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Hassan Ali Kanu

@hassankanu.bsky.social
18K followers 882 following 68 posts

Covering litigation re Big Tech / regulatory law @politico. Priors @TheProspect @reuters @blaw. Sierra Leonean 🇸🇱. Continuously depressed Wizards fan. Alum @DukeLaw @Morehouse

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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Politico @politico.com · 28/08/2026
Musk’s AI company sues its users as victim lawsuits over Grok deepfakes mount
dlvr.it
Musk’s AI company sues its users as victim lawsuits over Grok deepfakes mount
As alleged victims sue the company over AI-generated child sexual abuse material, xAI takes the legal fight to its own users.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
NEW: Trump Justice Department backs Musk's Xai in battle against Minnesota porn deepfake ban, argues it covers too many body parts. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... More here via @hassankanu.bsky.social www.politico.com/newsletters/...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Congressman Don Beyer @beyer.house.gov · 13/07/2026
Trump tried to game the courts to bless an illegal scheme to siphon nearly $2 billion in taxpayer dollars into a slush fund and shield his family from tax audits. The courts saw through it, shut it down, and referred administration lawyers for possible disciplinary action.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
NEW: A federal judge said President Trump attempted to manipulate the courts, concocting a lawsuit to justify the settlement that established the "anti-weaponization" fund and shielded his family from IRS scrutiny. w/ @hassankanu.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
BREAKING: By a 6-3 vote, #SCOTUS will allow Alabama to use its never-implemented 2023 districts in this year's elections. They're likely to result in a 6-1, R-D split and the loss of 1 of 2 majority Black AL districts. www.documentcloud.org/documents/28... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
documentcloud.org
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
BREAKING: Judge opens inquiry into settlement of Trump-IRS lawsuit with $1.8B "Anti-Weaponization Fund." Judge Kathleen Williams (Obama/SDFL) says if fatally flawed suit was filed just to justify a settlement, it could merit sanctions. w/@kyledcheney www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Judge launches inquiry into Trump-IRS settlement that led to ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams asked Trump’s lawyers to respond to a call for her to explore the deal that led to the $1.8 billion fund.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
NEW: A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from continuing to establish or operate its "anti-weaponization" fund, which has led to a bipartisan furor over potential payouts to Jan. 6 defendants. w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social @hassankanu.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
NEW: A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from making any payouts from its "anti-weaponization" fund, which has led to a bipartisan furor over potential payments to Jan. 6 defendants. w @kyledcheney.bsky.social @joshgerstein.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Judge pauses Trump administration’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
The temporary order halts any payments from the controversial fund.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
JUST IN: Another court filing obviously written by Trump, seeks to leverage shooting Saturday to end litigation over WH ballroom project. Calls latest episode "assassination attempt." Cites news reports, but no other proof/legal cases. Ends w/a '!' Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
JUST IN: DOJ opposes accused WHCA Dinner assailant Cole Allen's bid to disqualify Blanche, Pirro & US Atty ofc due to Blanche & Pirro being 'victims.' DOJ says public didn't know the two were even going. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
documentcloud.org
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
NEW: A New Mexico judge is likely going to order Meta to make major changes to Facebook, Instagram & its other social media apps, with potentially far-reaching ripple effect on the $1.5 trillion tech giant and its multinational competitors. www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Judge considers ordering Meta to revamp its apps
The expected order may set a precedent for states to compel structural changes to social media apps.
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
NEW: The Trump admin could walk away from Anthropic's suit w sweeping new authority to effectively label U.S. AI (and other) companies as national security risks. And the admin will probably continue using Claude / Mythos, despite the purported current ban. www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
DC Circuit eyes off-ramp in Trump’s national security feud with Anthropic
An eventual ruling could establish broad powers for the administration to designate domestic companies as threats.
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
NEW: A federal jury in California took just a couple hours on Monday to unanimously dismiss Elon Musk’s claims alleging that Sam Altman and OpenAI deceived him into funding the company with promises to operate it as a nonprofit for the public welfare. www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Jury rejects Musk’s claims against Sam Altman over OpenAI Founding
Musk is expected to appeal.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
JUST IN: Trump settles $10B suit over leaking of his tax returns, as well as Russia probe & Mar-a-Lago raid damages claims by setting up $1.8B "weaponization" fund at DOJ to issue payments to unspecified victims of "lawfare." w/Danny Nguyen www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
DOJ rolls out nearly $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization fund’ as part of Trump’s IRS settlement
The move comes after Trump, his sons and family business sued the IRS for $10 billion for failing to properly oversee a contractor who leaked the tax returns of the president.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
JUST IN: Mag. judge overseeing discovery in Don Lemon et al. MN church protest case says feds blew deadline to turn over relevant info to defense because prosecutors unilaterally deleted names of witnesses & law enf. Docs: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28... www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
documentcloud.org
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
NEW: Justices Thomas and Alito imply #SCOTUS majority is countenancing crime by keeping abortion pill mifepristone available by mail order and telehealth while legal battle unfolds. w/ @alicemiranda.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Supreme Court extends order maintaining abortion pill access
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the majority decision.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
NEW: We've spent 10 months tracking the outcomes in tens of thousands of lawsuits brought by ICE detainees amid an unprecedented detention push. It's not a cose call: judges have ruled more than 10,000 times against ICE, a 9-1 ratio. See the database: www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Lawrence Hurley @lawrencehurley.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
This is the second time in a week the Supreme Court has sidestepped process in a way that helps GOP adopt new maps to maximize partisan advantage even as election season is underway.
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
NEW: SCOTUS gives Alabama the go-ahead to use a congressional map that will likely remove a majority-Black district & Democratic incumbent from the state. via @joshgerstein.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Supreme Court allows Alabama GOP to erase Black House district
The high court voted 6-3 to allow state to proceed with plan likely to squeeze Democrats to single seat
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
SCOOP: RFK Jr. is driving a vast inquiry into vaccine safety, despite his recent silence on the topic. Public health experts fear the findings will be misused. Kennedy has long wanted "sufficient science" to lay the groundwork for lawsuits. w/@by-cjewett.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/h...
nytimes.com
Kennedy Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His New Silence on the Issue
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
NEW: "When you watch Netflix, Netflix watches you," TX attorney general Ken Paxton says in suit accusing the company of deceptive practices/addiction-by-design. www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Netflix sued by Texas AG for alleged surveillance, addictive features
The complaint follows a product liability playbook that has been successful against other big tech platforms.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
NEW: The 6th Circuit becomes the third federal appeals court to reject ICE’s mass detention push that targets people who have lived in the U.S. for years without criminal records. www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Third federal appeals court rejects ICE’s mandatory detention push
The 6th Circuit said detainees must have a chance to argue for their release.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
BREAKING: Suit filed to block Trump's swimming-pool guys from continuing blue repainting of reflecting pool on National Mall. Preservation group's suit claims same sort of aesthetic injury that Trump ridiculed in ballroom case www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Lawsuit seeks halt to Trump’s reflecting pool makeover
A preservation group contends the “American flag blue” resurfacing on the National Mall feature violates federal law.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
@stevevladeck.bsky.social rebuts Justice Amy Coney Barrett's claim that the media makes #SCOTUS look more partisan through post hoc tinkering with which cases are 'big' ones open.substack.com/pub/stevevla...
open.substack.com
Bonus 226: What Makes a Case "Big"?
Some thoughts on the (silly) efforts to push back against the voluminous evidence that, in most of its "big" rulings, the Supreme Court divides ideologically.
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
"DOJ attorney Kevin Bolan profusely apologized...Bolan said that he didn’t tell the judge about the foreign arrest warrant because Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials instructed him not to."
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
BREAKING: 5th Circuit, 3-0, restores requirement abortion drug mifepristone only be prescribed in person, putting Trump back in middle of abortion wars/likely #SCOTUS fight. 3-0. Southwick (GWBush), Duncan (Trump), Englehardt (Trump). Via @alicemiranda.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Appeals court approves sweeping abortion pill restrictions, teeing up SCOTUS showdown
The temporary ruling will curtail access nationwide to a drug used in more than two-thirds of abortions.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Cato Institute @cato.org · 28/04/2026
New research from North Carolina finds body-worn cameras reduced Black incarceration rates by 10.5%. When prosecutors see what actually happened instead of relying solely on police reports, racial disparities in convictions and sentencing shrink. ow.ly/RWsv50YR4Zq
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Body-Worn Cameras, Prosecutors, and Racial Differences in Criminal Justice Outcomes
BWCs seem to “provide prosecutors with more accurate information about arrests, which reduces racial disparities in incarceration and changes prosecutors’ beliefs about the sources of racial disparities in the criminal justice system.”
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
BREAKING: Supreme Court rules 6-3 that Louisiana's map is an unconstitutional gerrymander. Majority by Alito rules that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, "properly construed," can provide a compelling reason for race-based redistricting, but that did not happen here.
supremecourt.gov
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
NOTABLE: Prosecutors' memo drops any reference to a USSS officer being hit by a bullet. It now says an officer observed Allen fire in the direction of the staircase toward the WHCD. That officer then fired at Allen five times but did not hit him. s3.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
NOTED: FBI Director Kash Patel helpfully explains to press that the grand jury that indicted Comey over alleged threat was told about him taking down the post and apologizing. I didn't get to follow up for other details on govt's grand jury presentation www.politico.com/news/2026/04...
politico.com
James Comey indicted over 2025 seashell post
The charges stem from a photo of seashells.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Stan Woodward's name appears at the bottom of this filing, but this appears to have been dictated by Trump himself. Hard to read it any other way. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
BREAKING: A 2nd Circuit court of appeals panel rejects ICE's mandatory detention policy, splitting with the 5th and 8th Circuits and putting the case on a likely trajectory to SCOTUS The 3-0 decision rejects "mass detention w/o bond for millions." www.politico.com/news/2026/04...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Also, as Blanche noted, they can charge an assault on the officer or officers even if no one was hit or suspect never fired. Just pointing a gun at someone in a hostile manner is an assault.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
UPDATE: Acting AG Todd Blanche says "overly critical" journalists have helped fuel threats against Trump. Also insists security performed flawlessly in handling suspect now charged w/attempted assassination of Trump. More w/ @kyledcheney.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/04...
politico.com
WHCD shooting suspect faces assassination attempt, firearms charges
Cole Allen, the alleged shooter who sought to enter the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, is accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
This story of an outside contractor who is under ethics investigations reportedly serving as a shadow administrator to FEMA is terrifying (and has huge consequences to the ways the federal government supports states and communities after disaster hits). share.google/qVV3lmMe8Fgl...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Flingjore @flingjore.com · 22/04/2026
DHS contractor Kara Voorhies acted as a shadow administrator at FEMA, directing policy and personnel despite federal bans on contractors performing government functions. Court filings and evidence show Voorhies approved agency decisions and managed staff data calls.
politico.com
Court filing backs up claims of ‘shadow administrator’ at FEMA
Republicans have raised specific questions about the role Kara Voorhies played at DHS.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
NEW: Plaintiffs' attorneys obtained Signal messages between Homeland Security & FEMA officials that corroborate allegations that an outside contractor served as the 'shadow administrator' of FEMA for months. w @ebazail.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/04...
politico.com
Court filing backs up claims of ‘shadow administrator’ at FEMA
Republicans have raised specific questions about the role Kara Voorhies played at DHS.
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
NEW: Plaintiffs' attorneys obtained Signal messages between Homeland Security & FEMA officials that corroborate allegations that an outside contractor served as the 'shadow administrator' of FEMA for months. w @ebazail.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/04...
politico.com
Court filing backs up claims of ‘shadow administrator’ at FEMA
Republicans have raised specific questions about the role Kara Voorhies played at DHS.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
NEWS: A federal judge found that ICE had repeatedly retaliated against peaceful protesters in unconstitutional ways — and barred agents involved in Minnesota's "Operation Metro Surge" from using similar tactics and force. w/ @joshgerstein @hassankanu www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
NEW: A federal judge today blasted Secretaries Noem and Rubio, saying they led an 'unconstitutional conspiracy' to violate the free speech of foreign students with pro-Palestinian views. w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social @hassankanu.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Politico @politico.com · 13/01/2026
DOJ says Halligan is still a US attorney, despite a judge disqualifying her
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DOJ says Halligan is still a US attorney, despite a judge disqualifying her
The Justice Department says the disqualification was limited to two cases.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
NEW: Welcome to Wikileaks 2.0. The Trump administration’s slow-drip release of the Epstein files guarantees a weeks-long feeding frenzy that will keep Washington on edge — and Trump’s relationship with Epstein in the news. w/ @hassankanu.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
politico.com
The Trump administration’s drip drip drip of the Epstein files continues
The full tranche of documents will be released sporadically.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Politico @politico.com · 17/12/2025
Trump admin broke spending deal agreement to halt mass layoffs, judge says
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Trump admin broke spending deal agreement to halt mass layoffs, judge says
Judge Susan Illston plans to issue yet another order blocking RIFs.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Politico @politico.com · 11/12/2025
White House raises concerns about Trump’s ‘image’ in lawsuit over sign language interpreters
dlvr.it
White House raises concerns about Trump’s ‘image’ in lawsuit over sign language interpreters
The White House is appealing court orders to restore interpretation services at press briefings.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
BREAKING: #SCOTUS allows Texas to use 2026 House map drawn to add 5 additional GOP seats and boosting Trump's bid to retain GOP House control. In apparent 6-3 ruling, court quickly notes California's opposite move, suggesting it too will stand www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
politico.com
Supreme Court gives Texas OK to use House map drawn to boost GOP
The decision bolsters Trump’s attempt to tilt the playing field toward Republicans before the midterms.
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Reposted by Hassan Ali Kanu
Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
NEW: A federal grand jury rejected DOJ’s latest bid to indict NY attorney general Letitia James, the latest black eye in Trump’s push to prosecute his adversaries w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social @hassankanu.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
politico.com
Grand jury rejects new indictment for Letitia James
The Justice Department can try a third time.
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
NEW: A federal judge restricted the Trump admin’s ability to arrest suspected undocumented immigrants in D.C. without a warrant, saying the arrests are only permissible if authorities have good reason to believe the person is likely to escape. www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
politico.com
Judge limits warrantless immigration arrests in DC
The judge ruled the arrests require probable cause showing a suspect is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained.
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Ence Morse @ence.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com. We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans. washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
NEW: A federal judge rejected the FTC's claim that Facebook’s parent company monopolized the “personal social networking” market for connecting with friends and family, pointing to new, major competitors like TikTok. via @aarontmak.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
politico.com
Judge rules Meta doesn’t have a social media monopoly
It’s the latest decision against the government's push to limit the size of Big Tech.
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Hassan Ali Kanu @hassankanu.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
NEW: Fannie Mae’s director of mortgage fraud investigations told the company’s VP of financial crimes in June that the evidence against New York Attorney General Letitia James "is certainly not clear and convincing evidence” of fraud. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
politico.com
Fannie Mae's fraud watchdogs doubted charges against James
The newly-revealed communications add to mounting evidence of procedural and other flaws in the mortgage fraud case against New York Attorney General Letitia James.
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