Senior reporter, Department of Justice @BLaw | @UMWallaceHouse alum | bpenn@bloomberglaw.com | Signal at benpenn.06
Joined October 2010
- Tweets 5,154
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- Followers 5,966
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Pinned Tweet
Jun 3
I went long on a new form of Trump DOJ turmoil: Top Las Vegas prosecutor Sigal Chattah repeatedly bypassed Main Justice recusal orders, pushed cases for ex-clients & friends, targeted political foe & much more.
"It's charitable to call it chaos."
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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New: A trial was supposed to start today in Houston in Nvidia chip smuggling into China case Trump admin promoted as key to protecting US from adversaries.
Turns out, Trump's dealmaking at Nvidia's behest to permit sales in China may derail prosecution. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Jun 11
New: Judge Eleanor Ross, who had an affair in-chambers and lied to judges about it, sent revised apology letters to her former clerks, hours after the NYT reported she sent them a three-line letter that didn't specifically address the misconduct. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Jun 10
This is the article @SenWhitehouse just had Grassley enter into record of Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to show the cost of illegal US attorney appointments ⬇️
Jun 3
I went long on a new form of Trump DOJ turmoil: Top Las Vegas prosecutor Sigal Chattah repeatedly bypassed Main Justice recusal orders, pushed cases for ex-clients & friends, targeted political foe & much more.
"It's charitable to call it chaos."
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Ben Penn retweeted
Jun 10
SCOOP: A top DOJ appointee responsible for liaising with Congress, Patrick Davis, planned to make a claim (!) with Trump’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and asked to recuse himself from working on the DOJ fund — a move that alarmed Justice Dept. colleagues. politico.com/news/2026/06/10…
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Jun 10
Former immigration judges who say their firings were discriminatory are pushing courts to rein in the Trump administration’s claims of unfettered power to terminate executive branch employees, @cecelou18 & @crepeau report
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New: The Ninth Circuit's chief judge announced a misconduct review into Judge Ryan Nelson, following reports of his misdemeanors charges of battery and malicious injury to property. All of that information "was only very recently received," per the order news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Jun 8
111 ex-Chicago AUSAs have signed a statement condemning leadership of US Attorney Andrew Boutros. I can't recall this level of concerted criticism from an office's named former prosecutors in this admin. Story by @crepeau: news.bloomberglaw.com/litiga…
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Jun 5
What's notable is this followed DOJ's claim that Civil Div. "thoroughly reviewed" judge's allegations & cleared attys of wrongdoing.
Those used to be independent calls from DOJ Office of Professional Resonsibility after lengthy probes, but this DOJ hasn't had much use for OPR.
NEW: DOJ lawyers involved in litigation over a subpoena for a Rhode Island hospital’s records on transgender minors will face a judicial disciplinary review after a judge accused the attorneys of misrepresenting and withholding information.
For @BLaw: news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Ben Penn retweeted
Jun 5
JUST IN: Judge Mary McElroy (Trump/RI) refers DOJ attorneys to the court discipline committee over handling of fight over trans medical care subpoenas to RI Hospital. Earlier she agreed that presumption of regularity for govt 'no longer holds.' storage.courtlistener.com/re…
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President Donald Trump’s executive order reclassifying 8,000 federal employees includes hundreds of attorneys who advise the government on matters ranging from patent law to assault investigations.
More here for @BLaw, with @IanKullgren & @MarenFagan: news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-…
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At least two Republicans have raised doubts about acting AG Todd Blanche’s confirmation prospects after Trump announced plans to make him “permanent attorney general,” though he’s notching support among other GOP members.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Jun 4
Read full story for the Bondi drama that beset DOJ congressional affairs this past year. As Epstein scrutiny escalated, Bondi’s team rebuffed her Senate-confirmed Hill liaison’s request for more lawmaker outreach & took hearing advice from inner circle of zinger writers ⬇️
Jun 4
News: Ahead of Blanche confirmation battle, DOJ has tried repairing strained Hill relations, especially among Rs, after Bondi's team marginalized & distrusted head of leg affairs. That official, Patrick Davis, could be key in wooing Senate for Blanche. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Jun 4
News: Ahead of Blanche confirmation battle, DOJ has tried repairing strained Hill relations, especially among Rs, after Bondi's team marginalized & distrusted head of leg affairs. That official, Patrick Davis, could be key in wooing Senate for Blanche. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Jun 4
DOJ leg affairs office is about half its authorized staffing level, as political appointees have left what's always a thankless job, but one that's been made more difficult by Bondi sidelining their boss, multiple source say.
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Jun 3
I went long on a new form of Trump DOJ turmoil: Top Las Vegas prosecutor Sigal Chattah repeatedly bypassed Main Justice recusal orders, pushed cases for ex-clients & friends, targeted political foe & much more.
"It's charitable to call it chaos."
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Jun 3
Chattah also collected oppo research on a judge who's been ruling against her office by releasing immigrants detained w/out bond hearings. The info was used in a MAGA-aligned reporter's article labeling the judge (whose family has received multiple threats) as judicial activist
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Ben Penn retweeted
Jun 3
Incredible reporting on Trump-loving hyperpartisan appointed by POTUS as U.S. attorney and who can't get confirmed by Senate: She ignored recusal orders, got involved in cases involving friends and political associates, talked about indicting Dem gov hopeful.
Astounding stuff.
Jun 3
I went long on a new form of Trump DOJ turmoil: Top Las Vegas prosecutor Sigal Chattah repeatedly bypassed Main Justice recusal orders, pushed cases for ex-clients & friends, targeted political foe & much more.
"It's charitable to call it chaos."
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Jun 2
There is escalating heat on Chicago US Attorney Boutros, as critics call for his resignation over Trump-aligned moves.
For our story exploring this dynamic, Boutros' office provided an extraordinary 6-page Q&A statement that reframed our questions.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law…
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Ben Penn retweeted
Jun 2
NEW from Chris Strohm: US officials are continuing with an agreement that bars the government from probing past tax filings from President Donald Trump and his businesses, according to a person familiar with the matter, while a plan to set up the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" is on hold
buff.ly/xeC7Ac3
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May 28
Scoop: Trump appears poised to nominate a real estate attorney turned tech entrepreneur for a top DOJ post that oversees grants and criminal justice programs. Konstantinos Ligris's paperwork was sent to the Senate Judiciary Cmt, but the Senate hasn't received his formal nom yet
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