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

And with that, major thanks to my editors - Ian Swanson, Rema Rahman and Katie Wadington, who are in a league of their own, and @zschonfeld.bsky.social, who I couldn’t have done this job without.

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

I also had the privilege to help create and grow The Gavel, a legal-political newsletter helmed by me and @zschonfeld.bsky.social. It’s a project I’m so proud of, and I hope you’ll continue to subscribe as Zach carries the torch solo: thehill.com/newsletters/...

thehill.com

The Gavel News | Page 1

Unbiased Politics News

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

The opportunities I’ve had at The Hill have exceeded all expectations, from covering historic criminal cases to landmark Supreme Court decisions. Thanks to the sources who have trusted and helped me along the way – you’ll be hearing from me soon enough!

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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

Your reminder to subscribe to The Gavel, @thehill's weekly courts newsletter: nxslink.thehill.com/join/7aa/sig...

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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

Background: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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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

Story: thehill.com/homenews/576...

thehill.com

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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...

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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

All this and more in The Gavel, written by me & @zschonfeld.bsky.social. We publish weekly, on Wednesdays. Sign up here: nxslink.thehill.com/join/7aa/sig...

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

And in WI, the case against three Trump allies appears to be more or less on track. A state judge refused to throw out the charges in August.

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

In NV, a venue fight has tied up the case. AG Ford says the case belongs in Clark County, but a judge ruled Carson City. Ford's appeal is pending at NV's top court. To ensure the case lives if he loses, 1 of 2 counts were refiled in the latter. Electors pleaded not guilty & trial set for July.

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

In GA, Fani Willis's office was disqualified. Georgia’s Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council must pick a new prosecutor by Nov. 14 or the case could be dismissed. PAC director Pete Skandalakis said Monday that a new prosecutor had not yet been picked and declined to comment further.

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

In MI, AG Nessel is still weighing whether to appeal the dismissal of charges against 15 pro-Trump electors, her spox said. The standard 21-day window to appeal has passed. But prosecutors could ask to file a delayed application, which can be brought up to 6mo later (June).

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

In AZ, AG Mayes was recently given an extension to Nov. 21 to decide whether to press forward with her office’s case or let it fizzle out. A state judge ordered prosecutors to return the case to a grand jury, and a mid-level appeals court declined to review the case. So:

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

The state cases against Trump's allies and the so-called "fake electors" have been dealt several blows in recent months. Now, the Dem AGs who brought the charges are at junctures where they must make critical decisions about the future of the cases.

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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

Background here: thehill.com/homenews/adm...

thehill.com

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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...

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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

Story: thehill.com/regulation/c...

thehill.com

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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

More court docs confirm the grand jury did not indict on one of the three counts prosecutors pursued against Comey:

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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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