What the FBI took during search of John Bolton's house

What the FBI took during search of John Bolton's house

A federal magistrate judge revealedthat the FBI removed computers, other electronics and documentsduring a searchofJohn Bolton's house and that PresidentDonald Trump's former national security adviser is under investigation for possible violations of the Espionage Act. However, U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan kept confidential a court document that details what investigators were hoping to find when they searched his house Aug. 22. Bolton, who served duringTrump's first term and has since become a vocal critic of the administration, has not been charged in connection with the matter. More:Exclusive: John Bolton says Trump's White House was 'like living inside a pinball machine' The belongings seized as Bolton's Maryland home included two iPhones, typed documents in folders labeled Trump I to IV, white binders labeled reflections on "allied strikes," a Dell 3620 computer, a Dell 2330 computer, a Dell laptop and a couple of USB drives, according to a filing by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan that was posted on the public docket Sept. 4. The prosecutor said that greater disclosure could jeopardize the integrity of the investigation. Bolton is under investigation for possible violations of two federal laws: for gathering defense information and for unauthorized retention of classified documents, according to Sullivan's filing. The first statute, which is part of the Espionage Act, involves what Trump was charged with in 2023 after leaving the White House and keeping classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Afederal judge dismissed the document chargesagainst Trump. Prosecutors dropped their appeal after Trump was elected president a second time, under alongstanding Justice Department policyagainst prosecuting a sitting president. Bolton resumed criticizing Trumpin an op-ed on Aug. 25 in theWashington Examinerthat mentioned the investigation. "Donald Trump's Ukraine policy today is no more coherent than it was last Friday when his administration executed search warrants against my home and office,"Bolton wrote, repeating thesame line in a post on X. "Collapsing in confusion and haste, Trump's negotiations may be in their last throes, along with his Nobel Peace Prize campaign." Trump told reporters Bolton was "a lowlife" but that he didn't know about the search beforehand.Vice President JD Vance told USA TODAYthat Bolton was under investigation for classified documents rather than politics. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Here's what FBI removed in search of John Bolton's house

byAlpha World

in

September 04, 2025

What the FBI took during search of John Bolton's house

What the FBI took during search of John Bolton's house A federal magistrate judge revealedthat the FBI removed computers, other electron...

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Justice Department opens criminal investigation into Fed Governor Lisa Cook: Sources

Justice Department opens criminal investigation into Fed Governor Lisa Cook: Sources

The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve GovernorLisa Cook, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday. Bill Pulte, the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, sent the Department of Justice two criminal referral letters last month about Cook last month regarding Cook's properties in Georgia and Michigan. Federal investigators have begun issuing subpoenas and are utilizing grand juries in both states as part of their investigation, the sources said. MORE: Here's a list of the individuals, including Lisa Cook, targeted so far by the Trump administration TheWall Street Journalfirst reported the existence of the criminal investigation. As President Donald Trump seeks to reshape the balance of the Federal Reserve central banking system, Pulte's allegations have become the basis of Trump'seffort to terminate Cook"for cause" -- a controversial and legally fraught move that is actively being challenged in court. In anAug. 15 letterto Attorney General Pam Bondi and Special Attorney for Mortgage Fraud Ed Martin, Pulte alleged that Cook "falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud under the criminal statute." Pulte has claimed that the referral was based on publicly available information but has declined to comment about the tip that prompted his investigation. The first referral focused on Cook's properties in Georgia and Michigan. Reached for comment regarding the DOJ probe, attorneys for Cook said in a statement, "Predictably and recognizing the flaws in challenging their illegal firing of Governor Cook, the administration is scrambling to invent new justifications for its overreach." "This Justice Department -- perhaps the most politicized in American history -- will do whatever President Trump demands. He wants cover, and they are providing it," said attorney Abbe Lowell. "The questions over how Governor Cook described her properties from time to time, which we have started to address in the pending case and will continue to do so, are not fraud, but it takes nothing for this DOJ to undertake a new politicized investigation, and they appear to have just done it again." Following the Aug. 15 referral, Martin sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jermone Powell encouraging him to fire Cook because of the ongoing investigation. "At this time, I encourage you to remove Ms. Cook from your Board. Do it today before it is too late! After all, no American thinks it is appropriate that she serve during this time with a cloud hanging over her," Martin wrote. Days later, Trump attempted to fire Cook based on the allegations that she designated both her homes in Georgia and Michigan as her primary residence. Cook has denied wrongdoing, said she would continue to serve in her role, andsued to challenge Trump's attemptto remove her. "President Trump has no authority to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. His attempt to fire her, based solely on a referral letter, lacks any factual or legal basis. We will be filing a lawsuit challenging this illegal action," said Lowell. MORE: Fed Governor Lisa Cook sues Trump over attempted ouster Later that month, on Aug. 28, Pulte sent asecond referral letterto the Department of Justice, alleging that Cook had made "multiple false representations" while serving as a Federal Reserve governor, including listing an apartment in Massachusetts as both an investment property and a second home. In the following days, Pulte has made multiple comments on social media accusing Cook of crimes and calling for her prosecution, unusual steps during an ongoing investigation before any formal determinations of wrongdoing. "The damage currently being done to the integrity of the Federal Reserve, by Lisa Cook and Jerome Powell, cannot be overstated," he wrote inone post. On Thursday, Pulte originally planned to hold a press conference in front of the Elijah Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, D.C. where he said he would share new information about Cook. He later canceled the press conference, writing on social media, "Out of respect for the process, I will be delaying this press conference."

byAlpha World

in

September 04, 2025

Justice Department opens criminal investigation into Fed Governor Lisa Cook: Sources

Justice Department opens criminal investigation into Fed Governor Lisa Cook: Sources The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investi...

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Report: WR Amari Cooper informs Raiders he's retiring

Report: WR Amari Cooper informs Raiders he's retiring

Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper informed the Las Vegas Raiders that he has decided to retire after 10 seasons, NFL Network reported on Thursday. The news comes on the heels of Cooper telling reporters, "Trust me, I still have some juice left," last week after signing a one-year contract with the organization that made him the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Cooper, 31, played for the then-Oakland Raiders from 2015-18 before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys during the 2018 season. He was traded two more times (to the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills) before becoming a free agent following the 2024 season. He had 44 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns last season in 14 games with the Browns and Bills. All three categories were a career low for Cooper. Cooper totaled 711 catches for 10,033 yards and 64 touchdowns in 154 career games (143 starts). --Field Level Media

byAlpha World

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September 04, 2025

Report: WR Amari Cooper informs Raiders he's retiring

Report: WR Amari Cooper informs Raiders he's retiring Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper informed the Las Vegas Raiders that ...

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NFL Thursday night preview: Eagles celebrate a title while the Cowboys regroup

NFL Thursday night preview: Eagles celebrate a title while the Cowboys regroup

The vibes for the two teams in the NFL's annual kickoff game couldn't be much different. The Philadelphia Eagles have a new championship to celebrate. The Dallas Cowboys seem further away from breaking their title drought after trading superstar Micah Parsons last week. The first game of the NFL season doesn't lack storylines, at least. The Eagles return plenty of talent from a team that won 16 of its last 17 games last season, including a Super Bowl LIX blowout of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Eagles are so focused on a repeat and not letting complacency set in that coach Nick Sirianni said theteam will not be on the sideline to watch the championship banner be unveiled. There's business to attend to. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] The visiting team in the kickoff game often feels like the sideshow, but the Cowboys always are in the spotlight. That's especially true after the Parsons trade, which drew an opinion from everyone with a passing interest in the NFL. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said a big part of the trade was Dallas attempting to improve its run defense by adding defensive lineman Kenny Clark in the deal. That will be tested right away by Saquon Barkley, who is coming off a 2,000-yard season for Philadelphia. The NFL season starts Thursday night. There will be drama right away. Nobody wants to lose after seeing the banner get unveiled, but win or lose the Eagles will probably be fine. The Cowboys could use a good start to the season, with a new coach in Brian Schottenheimer and the Micah Parsons drama finally behind them. If the Cowboys lose and the defense gets torched by an Eagles offense that is fully capable of putting up 40 points on anyone, there will be another round of criticism over the Parsons trade. It's never calm around the Cowboys, but a win would quiet some of the noise. Diggs, who underwent knee surgery last December, is expected to play on Thursday night though he could be on a pitch count,via NFL Media. The Cowboys need him for however many snaps he can offer, because the Eagles have one of the best 1-2 receiver duos in the NFL. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are both capable of taking over a game, and the Eagles are likely to test Diggs early to see if he's moving well. How Diggs fares, in however many snaps he plays, will be huge for the Cowboys defense. It's good to have the NFL back, and Eagles fans — and bettors — seem to feel that way, too. This line has moved significantly from an opener of Eagles -7, pushing up to -8 after the Cowboys dealt Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last week, and currently sitting as high as Eagles -8.5 at some books.At BetMGM, 65% of wagers and 71% of the total dollars wagered are on Philadelphia to cover, and one Vegas oddsmaker told me that it's been "one-way action" on the Eagles so far, and Philadelphia is in many a bettor's money-line parlay or teaser to start the Week 1 action. Check out more of Ben's work atthe Yahoo Sports betting hub The NFL opens with a fun matchup on Thursday night. Philadelphia is the defending Super Bowl champs (ending last year on a ballistic 16-1 run), while Dallas is coming off a 7-10 season (after three straight playoff trips). Last year's meetings were not competitive, with Philly taking them both by a combined 75-13 count. Here's what I'll be looking at for fantasy purposes: Does Dallas junk the running game?Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, rookie Jaydon Blue — the Dallas RB room is an unimpressive group on paper. The Dallas defense also looks like a mess — I thought it had collapse risk even before the Micah Parsons trade. Dak Prescott was a volume monster two years ago, and he might need to be again. And he has the targets to push the ball downfield. Will Philly need to open things up?Jalen Hurts lived a charmed life last year, only throwing 144 passes (and six touchdown passes)in the second halves of games. That's life when you've almost always ahead. But that sort of outlier game flow often corrects, year over year. Is Saquon Barkley welcome at the goal line?Barkley didn't have a single 1-yard touchdown plunge last year, while Hurts pushed in 11 times from that distance. Barkley also averageda ridiculous 29.4 yards for his 15 touchdowns, and he handled a league-high 378 touches. No one expects Barkley to match last year's 5.8 YPC, but some goal-line opportunities would help pay the fantasy bills. Check out more of Scott's work at theYahoo Sports fantasy hub

byAlpha World

in

September 04, 2025

NFL Thursday night preview: Eagles celebrate a title while the Cowboys regroup

NFL Thursday night preview: Eagles celebrate a title while the Cowboys regroup The vibes for the two teams in the NFL's annual kickoff g...

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Where states stand in the battle for partisan advantage in US House redistricting maps

Where states stand in the battle for partisan advantage in US House redistricting maps

Lawmakers in Missouri are thelatest to try to drawa new U.S. House map for the 2026 election that could improve the Republican Party's numbers in Congress. It's a trend thatbegan in Texas, at the behest of PresidentDonald Trump, to try to keep GOP control of the House next year. California Democrats responded with their own map to help their party, thoughit still requires voter approval. Redistricting typically occursonce a decade, immediately after a census. But in some states, there is no prohibition on a mid-cycle map makeover. The U.S. Supreme Court also has said there is no federal prohibition onpolitical gerrymandering, in which districts are intentionally drawn to one party's advantage. Nationally, Democrats need to gain three seats next year to take control of the House. The party of the president typically loses seats in the midterm congressional elections. Here is a rundown of what states are doing: Missouri lawmakers hold a special session A special session called by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe began Wednesday and will run at least a week. Missouri is represented in the U.S House by six Republicans and two Democrats. A revised map proposed by Kehoe would give Republicans a better chance at winning the seat held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver by stretching the Kansas City-based district into rural Republican-leaning areas. Although Democrats could filibuster in the Senate, Republicans could use procedural maneuvers to shut that down and pass the new map. Texas Democrats walked out but Republicans prevailed Democratic state House membersleft Texasfor two weeks to scuttle a special session on redistricting by preventing a quorum needed to do business. But after that session ended, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott quickly called another one — and Democrats returned, satisfied that they had made their point and that California was proceeding with a counter plan. Republicans hold 25 of the 38 congressional seats in Texas. A revised map passed Aug. 23 is intended to give Republicans a shot at picking up five additional seats in next year's elections. Abbott's signature made the map final. California Democrats seek to counter Texas Democrats already hold 43 of the 52 congressional seats in California. The Legislature passed a revised map passed Aug. 21 aimed at giving Democrats a chance to gain five additional seats in the 2026 elections. Unlike Texas, California has an independent citizens' commission that handles redistricting after the census, so any changes to the map need approval from voters.A referendumis scheduled for Nov. 4. Indiana Republicans meet with Trump about redistricting Indiana's Republican legislative leaders met privately with Trump to discussredistrictingwhile in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 26. Some also met with Vice President JD Vance. Several Indiana legislators came out in support of a mid-cycle map change following the meetings. But others have expressed hesitation. It remains unclear if Indiana lawmakers will hold a special session on redistricting. Republicans hold a 7-2 edge over Democrats in Indiana's congressional delegation. Louisiana Republicans looking at times for a special session Louisiana lawmakers are being told to keep their calendars open between Oct. 23 and Nov. 13. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Oct. 15 over a challenge to the state's congressional map. Republican state Rep. Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu, who chairs a House committee that oversees redistricting, said the idea is to have lawmakers available to come back to work in case the Supreme Court issues a ruling quickly. Republicans now hold four of Louisiana's six congressional seats. Ohio must redraw its maps before the 2026 midterms Because of the way its current districts were enacted, the state constitution requires Republican-led Ohioto adopt new House maps before the 2026elections. Ohio Democrats are bracing for Republicans to try to expand their 10-5 congressional majority. Democrats don't have much power to stop it. But "we will fight, we will organize, we will make noise at every step of the process," Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde said. New York Democrats try to change state law New York, similar to California, has an independent commission that redraws districts after every census. State Democrats have introduced legislation to allow mid-decade redistricting, but the soonest new maps could be in place would be for the 2028 elections. That is because the proposal would require an amendment to the state constitution, a change that would have to pass the Legislature twice and be approved by voters. Maryland Democrats planning a response to Texas Democratic state Sen. Clarence Lam has announced he is filing redistricting legislation for consideration during the 2026 session. Democratic House Majority Leader David Moon also said he would sponsor legislation triggering redistricting in Maryland if any state conducted mid-decade redistricting. Democrats control seven of Maryland's eight congressional seats. Florida's governor pledges support for redistricting Florida Republican state House Speaker Daniel Perez said his chamberwill take up redistrictingthrough a special committee. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has reiterated his support for the state to join the redistricting fray, calling on the federal government to conduct a new census count and claiming that the Trump administration should "award" the state another congressional seat. Twenty of Florida's 28 U.S. House seats are occupied by Republicans. Kansas Republicans haven't ruled out redistricting Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson didn't rule out trying to redraw the state's four congressional districts, one of which is held by the state's sole Democratic representative. The Legislature's GOP supermajority could do so early next year. A court orders Utah to redraw its districts Utah Republicans hold all four of the state's U.S. House seats under a map the GOP-led Legislature approved after the 2020 census. But a judge ruled Aug. 25 thatthe map was unlawfulbecause the Legislature had circumvented an independent redistricting commission that was established by voters to ensure districts don't deliberately favor one party. The judge gave lawmakers until Sept. 24 to adopt a map, which could increase Democrats' chances of winning a seat.

byAlpha World

in

September 04, 2025

Where states stand in the battle for partisan advantage in US House redistricting maps

Where states stand in the battle for partisan advantage in US House redistricting maps Lawmakers in Missouri are thelatest to try to drawa n...

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