According to a press release, the House Judiciary Committee reports that the Biden-Harris Justice Department secretly obtained Chairman Jim Jordan’s phone records from January 1, 2020 onward using a grand jury subpoena issued to Verizon on April 25, 2022, without his knowledge. The subpoena, tied to the “Arctic Frost” investigation that underpinned Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election case against former President Trump, sought extensive data including call logs, texts, voicemail, payment sources, IP addresses, and location information, and was paired with a nondisclosure order to prevent alerting Jordan. The release states that under Smith’s leadership, the DOJ also collected phone records of more than a dozen Republican members of Congress, with Jordan’s records requested by prosecutor Timothy Duree, who worked with senior prosecutor Thomas Windom, now referred to DOJ for criminal prosecution by the Committee. It further alleges that members of Smith’s team failed to fully cooperate with the Committee’s oversight efforts and accuses the Special Counsel’s office of weaponizing the justice system through partisan prosecutions, prosecutorial misconduct, and constitutional abuses.
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– In response to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan’s request for documents and communications between Verizon Wireless and former Special Counsel Jack Smith, newly obtained documents reveal that the Biden-Harris Administration Justice Department obtained Chairman Jordan’s phone records over a two-year period.
The Biden-Harris Justice Department obtained a grand jury subpoena issued on April 25, 2022—without Chairman Jordan’s knowledge—for “all call detail records” beginning on January 1, 2020, including but not limited to records for inbound and outbound calls, text messages, direct-connect communications, voicemail messages, addresses, as well as sources of payments, IP addresses, and location information.
The subpoena was accompanied by a nondisclosure order asserting that notifying Chairman Jordan of the existence of the subpoena could “result in flight from prosecution, destruction of or tampering with evidence, intimidation of potential witnesses, and serious jeopardy to the investigation.”
The Arctic Frost investigation, which launched on April 13, 2022, formed the basis of Smith’s election case against President Donald Trump. Under Smith’s leadership, the Biden-Harris Justice Department secretly obtained the phone records of over a dozen sitting Republican Members of Congress.
Chairman Jordan’s phone records were requested by Timothy Duree, a Justice Department prosecutor who worked with Thomas Windom, one of Smith’s top prosecutors who was recently referred to the DOJ for criminal prosecution by the Committee.
Several members of Smith’s Special Counsel team failed to fully cooperate with the Committee’s investigation into the Biden-Harris Justice Department’s weaponization of the rule of law. The disturbing tactics employed by Smith’s team during its partisan and politically motivated prosecutions of President Trump undermined the integrity of the criminal justice system. As Special Counsel, Smith was ultimately responsible for the prosecutorial misconduct and constitutional abuses committed by his office.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 20 other state attorneys general won a major court ruling blocking the Trump administration from eliminating four federal agencies that support libraries, museums, minority-owned businesses, workers, and efforts to combat homelessness. A federal judge in Rhode Island granted summary judgment stopping an Executive Order that sought to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The court agreed with the attorneys general that the president cannot unilaterally shut down agencies created and funded by Congress, calling the administration’s actions unlawful and barring future attempts to carry out the order. James called the decision a major victory for protecting critical services that communities rely on every day.
Attorney General James Wins Lawsuit Stopping Elimination of Four Vital Federal Agencies
Court Bars Trump Administration from Dismantling Federal Agencies Supporting Libraries, Museums, Minority-Owned Businesses, Workers, and Services for the Unhoused
– New York Attorney General Letitia James today won her lawsuit protecting four federal agencies from being illegally dismantled by the Trump administration. The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island today granted a motion for summary judgment brought by Attorney General James and a coalition of 20 other attorneys general. In April, Attorney General James co-led the coalition in suing the administration to stop the implementation of an Executive Order that would dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). The court’s order permanently blocks the administration from eliminating these four agencies.
“The federal government’s illegal attack on these agencies threatened vital resources for workers, small businesses, and the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Attorney General James. “This is a major victory in our ongoing work to defend important services that New Yorkers rely on every day. I will keep fighting to stop the chaos and destruction of this administration’s attempts to dismantle our government.”
In April, Attorney General James and the coalition sued to stop the administration’s elimination of three federal agencies:
IMLS, which supports museums and libraries nationwide through grantmaking, research, and policy development;
MBDA, which promotes the growth and inclusion of minority-owned businesses through federal financial assistance programs; and
FMCS, which promotes the peaceful resolution of labor disputes.
In May, Attorney General James and the coalition secured a preliminary injunction stopping the administration from implementing the Executive Order, which sought to dismantle these three agencies. In June, the coalition filed an amended lawsuit seeking to protect another agency targeted by the same Executive Order, USICH, which coordinates the federal government’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness nationwide.
Attorney General James and the coalition argued in the lawsuit that the Executive Order’s elimination of all four agencies violates the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by attempting to override Congress. The president does not have the power to unilaterally eliminate federal agencies created and funded by Congress, and he cannot arbitrarily and suddenly cease agency programs. In its decision on the motion for summary judgment, the District Court sided with Attorney General James and the coalition, ruling that the administration’s actions were unlawful, and barred the administration from taking any future actions to carry out the Executive Order’s elimination of the four agencies.
This lawsuit is led by Attorney General James and the attorneys general of Rhode Island and Hawaii. Joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies throughout the state will increase patrols to target impaired and reckless driving during the Thanksgiving travel season. Funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), the special enforcement period runs from Saturday, November 22 through Sunday, November 30 and also will address other unsafe driving behaviors, including violations of the state’s Move Over Law.
“Thanksgiving is the beginning of the busy holiday season with thousands of people traveling to gather and celebrate with friends and family,” Governor Hochul said. “Those celebrations should not be marred by tragedy caused by impaired or reckless driving on our roadways. I urge drivers to stay alert, stay sober and move over when you see vehicles stopped on the side of the road. I thank our troopers and local law enforcement for spending time away from their loved ones to work on Thanksgiving and throughout the holidays to help keep New York’s roadways safe.”
In addition to increased traffic volume during the Thanksgiving holiday period, it also is a time of the year associated with increased alcohol use. During the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday period, law enforcement officers arrested 1,705 drivers for driving while impaired or intoxicated, and issued 10,078 speeding tickets, and 1,702 tickets for distracted driving.
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “We want everyone to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with their friends and families this year and for years to come. Impaired driving can change the very fabric of a family and alter holiday memories forever. Nobody wants to live with the consequences of poor decisions that could have been easily avoided.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Every year, there are preventable tragedies and a wake of victims left behind because of the decisions made by reckless and impaired drivers. As we drive throughout the state to see our family and friends this Thanksgiving holiday, driver safety is absolutely imperative. The New York State Police proudly joins our law enforcement partners in the continued effort to discourage, detect, and apprehend impaired and drunk drivers.”
The State Police will supplement regular patrols statewide through efforts including fixed sobriety checkpoints and utilizing Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) patrol vehicles to better spot distracted drivers and those talking or texting on handheld devices. These unmarked vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.
The average drinking and driving arrest costs up to $10,000. Individuals arrested for drunk and drugged driving face the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and expenses from attorney fees, fines, car towing and repairs, and lost time at work.
Construction Closures Suspended
To help ease travel during the busy holiday season, lane closures for road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will be suspended beginning 6 a.m. on Wednesday, November 26 through 6 a.m. on Monday, December 1.
The construction suspension aligns with New York State’s Drivers First Initiative, which prioritizes the convenience of motorists to minimize traffic congestion and travel delays due to road and bridge work. Motorists should be aware some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers or for emergency repairs.
Text stops, including park-and-ride facilities, rest stops, service areas and parking areas along state highways support the state’s effort to reduce distracted driving.
In advance of the busy travel week for the Thanksgiving holiday, all 27 service areas located on the New York State Thruway are now open. Motorists can view the service areas and plan their stops on the Thruway Authority’s website and on the free mobile app, which is available to download for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app also provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic and navigation assistance while on the go. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert emails, which provide the latest conditions along the Thruway.
Travelers can also check NYSDOT’s 511NY before traveling by calling 5-1-1, visiting the 511 website, or downloading the free 511NY mobile app on the App Store or Google Play. The free service allows users to check road conditions, view 2,219 traffic cameras and link to air and transit information. The app features Drive mode, which provides audible alerts along a chosen route while a user is driving, warning them about incidents and construction.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the most important times of the year for families across New York to gather with their loved ones, and we want to make sure everyone gets to their destinations safely. By lifting construction restrictions during one of the busiest weekends for travel, we’re helping all New Yorkers spend less time in traffic and more time with one another. We urge all motorists to drive carefully this holiday season, and if you do come across one of our crews over the coming weeks, please slow down and give them room to do their jobs safely.”
New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the busiest travel times of the year, and suspending construction activities will help motorists get to their destinations with fewer delays. We urge motorists to make safety a priority-remain alert, don’t drive distracted or impaired, and slow down and move over if it’s safe to do so for all vehicles on the side of the road. We thank our partners at New York State Police Troop T for patrolling the Thruway and keeping motorists safe.”
Chautauqua County Sheriff and President of the NYS Sheriffs’ Association James Quattrone said, “The Thanksgiving holiday is a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends. It is also a time when some people may drive impaired which puts themselves and others in danger. Law enforcement will be on the lookout for impaired and aggressive drivers. The Sheriffs of New York State want you to enjoy the long holiday weekend, be safe, courteous drivers, and have a plan to not drive impaired.”
New York State Association of Chiefs of Police President and Mount Pleasant Police Department Paul Oliva said, “As we enter the season of giving thanks for our blessings, local law enforcement will be out conducting Impaired Driver and Excessive Speed engagement details, ensuring that travel on our roadways is safe for everyone. Please drive attentively so all can make their destinations to enjoy the holiday weekend with family and friends.”
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation remind motorists that their “Have a Plan” mobile app, is available for Apple, Android and Windows smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi or rideshare service and program a designated driver list. It also provides information on DWI laws and penalties and provides a way to report a suspected impaired driver.
