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Randall Eliason

@rdeliason.bsky.social
48K followers 342 following 435 posts

White collar crime prof, former federal prosecutor, columnist and blogger, a cappella singer, husband, dad and grandpa.

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Reposted by Randall Eliason
Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
BREAKING: Davey Hearn reflecting pool prosecution dismissed WITH PREJUDICE That means the case cannot be brought again  Huge victory for Davey, for us at @democracydefendersfund.org & our legal team colleagues Washington Litigation Group and Steptoe--& for rule of law More to follow!
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The problem is under the Special Counsel regulations, even if Cannon's order blocking release is lifted it is up to the Attorney General whether to make the report public. I somehow doubt Todd Blanche is going to do that. We're not going to see the report until we have a Democratic administration.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The problem is under the Special Counsel regulations, even if Cannon's order blocking release is lifted it is up to the Attorney General whether to make the report public. I somehow doubt Todd Blanche is going to do that. We're not going to see the report until we have a Democratic administration.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
You have to wonder about the political instincts of Senate Republicans who called Jack Smith to testify publicly about Trump’s crimes and remind the public about those events five weeks before the midterms.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The alleged "grand conspiracy" case is imploding, with first diGenova quitting and now others involved in the investigation leaving as well. Maybe there are actually some prosecutions so ridiculous that even this Justice Department won't pursue them. Maybe. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/28/u...
nytimes.com
Second Prosecutor Quits Trump’s ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Case (Gift Article)
The resignation adds to the setbacks to the most sweeping effort by the Justice Department to fulfill the president’s desire to take revenge against the federal officials who have investigated him.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The Minnesota Vikings are 3-0. Proof that anything can happen.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
20 years ago, Bush fired several U.S. Attorneys for failing to pursue election fraud cases against Democrats. It was a major scandal that led to a special counsel and multiple resignations. When Trump's DOJ threatened to do the same thing, it barely registered. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/doj-report...
sidebarsblog.com
DOJ Reportedly Threatens to Fire Prosecutors Who Decline Voter Fraud Cases
An update to an old Republican playbook
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
My latest on Sidebars: DOJ reportedly threatened to fire prosecutors who decline voter fraud cases. 20 years ago, the Bush DOJ fired U.S. Attorneys for failing to pursue voter fraud cases against Democrats. Republicans are running plays from an old playbook. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/doj-report...
sidebarsblog.com
DOJ Reportedly Threatens to Fire Prosecutors Who Decline Voter Fraud Cases
An update to an old Republican playbook
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Imagine spending all that time and energy to oust Powell and put in your own hand-picked guy, and then the guy raises rates anyway. What a tragedy. Lots of ketchup will be flying tonight.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Big fan of @hcrichardson.bsky.social but her description of the FL ballot case here is misleading. These were not “rejected mailed ballots” but merely a proposed envelope design submitted for approval in advance. The post makes it sound like actual mailed ballots were rejected, which is not correct.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
You keep using this word "independence" - I do not think it means what you think it means.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Plus this had nothing to do with Trump's USPS order. It may be the kind of bureaucratic stuff that happens all the time. I fear the original article, and your summary, are a bit alarmist. I agree there is reason to be alarmed, but the truth is alarming enough without mischaracterizations.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Big fan, but disappointed w/ your characterization of the FL ballot story. These were not "rejected mail ballots" but a proposed envelope design, submitted for approval in advance. The rejection was quickly reversed. Your summary makes it sound like actual ballots from voters were rejected. 1/2
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
To travel internationally today is to be constantly having these conversations: “Yes, we know he’s crazy. We don’t understand how it happened either.” It was nice when we could travel and not be embarrassed for our country or to say where we are from.
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Reposted by Randall Eliason
Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
What Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social does is a huge public service: www.stevevladeck.com/p/246-making...
stevevladeck.com
246. Making Sense of the Mail-in Ballots Ruling
The Supreme Court’s grant of a stay in one of the mail-in ballot cases is deeply wrong, but it’s also not the main event over whether Trump’s patently unlawful executive order can take effect.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
But even is we disagree about the duty, the absence of fraud and the fact that is public information are still fatal to an insider trading case.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
I’m not sure where you derive a duty that Trump owes to the Executive Branch, which he heads, that is separate from his duty to the people. It’s a government by and of the people, after all.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Yes, but not if the organization agrees and has no problem with what he is doing. If you have consent you haven’t violated a duty. There’s not some abstract entity called “the government” to which he owes a duty. The source of the information is his own administration.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Thanks for the commentary - but how can Trump be violating a duty to the government when his own government does not object to the scheme?
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
My latest on Sidebars: Sometimes something that looks, walks, and quacks like a duck . . . is still not a duck. Trump’s Truth Social scheme and the law of insider trading. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/why-trumps...
sidebarsblog.com
Why Trump's Truth Social Early Access Scheme Is Not Insider Trading
Corrupt but not criminal
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
My latest on Sidebars: Trump is selling early access to his market-moving Truth Social posts to allow subscribers to make millions by trading based on the posts before the public sees them. It’s sleazy, unethical, and corrupt. But it’s not insider trading. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/why-trumps...
sidebarsblog.com
Why Trump's Truth Social Early Access Scheme Is Not Insider Trading
Corrupt but not criminal
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
The reflecting pool case was just another example of Trump's Justice Department trying to please him and back up his fantasies through abuse of the criminal justice process. www.politico.com/news/2026/08...
politico.com
Jeanine Pirro struggles to give Trump the wins he craves the most
She’s delivering on some core priorities — but the Reflecting Pool is just the latest politically charged prosecution to fall flat.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
No, if Cornyn or Tillis vote no the nomination doesn't get out of committee and Fetterman never gets to vote.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The vote on Blanche's nomination is set for tomorrow, but there are signs it may be in trouble. Here's hoping some in the Senate are developing a spine. Blanche has no business being Attorney General. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/todd-blanc...
sidebarsblog.com
Todd Blanche Should Not Be Attorney General
His record is disqualifying
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
This disgraceful prosecution -- spearheaded by Todd Blanche -- is one of many reasons the Senate should reject his nomination to be Attorney General.
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Reposted by Randall Eliason
memeorandum @memeorandum.com · 27/07/2026
Comey asks judge to dismiss Trump 'seashells' case citing lack of 'true threat' (Dan Mangan/CNBC) Main Link | memeorandum Permalink
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Tom Cruise?
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Break doors and windows at the Capitol, assault police officers, and you’re a patriot who deserves a pardon. But pick up some peeling paint from the reflecting pool and you’ll be prosecuted. That’s the DOJ under Trump and Todd Blanche. He’s unfit for the job. open.substack.com/pub/sidebars...
open.substack.com
Todd Blanche Should Not Be Attorney General
His record is disqualifying
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
My latest on Sidebars: Todd Blanche’s record at DOJ over the past 18 months shows he is unfit to serve as Attorney General. open.substack.com/pub/sidebars...
open.substack.com
Todd Blanche Should Not Be Attorney General
His record is disqualifying
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Reposted by Randall Eliason
Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
this is knicks game 3 all over again isn’t it the trump curse lives!
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Well, this tracks. FIFA may be one of the few institutions in the world that is as corrupt as the Trump administration. They understand each other. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/05/u...
nytimes.com
Trump Asked FIFA to Review U.S. Player’s Suspension. Now He’s Eligible to Play.
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Reposted by Randall Eliason
Eric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Honored that the great @rdeliason.bsky.social mentioned my @lawfaremedia.org piece on the Broadview Six in his excellent roundup of Trump administration malfeasance before the district courts. Here's a link to my piece: www.lawfaremedia.org/article/r.i....
lawfaremedia.org
R.I.P. Chicago Protester Prosecution (2025-2026)
How a felony case against the “Broadview Six” dwindled to a misdemeanor charge against the “Broadview Four”—and then suddenly died.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
My latest on Sidebars: in a little more than a year, the Trump administration has destroyed the judicial trust that took decades to build. Judges are now rejecting the traditional presumption of regularity they used to apply to acts of government officials. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/the-presum...
sidebarsblog.com
The Presumption of Irregularity
Under Trump, an old legal doctrine is flipped on its head
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
My latest on Sidebars: under Trump, the presumption of regularity that courts apply to government actions has been flipped. Now, if the government is accused of misconduct, it's reasonable for a court to assume there is probably something to the accusation. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/the-presum...
sidebarsblog.com
The Presumption of Irregularity
Under Trump, an old legal doctrine is flipped on its head
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
The damage to DOJ's credibility is a huge problem. Assuming we someday once again have a Justice Department interested in pursuing true corruption cases, who could blame judges or juries from believing a legitimate defendant was politically targeted? www.politico.com/news/2026/06...
politico.com
Trump’s DOJ has a credibility problem. Newsom is testing how far it goes.
The California governor says a possible probe is political payback.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Some criticized Jack Smith for bringing the Trump classified docs case in FL rather than DC. But today's SCOTUS decision in Abouammo shows he was right. The investigation was in DC but the obstructive acts and retention of docs were in FL. Venue is a constitutional requirement, not an option.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
The NBA games are clearly rigged. The Knicks were leading at halftime last night but then as the evening went on there were wide changes in the results. This is undermining fan integrity and confidence in the result.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
That's a key characteristic of a good conspiracy theory: if there is no evidence of the conspiracy, that merely proves how good the conspirators have been at covering it up.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Your periodic reminder that even if a witness is not under oath, lying during a Congressional interview is still a felony - 18 U.S.C. 1001. Taking an oath may make the proceeding seem more serious and formal, but it's not necessary for criminal liability. www.politico.com/news/2026/05...
politico.com
Pam Bondi is set for another Hill grilling — but not the one some lawmakers hoped for
The ousted former attorney general is scheduled to answer questions Friday from the House Oversight Committee on how she handled the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
The obligation of a prosecutor to act ethically is especially important in the grand jury, where there is no judge or defense counsel to intervene. Prosecutors in Trump's DOJ are ignoring those obligations and eroding the judicial trust built up over decades. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/u...
nytimes.com
As Trump Politicizes Justice Dept., Prosecutors Struggle With Grand Juries
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
They'll just claim it's an ongoing conspiracy that extends into the statute of limitations period - same bogus argument as the "grand conspiracy" investigation in Florida that reaches all the way back to 2016.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
It still can be - but it's more common in these cases to have a "speaking indictment" that sets out the evidence supporting the charges. Particularly with this administration, if they really had that evidence they'd be shouting it from the rooftops. There's no benefit to hiding the ball.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Blanche said yesterday other expressions of "86 47" won't be prosecuted but the Comey case is based on additional evidence of intent - although he couldn't say what that was. If they really had such evidence it would be in the indictment. #selectiveprosecution www.sidebarsblog.com/p/todd-blanc...
sidebarsblog.com
Todd Blanche Escalates the Abuses at the Justice Department
The acting AG auditions for the permanent job
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
My latest on Sidebars: when Todd Blanche was first appointed to DOJ, some were hopeful that the former AUSA from the Southern District of NY would be a moderating influence, someone who respected DOJ's norms and the rule of law. Those hopes have been dashed. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/todd-blanc...
sidebarsblog.com
Todd Blanche Escalates the Abuses at the Justice Department
The acting AG auditions for the permanent job
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
My latest on Sidebars: with Todd Blanche in charge at DOJ, things have gone from bad to worse. The new Comey indictment doesn't pass the laugh test or the smell test. And anyone who signed off on it would not pass a first-year criminal law test. www.sidebarsblog.com/p/todd-blanc...
sidebarsblog.com
Todd Blanche Escalates the Abuses at the Justice Department
The acting AG auditions for the permanent job
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
The defense should move for access to the grand jury transcripts in the new Comey case. It’s hard to believe the grand jurors weren’t misled about the legal requirements of these charges.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Forfeiture? Of proceeds of the seashell threat? Good grief.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
I mean, it was obviously a threat. Who can forget the famous scene from "The Godfather" when they find the seashell art on the doorstep and everyone knows it means Luca Brasi sleeps with the scallops?
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
So the beach house is proceeds of the alleged threat? What, did he buy it with donations that fans sent him after he posted the picture? Like I said, ridiculous.
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Randall Eliason @rdeliason.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Among the many ridiculous things about this indictment is that it includes a forfeiture request - so that if convicted Comey must forfeit to the US any property that constitutes proceeds of his seashell threat. Huh? 🤔
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