The director of office and management and budget, Russ vote, just said that riffs have begun. That's reductions in force across government agencies. And what does that mean.That means that thousands of federal workers, according to a White House official, are going to be laid off. These are effectively firings. This is not something that typically happens during a shutdown.It's not something that the White House has to do. This is a choice being made by the White House. Russ Vote had said all during the ele ...

Joining us now, MSNBC Justice and Intelligence Correspondent Ken Delaneian. Former assistant attorney general who led the Justice Department's criminal division, Leslie Caldwell, former adviser to George W. Bush and John McCain, and creator of the circus, Mark McKinnon, and former deputy assistant attorney general and former lawyer for George W.Bush, Tom Dri. An ignimonious list indeed. Ken, why um is Tai Cobb saying Pam Bondi should be at the top of it.Well, you know what's so interesting about that clip y ...

The state of emergency is in America, not Chicago, and is birthed from this president and his administration. Dr. . King said he could not raise his voice against the violence of the oppressed without having first spoken clearly to the greater purveyor of violence, his own country.And those are my words to you, Mr. . Trump. Before you dare speak about any violence in Chicago, look into your mirror and address the violence coming from the White House.>> Hi again everybody. It's now 5:00 in New York. As much ...

Ceasefire & Hostage Release - A US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza has officially gone into effect [1] - Hamas is set to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners [2] Challenges to Long-Term Peace - The current ceasefire is just the "first inning" with much more work needed to achieve lasting peace [5] - There is a lack of hope for a better future on both sides, with Israelis and Palestinians questioning each other's desire for peace [7][10][11] - Key issues remain unresolved, including the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of Gaza [5][9][16][17] - The involvement and desire of Gulf states and other Middle Eastern Arab states to bring the conflict to an end is important [8] Political Landscape - Israeli elections are approaching, and the current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is likely to win [5][11][12][13] - The composition of the next coalition government in Israel is uncertain [14] - The future governing body for Gaza is unclear, and Palestinians' desires are not being adequately considered [14][15]

Government Instability & Parallels to Watergate - The analysis suggests the current political climate is more unstable than during Watergate due to the perceived absence of checks on executive power and a destabilized government [2] - The report draws a distinction between Nixon's cabinet, characterized by experienced "institutionalists," and the current administration, which is viewed as less experienced and potentially prone to errors in managing the government [6] - The analysis indicates that Congress and the courts may eventually push back against the administration's actions, but expresses limited hope for such a response [7] Political Retribution & Public Opinion - Political retribution is reportedly unpopular, with 70% of Americans opposing it [7] - Trump's overall approval rating is hovering between 37% and 39%, suggesting limited public support for his actions [8] - The analysis questions whether the administration's actions, including perceived damage to the Justice Department and FBI, could have negative political ramifications in the future [9][10] Justice Department & Potential Abuse of Power - Concerns are raised about the potential misuse of government resources for political purposes, specifically mentioning Ed Martin and Bill Py's alleged activities within the Justice Department and the Federal Housing Finance Agency [15][16] - Ed Martin, holding dual roles within the Justice Department, is described as a political operative with seemingly little supervision, potentially influencing legal cases [15][16] - The report highlights the unusual level of attention Trump is giving to retribution, potentially interfering with the Justice Department's independence [12]

Legal & Political Analysis - Former national security advisor John Bolton is expected to face a complaint or indictment related to improperly kept classified information, potentially fueling perceptions of political retribution [1][2][3] - The speed of the Bolton case is alarming, as the original classification authority determination, normally a months-long process, may have been expedited by White House intervention [7][8] - The case raises questions about vindictive prosecution, especially given the president's open statements about wanting certain individuals prosecuted [16][17] - The Justice Department's actions are being scrutinized to determine if they are based on the law or influenced by political motivations [15][16] Key Figures & Context - John Bolton, a former national security advisor and critic of Donald Trump, previously faced scrutiny from Bill Barr regarding his book publication [9][10][12] - The acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia allegedly did not notify the main Justice Department about the Leticia James indictment, implying external influence [6] - The investigation into Bolton's book, "The Room Where It Happens," was previously dropped by Meritt Garland's Justice Department after a change in administrations [13]

Legal & Political Landscape - The US Attorney in Maryland is moving quickly to seek criminal charges against John Bolton, former National Security Advisor [1][2] - The charges against Bolton relate to mishandling or holding onto national security information, specifically classified information at his home [5] - This case is different from the Comey and James cases, where prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia resisted the indictments [4] - Bolton's lawyer argues that the documents in question are ones a longtime government official would normally have, dating back to the George W Bush presidency [7] - The US Attorney's Office in Maryland is pursuing this case rather rapidly [8] Potential Implications - If criminally charged, Bolton would be the third person on Donald Trump's "targeted" list to face prosecution in recent weeks [4] - The prosecution of individuals who have criticized Donald Trump is accelerating [7] Contextual Considerations - John Bolton had previously criticized Donald Trump's handling of classified information [6] - The FBI retrieved a significant volume of classified records from Donald Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago [6]

Joining us now, Connecticut Democrat Congressman Jim Hemes, the ranking member on House Intel. Congressman, thank you very much for joining us. Thanks for having me, Katie.First off, what is your reaction to Tish James being indicted. Yeah, I mean, I'm not one bit surprised, right. I mean, uh, you know, Donald Trump and the White House have fired their way through the Department of Justice till they've arrived at the lowest common denominator, really scraping the bottom of the barrel with, uh, in this case ...

Joining us now, New York City controller Brad Lander. Really good to have you. Thank you for joining us. Thank you.What is your reaction to this. I mean, it is so straightforward political retribution. Trump has said so himself.And the fact that a Trump appointed career prosecutor, Eric Seabird, chose to resign rather than bring a false prosecution. Uh, really tells you all you need to know. Where is Leticia James' head right now. Where is the AG's head.I mean, she is fearless. And you could see that in the ...

Well, it's happening. President Trump making good on threats to furlow more federal workers as the shutdown drags on. This is all developing right now.A senior White House official telling MSNBC's Von Hillyard, "We expect thousands of people, unfortunately, to be laid off due to the government shutdown." And the news comes just a day after President Trump said this. >> And we're only going to cut Democrat programs, I hate to tell you. I guess that's makes sense.But we're only cutting Democrat programs. Uh b ...