Allegations and Denials - Congressman Swallwell is denying allegations against him, calling them false and suggesting they are politically motivated [1] - Swallwell warns that if Democrats gain control of the House, they will investigate Trump administration officials [1] Mortgage Fraud Concerns - Multiple Democrats are facing mortgage-related accusations, raising concerns about potential political targeting [1] - A referral is not a finding of wrongdoing, but DOJ actions raise concerns about case handling [1] - Mortgage fraud cases are fact-intensive, relying on documents like W-2s and bank statements [1] Potential Politicization of Justice Department - Accusations against critics of Donald Trump raise concerns about the weaponization of the Justice Department [1] - Defending against these charges can cost individuals thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars [1] - The director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Bill Py, is sending these mortgage-related cases to the DOJ [1] - Concerns exist that criminal referrals are being used as political tools [1] Inspector General and Oversight - A Fannie Mae Inspector General's probe is investigating how private actors are accessing mortgage information [2] - A top ally of Py allegedly provided confidential mortgage pricing data from Fannie Mae to a key competitor [2] - Internal watchdogs investigating Py and an ally have reportedly been forced out of their jobs [2] - The president has reportedly fired two dozen inspectors general in the federal government, weakening oversight [3][4]

We begin this hour with the news that former Trump national security adviser and vocal Trump critic John Bolton is likely the next name to be checked off of Trump's enemies list as the president as President Trump continues to use the Department of Justice to settle scores. MSNBC has learned that the acting US attorney in Maryland is moving forward quickly to seek criminal charges against Bolton over improperly keeping classified information in his Maryland home with charges possibly coming as early as next ...

DOJ Credibility & Integrity - The DOJ's commitment to the neutral administration of the law is being eviscerated [2] - There is concern about the future and reputation of the DOJ, impacting its ability to function effectively across administrations [3] - Politically motivated prosecutions could discourage individuals from speaking out against the administration [3] - The administration is making little effort to conceal the political nature of certain prosecutions [5] Potential for Abuse & Politicization - There is a perceived "green light" from the White House to pursue politically motivated prosecutions, potentially influencing prosecutors at various levels of government [4] - Targeting political opponents may lead to selective or vindictive prosecutions [6] - Career prosecutors have refused to bring certain cases, suggesting a lack of merit or ethical concerns [6][9] Impact on DOJ Operations - The DOJ is experiencing a "brain drain" due to departures of experienced prosecutors [7] - The loss of experienced prosecutors will make it harder to perform the day-to-day work of administering justice [9] - The James prosecution highlights potential issues with basic legal procedures, as no career official was willing to participate in the grand jury [9]