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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Three years and 1,300 stories later, today’s my last day @thehill.com, a newsroom that punches above its weight and has made me a better reporter. More to share soon on my next steps, but first, some highlights and thank yous:

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Trump is expected to get up close & personal with the justices this morning, heading to SCOTUS for oral args over his birthright citizenship EO — the first time a sitting president is known to have done so. 5 things we're watching for @thehill.com: thehill.com/newsletters/...

thehill.com

5 things to watch as Supreme Court weighs birthright citizenship

Keep reading for our interview with an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney who is the challengers’ counsel of record. President Trump is headed to Supreme Court this morning …

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

A person familiar with the sitch tells @thehill.com that the bar has opened a “monitor file” on Halligan, its regular process for when any attorney is involved in an ongoing legal proceeding. It ensures the bar checks back to see the outcome. More in story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

NEWS: Florida’s bar now says it “erroneously” stated that an ethics investigation is underway against Lindsey Halligan. "There is no such pending Bar investigation of Lindsay Halligan," spox says. Story tk

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Lindsey Halligan, the ex-US atty for the Eastern District of Virginia who prosecuted Trump's political adversaries, is being investigated by Florida's bar association, per a letter obtained by The Hill. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Bizarre: The Justice Department has asked a federal judge to let it continue defending President Trump’s executive orders targeting several of the nation’s top law firms — just a day after deserting the appeals. No comment from DOJ on the matter.

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Just now: Elias Rodriguez, the man accused of killing two Israeli Embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. last year, has pleaded NOT GUILTY to new terrorism-related charges.

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

#SOTU: President Trump shakes hands with all four Supreme Court justices who attended his State of the Union address. That’s Chief Justice Roberts & Justices Kagan, Kavanaugh and Barrett.

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Hegseth & the Pentagon are appealing a judge's ruling that blocked their bid to punish Sen. Mark Kelly over his video with other Dems urging service members to reject "illegal orders":

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

A federal judge has BLOCKED the Pentagon’s bid to punish Mark Kelly over the AZ senator's video with other Dems calling on service members to reject "illegal orders." Says the gov "trampled on" Kelly's 1A freedoms & threatened the liberties of millions of vets: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Ed Martin no longer heads DOJ's Weaponization Working Group. Source says Martin was told in early December that his time in the role would expire at year's end but it hadn't been publicly announced. DOJ says he continues to serve as pardon atty. More: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

Barry Pollack, who represented WikiLeaks' Julian Assange, has been retained by Nicolas Maduro:

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

The new indictment against Maduro, his wife & Venezuelan officials alleges decades of power abuses to corrupt gov institutions, import cocaine to the US and enrich the nation’s elite — esp the Maduro fam. What to know about the case: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

Just in: Brian Cole Jr., the DC pipe bomb suspect, will remain locked up pending trial, a judge rules, saying gov met its burden to show there are "no conditions of release the Court could impose to reasonably assure the safety of the community." Filing: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

TODAY: The future of independent agencies heads to the Supreme Court, where this morning the justices will hear oral arguments on Trump’s bid to fire FTC commissioner Rebecca Slaughter w/o cause. Story w/ @zschonfeld.bsky.social: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

The head of GA's Prosecuting Attorneys' Council is taking over the 2020 election subversion case against Trump & allies, after "several" attys turned the job down. Today was the deadline to pick a new lead post-Fani Willis's disqualification or face dismissal. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Ahead of args, two plaintiffs leading the charge talked w/The Gavel, @thehill.com's weekly courts newsletter, ab the importance of the SCOTUS case. Per wine importer VOS Selections' Victor Schwartz: “You cannot make a Chianti in Oregon." Story w/@zschonfeld.bsky.social: thehill.com/newsletters/...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

SOON: President Trump’s sweeping tariff agenda will be dissected by the Supreme Court as his admin seeks to justify its global trade overhaul by pointing to emergency powers. Story: thehill.com/homenews/558...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

The 2020 election subversion cases are on life support — but they’re not dead yet. In this week's edition of The Gavel, @thehill.com's weekly courts digest, some updates on where things stand (🧵): thehill.com/newsletters/...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

SCOTUS wants additional briefing in the pending case about Trump's National Guard deployment to the Chicagoland area:

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Kat Abughazaleh, a progressive candidate for Congress in IL-9, was hit with federal charges tied to an ICE protest alongside five others, including local political candidates. They're set to be arraigned on Nov. 5. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie, a Clinton appointee who sits on a federal court in South Carolina, has been assigned to weigh Comey's challenge to interim-US atty Lindsey Halligan's appointment. Filing: www.courtlistener.com/docket/71459...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

An appeals court has temporarily lifted the part of a judge’s order blocking Trump’s federalization of the National Guard in Illinois but says they still can’t be deployed for now (though, looks like the TX troops can stay in the state): storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

New: The indictment of NY AG Letitia James over real estate fraud allegations may ring a bell. Though far smaller in scope, it echoes the civil fraud case she mounted against Trump that put her in the president’s crosshairs. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

NY AG Letitia James has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two charges stemming from mortgage fraud allegations, making her the second prominent Trump adversary to face criminal charges after he vowed to seek retribution against his perceived enemies. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

The two-count indictment against New York AG Letitia James: www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Ex-FBI director James Comey's arraignment has been moved up to Wednesday at 10am. Judge cites security & other conflicting matters that are expected to draw "large numbers of people to the courthouse" at the same time. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

BREAKING: Illinois and the city of Chicago have sued to block Trump's deployment of National Guard troops. Filing: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

NEWS: The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over Trump’s effort to fire the Fed's Lisa Cook in January. In the meantime, she can stay in her role:

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

NOW: A 2-page criminal indictment against James Comey has been filed:

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

A federal grand jury indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of making a false statement and obstruction, just days after Trump called for his longtime foe's prosecution. Story by The Hill's Rebecca Beitsch: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

The Supreme Court takes up Trump's firing of FTC commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, setting up a showdown over its 90-year precedent enabling protections for some regulators. In the meantime, the firing can go into effect:

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Utah has filed formal notice of its intent to seek the death penalty against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old charged with killing Charlie Kirk:

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

NEWS: Utah prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk. Comes as Utah County AG Jeff Gray announces seven charges against Robinson, including aggravated murder. Story tk.

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Developing: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported but returned to the U.S., has sued the Trump admin over its efforts to deport him again — this time to Uganda, a third country to which he has no known ties. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

A federal judge has rejected the Trump admin's bid to unseal Epstein grand jury materials, saying the gov is the “logical party” to make any sweeping disclosures. Said the motion seems like a "diversion" from Epstein files already in gov's possession. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

Stanford's student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, has filed suit against Rubio & Noem, claiming some of its writers in the U.S. on student visas have “self-censored” re: Israel-Gaza to avoid being targeted for deportation: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

Stanford student newspaper sues Trump administration over writers fearing deportation

Stanford University’s independent student newspaper on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against two Trump administration officials, claiming some of its writers in the U.S. on student visas have &#8…

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

👀The DC church whose BLM banner was destroyed by the Proud Boys in 2020 has sued a local chapter for infringement/dilution over its continued use of the “Proud Boys” trademark, which the church won rights to (by default) in an earlier suit Filing: www.courtlistener.com/docket/71021...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Two judges presiding over major Trump admin cases gave rare public remarks today denouncing the threats they’ve faced as the White House's war with the judiciary rages on. The threats have spanned “vile" voicemails to swatting and credible death threats. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

A BOP spokesperson confirms that George Santos has reported to FCI Fairton in New Jersey to start his 7-year prison term. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

A judge heard closing arguments today in a trial over the Trump admin's apparent deportation policy against pro-Palestinian campus demonstrators. The plaintiffs say the policy aims to chill speech, while DOJ disputes such a policy exists. More: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

The Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activists is on trial. It's the first major trial of Trump’s second term, taking aim at a policy that has led to arrests/deportation efforts against the outspoken students & faculty. Story: thehill.com/homenews/538...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Justice Barrett faced heavy criticism this spring for breaking w/Trump in emergency rulings key to his second-term agenda. But in the term’s most critical decisions, she proved her conservative bonafides, winning back some MAGA support. Story w/ @zschonfeld.bsky.social: thehill.com/regulation/c...

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

The Trump admin is appealing a judge's order blocking his EO against the law firm Perkins Coie, nearly 2mo after that ruling. Follows victories in district court for all four law firms who challenged Trump's orders against them. Background here: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Ex-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who helped devise Trump's alternate electors strategy in 2020, has been disbarred in New York. Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

The Supreme Court ruled that Texas death row inmate Ruben Gutierrez has the legal right to sue over the state’s laws governing DNA testing in a bid to test evidence he says would block his execution. Story tk.

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Ella Lee @byellalee.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

Fmr VP Pence earlier this month wrote a letter to a Jan. 6 defendant who refused Trump’s pardon, expressing “admiration” for her choice to reject the clemency & accept responsibility. A spox for Pence confirmed the letter’s authenticity: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

Pence sent letter to Jan. 6 defendant who refused Trump pardon

Former Vice President Pence earlier this month wrote a letter to a former Jan. 6 defendant who refused President Trump’s pardon, expressing “admiration” for her decision to reject the clemency and …

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