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Senior legal affairs reporter for @POLITICO with a focus on democracy, law and the balance of power in government. Tips: kcheney@politico.com NY ➡️ BOS ➡️ DC
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Articles by Kyle Cheney
Multiple top officials exit DOJ after Dems' midterm wave
Attorney General Todd Blanche is shaking up the Justice Department's senior ranks ahead of an expected clash with Congress and mounting frustration over a string of legal and political failures.
Multiple top officials exit DOJ after Dems' midterm wave
The moves leave the department without some of its most seasoned hands just as congressional Democrats gear up for oversight. A banner with a portrait of President Donald Trump is seen hung outside the Department of Justice on Nov. 3, 2026. | Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP 11/06/2026 6:53 PM EST Share Attorney General Todd Blanche is shaking up the Justice Department's senior ranks ahead of an expected clash with Congress and mounting frustration over a string of legal and political failures.
Multiple top officials exit DOJ after Dems’ midterm wave
Attorney General Todd Blanche is shaking up the Justice Department's senior ranks ahead of an expected clash with Congress and mounting frustration over a string of legal and political failures.
Democrats' biggest legal battle against Trump has already started
Trump's sweeping assertions of executive privilege will shape the fate of congressional oversight — and the presidency. Mandel Ngan/Getty Images 11/06/2026 5:00 AM EST Share The day after a federal judge ordered the Kennedy Center board to remove President Donald Trump's name from the building, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's phone started blowing up.
Democrats’ biggest legal battle against Trump has already started
The day after a federal judge ordered the Kennedy Center board to remove President Donald Trump's name from the building, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's phone started blowing up. Matt Floca, the center's operator, sent 11 straight texts to Lutnick, Trump's go-between on one of his second-term obsessions: a gilded redesign of the performing arts center.
Judge blocks Trump’s arch after panel approves construction
10 hours ago Democrats want to cut off funding for the president’s building projects—or tear them down later. When Donald Trump gathered news crews and administration officials at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool earlier this week, it was obvious that he wanted to offer a strong closing pitch ahead of …
Federal judge orders Justice Department to stop threatening election officials in Washington state
A federal judge in Seattle has ordered the Justice Department to cease insisting that Washington state set aside ballots of people suspected of being noncitizens and stop threatening election officials who defy demands from the federal government. U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead issued a temporary restraining order Thursday evening in response to a lawsuit filed last week by a get-out-the-vote organization, a labor union and a Latino group.
The end of Trump’s most potent legacy
Democrats' sweeping victories Tuesday night will soon bring to a halt one of President Donald Trump's most important achievements: remaking the federal judiciary. Democrats may even have some hope of chipping away at the Supreme Court's conservative supermajority, depending on the number of Senate seats they ultimately pick up and whether a vacancy arises.
Trump's two new tormenters: Courts and Congress
The president enters his final chapter in public office in an unfamiliar position. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) are seen during a watch party at the AC Hotel Capitol Hill on Election Day in Washington, on Nov. 3, 2026. | Francis Chung/POLITICO 11/04/2026 5:55 AM EST Share Donald Trump awakens Wednesday boxed in.
Trump’s two new tormenters: Courts and Congress
Donald Trump awakens Wednesday boxed in. Already in the pincer grip of federal courts that have slowed his agenda, he now faces a historically powerful incoming Democratic majority in Congress, eager to turn their gavels and subpoena power on their longtime tormentor. And he'll face them down while a new crop of Republicans seeks to eclipse him as the leader of their party. This is how the last chapter of the Trump era in Washington begins. For Trump, it's an unfamiliar position.
Pardoned Jan. 6 defendant facing new charges for threatening DC federal judges
Follow Pardoned Jan. 6 defendant facing new charges for threatening DC federal judges Tue, November 3, 2026 at 9:54 AM EST A North Carolina man was pardoned by President Donald Trump for threatening to "put a bullet" in then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi's head after arriving in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, with a car full of guns and ammo.
Chaos and campaigning in the final day before the election
Latest updates 6 minutes ago 6m ago · The races Republicans have already given up on The midterms are still a day away, but strategists in both parties have already given up on some key races once billed as frontline contests. As the battleground map has expanded in the races' final weeks, the top super PACs in both parties have been forced to make decisions about where to allocate limited resources, leading to some candidates getting cut off from a crucial financial lifeline in the home stretch.
Judge Orders DOJ to Stop Threatening to Prosecute Election Officials
Voters at a polling precinct. (photo: City of Fenton) ALSO SEE: Judge Rejects Trump Officials’ Move to Challenge the Alaska Senate Election The San Francisco-based court also said federal officials must stop demanding that ballots from selected voters be segregated. A federal judge on Friday ordered the Justice Department to stop threatening state and local election officials with criminal prosecution over their handling of disputes about voter qualifications.
Judge throws out Trump admin suit seeking to stave off GOP defeat in Alaska Senate race
A federal judge has thrown out the Trump administration's lawsuit seeking to block certification of the Alaska Senate race if the Democratic candidate wins. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled Sunday that the federal government can’t proceed with its suit claiming that voters could be confused between the incumbent Republican, Sen. Dan Sullivan, and a lesser-known candidate with the same name.
Judge throws out Trump admin suit seeking to stave off GOP defeat in Alaska Senate race
Follow Judge throws out Trump admin suit seeking to stave off GOP defeat in Alaska Senate race Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney Sun, November 1, 2026 at 1:28 PM EST A federal judge has thrown out the Trump administration's lawsuit seeking to block certification of the Alaska Senate race if the Democratic candidate wins. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled Sunday that the federal government can't proceed with its suit claiming that voters could be confused between the incumbent Republican, Sen.
Judge orders DOJ to stop threatening to prosecute election officials
A federal judge on Friday ordered the Justice Department to stop threatening state and local election officials with criminal prosecution over their handling of disputes about voter qualifications.
Judge orders DOJ to stop threatening to prosecute election officials Original
The San Francisco-based court also said federal officials must stop demanding that ballots from selected voters be segregated. 10/31/2026 2:05 AM GMT+1 Share A federal judge on Friday ordered the Justice Department to stop threatening state and local election officials with criminal prosecution over their handling of disputes about voter qualifications.
Judge orders DOJ to stop threatening to prosecute election officials
Follow Judge orders DOJ to stop threatening to prosecute election officials Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney Updated Fri, October 30, 2026 at 9:05 PM EDT Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a news conference on the Fraud Task Force inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Washington.
Judge weighs blocking construction of Trump’s triumphal arch
Ask Yahoo Scout Follow Judge weighs blocking construction of Trump’s triumphal arch Fri, October 30, 2026 at 4:55 PM EDT A federal judge appeared skeptical Friday of the Trump administration's bid to begin construction on President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch at the foot of Arlington National Cemetery.
Judge opens misconduct inquiry in Trump golf course case
A federal judge on Friday opened an investigation into whether Trump administration officials repeatedly deceived her about the president's plans to shutter and redevelop a Washington, D.C. golf course. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes ordered the investigation after weeks of increasing exasperation , as she has sought to discern when the administration began implementing a plan to close the East Potomac golf course on Nov. 15.
Judge opens misconduct inquiry in Trump golf course case
A federal judge on Friday opened an investigation into whether Trump administration officials repeatedly deceived her about the president's plans to shutter and redevelop a Washington, D.C. golf course. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes ordered the investigation after weeks of increasing exasperation, as she has sought to discern when the administration began implementing a plan to close the East Potomac golf course on Nov. 15.
‘Why do you need this?': Appeals court skeptical of pre-election ICE enforcement surge
Hearings in Washington and California presage a chaotic sprint to the midterms. People wait in line behind privacy booths to receive their ballots at an early voting site in Haverstraw, N.Y., Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.
‘Why do you need this?’: Appeals court skeptical of pre-election ICE enforcement surge
A federal appeals court panel signaled Thursday that it is unlikely to let the Department of Homeland Security resume a crackdown on alleged illegal voting — a campaign civic groups say is a thinly veiled strategy to intimidate naturalized citizens. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals questioned the Trump administration's emergency demand to resume its enforcement surge,known as the Unlawful Voter Initiative. A federal judge in California blocked the initiative last week.
Judge blocks Trump admin from forcing California to set aside ballots
Follow Judge blocks Trump admin from forcing California to set aside ballots Wed, October 28, 2026 at 9:20 PM EDT A federal judge on Wednesday denied the Trump administration's last-ditch attempt to force California to screen thousands of ballots from purported noncitizens based on data that state officials say is riddled with errors.
Trump admin zeroes in on noncitizen voting in final midterm push
The Trump administration is ramping up its focus on noncitizen voting as the midterms approach. As signs increasingly point toward losses for Republicans, the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security have loudly touted charges against dozens of people they allege are not U.S. citizens but who voted in 2022 or 2024.
Trump admin zeroes in on noncitizen voting in final midterm push
The Trump administration is ramping up its focus on noncitizen voting as the midterms approach. As signs increasingly point toward losses for Republicans, the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security have loudly touted charges against dozens of people they allege are not U.S. citizens but who voted in 2022 or 2024.
Justice Department charges James Comey with sharing classified information
The case involves allegations that the former FBI director authorized a disclosure of classified information to The New York Times. Former FBI Director James Comey speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on June 8, 2017. | Alex Brandon/AP The Justice Department has brought a third criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey, charging him with leaking classified information about government surveillance techniques to The New York Times in 2016.
Appeals court rejects DOJ’s bid to quickly force California to set aside ballots
Follow Appeals court rejects DOJ’s bid to quickly force California to set aside ballots Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein Mon, October 26, 2026 at 6:55 PM EDT A federal appeals court has rejected the Trump administration's late-breaking effort to force California to separate mail-in ballots from 20,000 purported noncitizens.
Appeals court rejects DOJ’s bid to quickly force California to set aside ballots
A federal appeals court has rejected the Trump administration's late-breaking effort to force California to separate mail-in ballots from 20,000 purported noncitizens. A 2-1 ruling from a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that the Justice Department improperly circumvented a lower-court judge who had scheduled a hearing on the matter on Tuesday and moved too slowly to seek emergency relief.
Justice Department charges James Comey with sharing classified information
Follow Justice Department charges James Comey with sharing classified information Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney Mon, October 26, 2026 at 6:27 PM EDT The Justice Department has brought a third criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey, charging him with leaking classified information about government surveillance techniques to The New York Times in 2016.
Justice Department faces skeptical appeals court panel in California ballot fight
A federal appeals court appears poised to reject the Justice Department's last-minute bid to force California election workers to set aside ballots the Trump administration claims may be cast by noncitizens.
‘Should fail on the merits’: DOJ’s Alaska gambit is likely to go nowhere
The Justice Department's lawsuit to block Alaska's Senate election results if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses is likely a legal nonstarter. "This lawsuit is abusive in intent and nearly frivolous in argument, and should fail on the merits," CATO Institute's Walter Olson said.
Appeals court shores up ICE mass detention policy
A divided federal appeals court ruled Friday that thousands of ICE detainees being held in Texas have no rights to seek release on bond — even if they've been held for months or years while their immigration proceedings play out.
DOJ sues to block election certification in Alaska if Republicans lose Senate race
The Department of Justice sued to prevent Alaska state officials from certifying election results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses in November, an escalation of the Trump administration trying to use the power of the federal government to influence the midterms. In a lawsuit filed Thursday , DOJ argued that the presence of an independent candidate also named Dan Sullivan constitutes a purposeful effort to mislead voters. “Given the substantial likelihood that the inclusion of Daniel J.
DOJ sues to block election certification in Alaska if Republicans lose Senate race
Follow DOJ sues to block election certification in Alaska if Republicans lose Senate race Gregory Svirnovskiy and Kyle Cheney Fri, October 23, 2026 at 11:31 AM EDT The Department of Justice sued to prevent Alaska state officials from certifying election results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses in November, an escalation of the Trump administration trying to use the power of the federal government to influence the midterms.
The House GOP's imminent decision on the Omar raid
Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to weigh in on the speech-or-debate implications of the raid, though the House has sometimes taken weeks to articulate a position in other investigations. Rep. Ilhan Omar listens during a hearing on Sept. 22, 2026 in Washington. | Mark Schiefelbein/AP 10/21/2026 4:45 AM EDT Share House Republicans have publicly cheered on the Trump administration's investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar .
The House GOP’s imminent decision on the Omar raid
House Republicans have publicly cheered on the Trump administration's investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar. But underneath the posturing, the raid raises thorny nonpartisan questions about how aggressively Congress wants to defend itself from encroaching federal prosecutors. The Department of Homeland Security investigators who raided Omar's Washington home last week were searching for evidence related to the Minnesota Democrat's immigration history.
Judge tees off on DOJ official over Trump golf course
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‘I don’t care what you think’: Judge tees off on DOJ official over Trump golf course
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes does not play golf. "A good walk ruined," she calls it. But President Donald Trump's obsession with converting a Washington, D.C. golf course into a PGA-level venue has drawn the Biden-appointed judge into a constitutional clash with the White House — eliciting personal attacks from Trump himself as he spends significant second-term energy molding the capital in his image.
Appeals court appears skeptical of Trump's attempt to shield presidential records
A federal appeals court panel sounded deeply skeptical Friday about President Donald Trump's effort to invalidate the Watergate-era law that governs presidential records — and played a central role in the criminal charges he faced for hoarding classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Appeals court appears skeptical of Trump's attempt to shield presidential records
The Trump administration argues that the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional. President Donald Trump displays a stack of papers at the White House on Jan. 20, 2026.
Appeals court appears skeptical of Trump’s attempt to shield presidential records
A federal appeals court panel sounded deeply skeptical Friday about President Donald Trump's effort to invalidate the Watergate-era law that governs presidential records — and played a central role in the criminal charges he faced for hoarding classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump zakazał mediom wstępu do Białego Domu. Sędzia podtrzymał nakaz przywracający im dostęp
18 września Trump ogłosił zakaz wstępu do Białego Domu dla wybranych mediów, zarzucając im nieprzychylność i podawanie fałszywych informacji. Od tego czasu urzędnicy Białego Domu i prawnicy Departamentu Sprawiedliwości próbowali przedstawić to posunięcie jako wynikające ze względów bezpieczeństwa narodowego.
Judge extends order restoring White House access for POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW
A federal judge has extended his order restoring White House press credentials to journalists for three news organizations President Donald Trump sought to ban over their reporting. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday giving POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW continued access to the White House complex while litigation plays out.
Judge extends order restoring White House access for POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW
A federal judge has extended his order restoring White House press credentials to journalists for three news organizations President Donald Trump sought to ban over their reporting. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday giving POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW continued access to the White House complex while litigation plays out.
Judge extends order restoring White House access for POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW
Follow Judge extends order restoring White House access for POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney Tue, October 13, 2026 at 11:31 PM EDT A federal judge has extended his order restoring White House press credentials to journalists for three news organizations President Donald Trump sought to ban over their reporting.
‘Furious’ judge halts Trump admin’s tree demolition at DC’s East Potomac golf course
A federal judge tore into the Trump administration Monday for cutting down hundreds of trees at the East Potomac golf course over the weekend with only hours of advance notice to the court and preservation activists suing to block President Donald Trump’s plan to transform the site into a championship-level course.
‘Furious’ judge halts Trump admin’s tree demolition at DC’s East Potomac golf course
3 hours ago The president’s actions over the past 72 hours look like an effort to force Kyiv to surrender. In the past 72 hours, Donald Trump has dropped all pretense, torched a couple decades of American policy, and undermined 18 months of his own diplomacy. He lifted sanctions on the import of Russian diesel …
‘Furious’ judge halts Trump admin’s tree demolition at DC’s East Potomac golf course
A federal judge tore into the Trump administration Monday for cutting down hundreds of trees at the East Potomac Golf Course over the weekend with only hours of advance notice to the court and preservation activists suing to block President Donald Trump's plan to transform the site into a championship-level course.
Judge orders immediate halt to taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ads
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately pull a slate of taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ads that have been running on national television for two weeks. U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon issued the restraining order Sunday evening, ordering the Department of Homeland Security to cancel the remainder of the $20 million ad buy — including those slated to run Sunday night — and barring the White House and other Trump administration agencies from resuming the campaign.
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