key moment in downward spiral was Vance lashing out in response to Zelenskyy's point on diplomacy with Putin

WSJ: "It is bewildering to see Mr. Trump’s allies defending this debacle as some show of American strength."

Opinion | Putin Wins the Trump-Zelensky Oval Office Spectacle

Vice President Vance starts a public fight that only helps Russia’s dictator.

1/This may truly blowup #KashPatel nomination

On left:

Patel Testimony: "I'm not aware" of purge inside DOJ/FBI and "don't know what's going on."

On right:

Whistleblowers tell Senate that Patel was directing the purge!

Contemporaneous note: “KP wants movement at FBI, reciprocal actions for DOJ”

The Atlantic has now published the Signal texts with attack plans in response to administration denials.

I worked at the Pentagon.

If information like this is not classified, nothing is.

If Hegseth is claiming he declassified this information, he should be shown the door for having done so.

Bondi DOJ has a problem.

On left:

DOJ Indictment and Detention Memo allege Abrego Garcia lied to officer by not revealing he was coming from Texas

On right:

DHS Referral Report: "Subject stated he was driving 'three days ago' (11/27/2022) from Houston, TX to Temple Hills, MD (via St Louis, MO)"

Sunday morning April 20, 2025

Fox News Sunday — Van Hollen

NBC's Meet the Press — Van Hollen

CNN's State of the Union — Van Hollen

CBS’ Face the Nation — Van Hollen

ABC’s This Week — Van Hollen

@vanhollen.senate.gov
#AbregoGarcia #RuleOfLaw

Reuters Exclusive

"U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school."

"The strike would rank among the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of U.S. conflicts in the ​Middle East."

Exclusive: US investigation points to likely US responsibility in Iran school strike, sources say

Military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed scores of children on Saturday, two U.S. officials told Reu...

I've been waiting for this.

Independent autopsy of Renee Good is in. It's strong evidence against Agent Ross, given what it means about the second or third shot through the left-side window.

It's the second and third shots that make the easiest criminal case of a willful killing.

Independent autopsy in ICE shooting death of Renee Good released by law firm in civil investigation

The results of an independent autopsy for Renee Good have been released as part of a law firm's civil investigation, two weeks after she was shot and killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis.

Judge Xinis in Tuesday eve order homes in on key issue:

"Abrego Garcia appears to remain inexplicably detained in CECOT."

She cites text in written agreement with El Salvador showing US control: That detainees are kept in CECOT “pending the United States’ decision on their long-term disposition.”

Imagine this in a trial.

Devastating first-hand witness to Alex Pretti's killing

Declaration filed in federal court:

"I don't know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him."

Wouldn't it be nice if every news outlet that covered the Bukele Oval Office meeting noted:

District court wrote: Abrego Garcia "has never been charged with or convicted of any crime."⤵️

Fourth Circuit: The government presented "NO EVIDENCE" of MS-13 affiliation. Abandoned argument before court. ⤵️

Senator Kelly is correct.

Plus a Public Service Announcement:

KEY section of Department of Defense's Law of War Manual is 18.3.2.1.

The VERY rule on the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders gives as its paradigmatic example of what is "clearly illegal:
"orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com

Mark Kelly on the Trump/Hegseth boat strikes: "If orders are illegal, not only do they not have to follow them, they are legally required not to follow them."

▶

What an important point by @jkbjournalist.bsky.social back in February and ever more relevant.

"Pam Bondi was Florida's attorney general 2011-2109 ... So questions should be asked about why she didn't take up the [Epstein] case -- or launch a probe -- when she was attorney general in Florida."

1/ I worked at DoD. I literally cannot imagine lawyers coming up with a legal basis for lethal strike of suspected Venezuelan drug boat.

Hard to see how this would not be "murder" or war crime under international law that DoD considers applicable.

Read expert analysis by @bcfinucane.bsky.social⤵️

Legal Issues Raised by a Lethal U.S. Military Attack in the Caribbean

The Trump administration’s extraordinary lethal attack on this purported smuggling vessel raises significant potential legal issues.

Jaw-dropping admission by DOJ to court.

DOJ admits to having repeatedly made "material mistaken" representations to judge - ICE never had authority (under 2025 Guidance) to conduct arrests at immigration courthouses!

DOJ admits court "relied on...prior misrepresentations."

DOJ blames ICE (page 2)