Lawfare Daily: The Trials of the Trump Administration,  June 12

A federal judge in Virginia has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration's slush fund, rejecting the government's claim that the case was moot after the acting attorney general said it was no longer moving forward. The ruling, delivered by Judge Brinkman, underscores the judiciary's skepticism toward the administration's efforts to shield Trump from legal accountability, particularly when key officials offer no clear explanation for why the fund isn't being rescinded. Meanwhile, in New York, a federal magistrate judge acquitted city controller Brad Lander of obstruction charges after a one-day trial, finding his protest chant 'We Will Not Move' was a statement of principle, not an attempt to block elevator access. In Chicago, a career prosecutor’s improper vouching and efforts to dismiss grand jurors during a grand jury proceeding were revealed in released transcripts, raising serious ethical concerns. The case was ultimately dismissed, suggesting systemic issues in the office. In a separate but related development, a judge in Rhode Island blocked a series of immigration policies that paused asylum and work permit applications for 39 countries after a shooting in Washington, D.C., ruling the actions were driven by anti-immigrant animus rather than legitimate national security concerns.