Judge Indefinitely Blocks Trump's Anti-Weaponization' Fund

A U.S. judge Indefinitely Blocked a $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization" Fund Supported by Trump (R) on 6/12/2026, giving the Administration One Week to provide a Sworn Statement that the Fund will Not go forward. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia, said the Justice Department’s (DOJ) Public Pronouncements that the Fund would Not Move Forward were Not Enough to Prevent the Judge from Ruling on whether the Plan is Legal.

Brinkema issued a Preliminary Injunction Blocking the Trump Administration from Creating the Fund while the Lawsuit moves Forward. The Case was brought by a Group of Individuals and Organizations who Alleged they were Victims of Political Targeting by the Trump Administration and would be Ineligible for Compensation from the Fund.

The Judge said it was “Problematic” that the Administration sought to Set-Up a Pool of Taxpayer Money to Favor “an extremely small group” that many Americans feel Engaged in “unacceptable” Conduct. The Fund emerged from a Settlement Agreement between Trump and the DOJ over Trump's $10 Billion Lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. (IRS)

The DOJ set up a $1.776 Billion ⁠Fund Overseen by a Five-Member Commission to Dole-out-Payments to those who Show they were Victims of "Lawfare" and "Weaponization," Terms Trump and His Allies have used to Describe Investigations and Criminal Cases against them. When Asked for C on the Tuling, the DOJ pointed to previous Statements, by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche (R) saying the Rund was Not moving forward with the Fund. Blanche then Refused to make that Commitment in Writing when He was asked to do so by Democratic Lawmakers, and Trump has Repeatedly Expressed His Support for the Concept of the Fund, Prompting Questions as to whether the Administration was actually Abandoning the Fund.

Brinkema cited Trump’s Ppublic Statements in recent days, Supporting the Concept of the Fund as Evidence that the Administration may still be looking to Proceed with the Plan in some Fashion. At a Court Hearing on 5/12/2026, DOJ Lawyer Andrew Block said the Plaintiffs' Claims were too Speculative and Urged the Judge Nnot to Issue an Order that “rests on hypotheticals.”

Block also asked the Judge to Credit Statements from Blanche to Congress and from DOJ Lawyers in Court Filings that the Fund would Not Proceed. Reuters reported earlier on 5/12/2026, that Trump Allies were Turning their Focus on a Possibly more Viable Path to Pay Supporters who Claim they are Victims of Government Abuse.

Brinkema pushed Block on why Blanche has Not Formally Rescinded the Order Setting Up the Fund, echoing a Question Block Heard from a different Federal Judge in a Related Case on 6/10/2026. On Friday, Block said He did Nnot know, Repeating the same Answer He gave on 6/10/2026. Brinkema Rreplied: “There’s a huge gap in the record if you don’t have the answer to that question.”

Brinkema said She would give the Acting Attorney General and Treasury Secretary, One Week to Sign Off on a Sworn Statement Declaring the Fund would Not go Forward. She indicated She may Revisit Her Ruling, if the Trump Administration Submitted such a Declaration and asked the Plaintiffs in the Case if they would Agree to Drop the Lawsuit Entirely.

“If the fund is truly rescinded, where is the sworn declaration saying so?" said Amy Powell, a Former DOJ Senior Trial Counsel and Litigation Director at "Lawyers for Good Government". "The Court appears unwilling to treat political statements and media reports as a ubstitute for a formal record."

Brinkema had Issued a Temporary Halt to the Fund last week, that was set to Expire on 5/12/2026. “I don’t have in this record the type of uncontested evidence that this will not be repeated,” She said during the6/12/2026 Court Hearing.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Russia's Rail Lifeline is Cracking

Russia's Entire War Machine Runs on Rails, and Ukraine is Systematically Exploiting every Weak Point, from Drone Strikes and Partisan Sabotage to Sanctions and Crumbling Soviet-Eera Infrastructure.

Russia just became Naked before Ukraine. Putin's Crown Jewels are getting Crushed.

Russia once believed its Air Defenses made it Untouchable.

But Ukraine’s Drone Revolution has Changed the Battlefield.

By Systematically Targeting Radars, Missile Systems, and Air DefenseIinfrastructure, Ukraine has Transformed from Defender to Aerial Hunter.

As Strikes reach Deeper into Russian Territory, Key Logistics Routes, Military Assets, and even Major Cities are Becoming Vulnerable.

How did Russia’s Shield begin toCcollapse, and what does it mean for the Future of the War?

Russia's Last Rail Connection to Crimea is Gone. The Only remaining Lifeline Moscow had to Supply its Forces in Crimea, was Completely Ddestroyed by Ukraine.

No Ammunition. No Food. No Reinforcements. Russian Troops in Crimea, are now Completely Cut-Off.

Moscow is in F Panic. Military Command has No Answer.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

EU Greenlight First Phase of Membership for Ukraine and Moldova

Ambassadors from the European Union's 27 Countries Agreed on 6/12/2026 toAadvance Membership Talks with Ukraine and Moldova, with the First Phase of Negotiations set to begin on 6/15/2026.

Even as Ukraine continues to Fight Russia's Invasion, President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy has made EU Membership a Key Strategic Goal, to Anchor His Country in Europe's Political

EU Leaders Agreed to Open Accession Talks with Ukraine and Moldova in 12/2023 but Negotiations could Not Start in Earnest Due to Opposition from the Previous Hungarian Government to Kyiv's Membership Bid.

But a New Government in Budapest, reached an Agreement with Kyiv in 6/2026 on the Rights of the Hungarian Minority in Ukraine, Paving the Way for Hungary to Lift its Block on the First Phase of Membership Talks.

At a Meeting in Brussels on 6/12/2026, the Ambassadors Agreed both Ukraine and Moldova can begin Talks on the First "Cluster" of Policy Areas where they have to Reform their Laws to meet EU Standards.

In the Accession Process, Candidate Countries Negotiate Policy "Chapters" which are Grouped into Six Thematic Clusters, Covering Areas including Fundamental Rights, Internal Market and External Relations.

"Today, the European Union took a major step forward," European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said in a Joint Statement.

"At the first Intergovernmental Conference on Monday, we will open the cluster on fundamentals; the backbone of the accession process," They said.

EU Accession Negotiations are Often Lengthy and Involve years of Work onIimplementing Reforms and Meeting European Standards.

Costa and von der Leyen said Friday's Decision is "a recognition of the determination, courage, and hard work shown by both countries in advancing reforms, even in the face of immense challenges. And a signal that the EU's offer of peace, stability and opportunity is unmatchable".










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

US EPA Sends CA Emissions Rules to Congress for Reversal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on 6/12/2026, said it was Sending to Congress Landmark California Vehicle Emissions Rules for Potential Repeal.

The EPA said that Waivers for the California Regulations Approved under prior Democratic Administrations, should have been Sent to Lawmakers under the Congressional Review Act.

The Rules include California's Affordable Clean Cars I, that Allows California to Impose Vehicle Emissions Requirements Stricter than Federal Standards.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

TSA Has Changed Airport Security Procedure

There’s no better feeling than grabbing your pull-up suitcase and ticket and heading to the airport to escape your busy schedule. But, before that, you should check TSA part-time hours, flight rituals, before boarding, and security lines.

That’s because you can face unexpected flight delays at any moment since more passengers are traveling these days ever since the pandemic has eased a bit.

All this can result in many challenges for companies such as the airlines at Palm Springs Airport, which need crowd staffing to manage hundreds of passengers.

If you’re going through TSA this holiday season or may be passing through the point.

1. Warnings to New Travelers: A TSA representative advised people to arrive early at the airport because it is busy due to the rising crowd sizes. However, the TSA has also recently announced a significant modification to screening procedures for safety that might help reduce the time you need to spend in waiting lines. But authorities and carriers are still debating how to staff and relieve travel concerns.

2. Introducing New Technology: Even for well-prepared travelers, navigating a security checkpoint may be stressful and unpleasant as you rummage through your bags and look for the required documentation. However, the TSA has recently begun to use brand-new hardware termed a credential authentication technology (CAT) scanner that utilizes a personal ID to match each tourist with their flight details. Due to this change, passengers traveling through security won’t need to present their boarding passes to TSA personnel. The robots will reportedly cut down the time at inspections by doing away with the need to check for fake boarding passes and streamlining identification verification by screening a photo ID, according to the agency. A boarding card is not currently required as the Secure Flight databases already have the identities and flight information for everyone who has a ticket for travel within the next 24 hours.

3. New Machines Rolling Out: You may already know some of the most recent changes if you have upcoming travel plans. According to the organization, 1,621 CAT scanners have already been placed in 176 airports of various capacities. These airports range from major international hubs like Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson and New York John F. Kennedy to tiny local airports for airlines that fly to Jackson hole and Palm Springs Airport airlines. More than a dozen different types of IDs, including passports, state-issued ID cards, Trusted Traveler cards, driver’s licenses, passport cards, international identification documents like passports, and more, will also be accepted by the new devices.

Final Thoughts: All these recent adjustments do not involve abandoning your travel documents altogether. That is because the necessity for travelers to check in with their airlines is still present with CAT. In addition, the airline employee at the gate will still need to see the passenger’s boarding card before the flight can be boarded. So, don’t skip on bringing all your required documents to avoid any inconvenience.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

DC Holds First RCV Election June 16

Washington, D.C., Holds its First Election using Ranked-Choice-Voting (RCV) on 6/16.2026, joining Three States and Three of the 100 Largest Cities in the Country that use or are scheduled to use the system.

D.C. Voters will use the System in the Democratic Primaries for Mayor, Delegate to the U.S. House, Four D.C. Council Seats, and an Independent Special Election to Fill an At-Large Council Seat. D.C. Only uses RCV when there are Three or more Candidates on the Ballot, so the System will Not be used in any Republican Primaries.

RCV is a system where Voters Rank Candidates by Preference on their Ballots. In the RCV system used in D.C., a Candidate who Wins a Majority of First-Preference Votes is the Winner. If No Candidate Wins a Majority of First-Preference Votes, the Candidate with the Fewest FirstPpreference Votes is Eliminated, and their Votes are Transferred to the Voters’ Second-Choice Candidate. This Process continues until a Candidate receives aMmajority of the Vote.

In 2024, D.C. Voters Approved a Ballot Measure 73% to 27%, that Authorized the use of RCV Starting in 2026. In 12/2025, the D.C. Council Rejected an Effort to Delay the Implementation of RCV until 2027. Beyond 6/16/2026 Primary, the D.C. will also use RCV for Presidential Elections, as well as other Local Offices, including Board of Education Members, Attorney General, and Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners.

Washington, D.C., a Federal District rather than a City or State, will be the Fourth most Populous Local Jurisdiction that Currently uses RCV or is Scheduled to do so, after New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle. Nationally, at least 39 Cities or Counties use or are Scheduled to use RCV.

Ashtabula, Ohio, became the First Locality in the U.S. to use RCV, starting in 1915. Other Cities, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York City, and Sacramento, followed suit, during the 1920s and 1930s. At least 15 Cities were using RCV by 1947.

Beginning in the late 1940s, however, Cities began to Repeal their use of RCV. At least 53 Localities across the Country have Stopped using RCV, after previously aAopting it, though some Ccities, like New York, later Resumed its use. According to Georgetown University’s Jack Santucci, Cambridge, Massachusetts, was the Only City in the U.S. using RCV by the Early 1960s.

Interest in RCV rose again in the 2000s, with San Francisco Adopting the System in 2002 and Minneapolis beginning to use RCV in 2006. Supporters of the Change Argued it would Improve Voter Turnout and Reduce the Expense of Runoff Elections, while Opponents Argued it would Delay Election Results and Confuse Voters. New York City, the Largest Locality in the U.S. to use RCV, adopted it in 2019.

Beyond the Local Level, three States: Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine, use RCV for at least some Statewide or Federal Elections. Nineteen States have Laws Prohibiting or Restricting the use of RCV. During my time of 12 years as an Elected Official in NYC, I was part of the RCV Effort in the U.S.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

US Lawmakers Seek $750 Million for Ukraine

The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on 6/11/20265, said it Voted to Extend U.S. Security Assistance for Ukraine, and Increase Authorized Funding to $750 Million, the Latest Pushback from Congress, against the Trump (R) Administration's Pull Back on Aid for Kyiv, as it Fights a Russian Invasion. The Republican Majority Panel, said it had Completed its Version of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), an Annual Bill sStting Policy for the Pentagon, that included $750 Million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which Pays U.S. Companies for Weapons for Ukraine's Military.

The Massive Senate Bill, which Supports a Total of $1.15 Trillion for Defense, Determines everything from how many Ships, Aircraft, and Missile Systems, are Bought to Pay Raises for the Troops, and how to Address Geopolitical Tthreats.

The Senate Announced on 6/11/2026 also Prohibits Funds Aauthorized by the NDAA, from being Obligated or Expended to Implement any Activity that Recognizes the Sovereignty of Russia. over the Internationally Recognized Territory of Ukraine, and Directs the Department to Provide Intelligence Ssupport to Kyiv for the purpose of Supporting Military Operations to Defend or take Back that Territory.

The Senate Panel Released its BiLL, One a Week After, the House of Representatives Passed Legislation to Provide Aid to Ukraine and Impose New Sanctions on Russia. The Senate Committee's Bill provides Multi-Year Procurement Aauthority for several Types of Munitions andWweapons including Boeing-made F-15EX Fighter Jets and F-35 Fighter Jets made by Lockheed Martin. This year's Legislation Remains Several Steps away from becoming Law.

Now that the House and Senate Panels have Approved their Bills, they must be Approved Sseparately by the Full House and Senate. After that, Members of the Two Committees must Agree on a Compromise Version of the Bill, which must then Pass the House and Senate Before being Sent to the White House for Trump (R) to Sign into Law or Veto.

The House Committee's Version of the NDAA, also Backed Trump's Desire, Opposed by Democrats, to Change the Name of the Department of Defense (DOD) to Department of War (DOW).

While many Members of ‌Congress from Bboth Parties Strongly Supported Ukraine, in the First Years after Russia Launched its Full-Scale Invasion in 2/2022, Some of Trump's Closest Republican Allies, including House and Senate Leadership, have Grown Cooler Towards Kyiv since Trump Returned to the White House in 1/2025.

U.S. Aid to Kyiv has Sslowed Sharply even as Russia and Ukraine Pummel Each other with Missiles, Drones and Artillery. Peace Talks are Stalled, with Ukraine Rejecting Russian President Vladimir Putin's Demand, that it Surrender Territory it has Ssuccessfully Defended since 2022.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker