Fed Chief Nominee Commits to Independence with Limits

Kevin Warsh, Trump's (R) Nominee to Lead the Federal Reserve, will tell Lawmakers at His Senate Confirmation Hearing on 4/21/2026 that He is "committed to ensuring that the conduct of monetary policy remains strictly independent," according to prepared Remarks released on 4/20/2026.

Kevin Warsh (R), Trump's Nominee to Lead the Federal Reserve, will tell Lawmakers at His Senate Confirmation Hearing on 4/21/2026 that Hhe is "committed to ensuring that the conduct of monetary policy remains strictly independent," according to Prepared Remarks Released on 4/21/2026.

"I am equally committed to working with the Administration and Congress on non-monetary matters that are part of the Fed's remit," the 56-year-old Financier and Former Fed Governor will tell Members of the Senate Banking Committee.

Fed Independence is "at its peak in the operational conduct of monetary policy," Warsh said in His Prepared Remarks. "That degree of independence does not extend to the full range of its congressionally mandated functions," He said, adding that U.S. Central Bank Policymakers are Not Entitled to the Same "Special Deference" in their Stewardship of Public Monies, Bank Regulation and Supervision, "or in areas affecting international finance, among other matters."

Warsh, who has been Nominated to Replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell as Head of the Central Bank, also Pledged to Push through Change at the Monetary Policy Agency, Saying the Tendency of Large and Complex Institutions to Stick with the Status Quo is "Harmful" when the World is Changing Fast.

"In a time that will rank among the most consequential in our nation's history, I believe a reform-oriented Federal Reserve can make a real difference to the American people," He said in the Prepared Remarks.

Warsh, Who was a Fed Governor from 2006 to 2011, Used much of His Speech to Reprise Critiques He has made of the Central Bank in the Decade and a Half since Resigning. The Fed, He said, must "stay in its lane" rather than Stray into Fiscal and Social Policies, Phrasing that in the Past He has Used to take the Central Bank to Task for doing Research into the Economic Implications of Climate Change and Targeting "Inclusive" Full Employment. The Fed in the Last few years has Largely Abandoned any Focus on Climate Change.

Warsh also said He Views Fed Independence as being under Siege because the Central Bank has Failed to Ensure its Congressionally Assigned Mandate of Price Stability.

"Low inflation is the Fed's plot armor, its vital protection against slings and arrows," Warsh said. "So, when inflation surges - as it has done in recent years - grievous harm is done to our citizens ... (who) may also lose faith in our system of economic governance, raising doubts whether monetary policy independence is all it's cracked up to be."

"Inflation is a choice, and the Fed must take responsibility for it," said Warsh, who has Repeatedly Lambasted U.S. Central Bank Policymakers for Blaming the Post-Pandemic Burst of Inflation on Supply Shocks.

Warsh's Confirmation Hearing before the Senate Panel is Scheduled to Begin at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) on 4/22/2026.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Judge Blocks IN Law Banning Student ID for Voting

On 4/14/2026, a U.S. District Court judge, Temporarily Blocked the Eenforcement of a 2025 Indiana Law that Removed Student IDs from the List of Eligible Voter Identification. Indiana was the Only State to Prohibit Student IDs for Voting in 2025. Also in 2025, Montana Passed a Law Allowing Student IDs for Voting. So far this year, Florida and New Hampshire have Prohibited the Use of Student IDs for Voting.

The Ruling, from U.S. District Court Judge Richard Young, Allows Student IDs to be Used as Voter Identification in the State’s 5/5/2026 Pprimary Election. Governor Mike Braun (R) Signed Senate Bill (SB 10) into Law in 2025. The Legislation was Passed along Party Lines in both the State House and State Senate.

On 5/5/2025, an Indiana University Student, "Count U.S IN", and "Women-4-Change Indiana", Challenged the Law in U.S. District Court, saying it would Disenfranchise Student Voters, and that it Improperly Targeted Student IDs. The Lawsuit sought both a Temporary Pause on Enforcement of the Student ID Ban and a more Permanent Ruling Blocking the Law. In Issuing the Preliminary Injunction, Young Wrote that Plaintiffs were likely to Prevail in their Arguments that the Policy Violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

"As discussed earlier, the law does not discriminate against students or young voters on its face," Young wrote. "But by eliminating student IDs as an acceptable form of identification, Defendants selectively excluded a form of identification that otherwise complies with the neutral criteria established by Indiana's voter ID law and that has been accepted as a form of voter identification for nearly two decades."

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita's (R) Office said that it Planned to Appeal the Ruling. Rokita's Office Wrote in a Legal Filing Supporting the Law: "Public university students face similar travel times and distances to Indiana BMVs as all other voters, including voters in their same age bracket who attend private universities or do not attend university at all. ... And Plaintiffs do not allege that the cost of obtaining an ID is uniquely burdensome for students … Plaintiffs' arguments also ignore the numerous avenues open to voters to obtain an ID and vote with or without one."

On 4/14/2026, a U.S. district Court judge Temporarily Blocked the Enforcement of a 2025 Indiana Law that Removed Student IDs from the List of Eligible Voter Identification. Indiana was the Only State to Prohibit Student IDs for Voting in 2025. Also in 2025, Montana Passed a Law Allowing Student IDs for Voting. So far in 2026, Florida and New Hampshire have {rohibited the Use of Student IDs for Voting.

The Ruling, from U.S. District Court Judge Richard Young, Allows Student IDs to be Used as Voter Identification in the State’s 5/5/2026 Primary Election. Governor Mike Braun (R) Signed Senate Bill (SB 10) into Law 2026. The Legislation was Passed along Party Lines in Both the State House and State Senate.

On 5/5/2025, an Indiana University Student, "Count US IN", and "Women4Change Indiana" Challenged the Law in U.S. District Court, saying it would Disenfranchise Student Voters and that it Improperly Targeted Student IDs. The Lawsuit Sought both a Temporary Pause on Enforcement of the Student ID Ban and a More Permanent Ruling Blocking the Law. In issuing the Preliminary Injunction, Young wrote that Plaintiffs were likely to Prevail in their Arguments that the Policy Violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

"As discussed earlier, the law does not discriminate against students or young voters on its face," Young wrote. "But by eliminating student IDs as an acceptable form of identification, Defendants selectively excluded a form of identification that otherwise complies with the neutral criteria established by Indiana's voter ID law and that has been accepted as a form of voter identification for nearly two decades."

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita's (R) Office said that it Planned to Appeal the Ruling. Rokita's Office Wrote in a {legal Filing Supporting the Law: "Public university students face similar travel times and distances to Indiana BMVs as all other voters, including voters in their same age bracket who attend private universities or do not attend university at all. ... And Plaintiffs do not allege that the cost of obtaining an ID is uniquely burdensome for students … Plaintiffs' arguments also ignore the numerous avenues open to voters to obtain an ID and vote with or without one."

Eighteen States Explicitly Allow Student IDs to be Used for Voting, while Iowa and Utah allow them to be Used if Presented with Another Form of Identification. In States that Do Not Explicitly allow Student IDs to be Used for Voter Identification, some Student IDs may Meet the State's Voter Identification Criteria.

So far this year, Florida and New Hampshire have Passed Legislation Prohibiting the use of Student IDs for Voting. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) Signed HB 991, which Included the Student ID Provision, on 4/1/2026. The Policy takes Effect on 1/1/2027. New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed HB 323 on 4/3/2026. The Policy takes Effect on 6/2/2026, meaning it will be in effect for the State’s 9/8/2026 Primary Election.

Currently, 36 States require Voters to Present Identification to Vote at the Polls on Election Day, though many States provide Exceptions to these Rules. Six of those States have Democratic Trifectas, 23 States have Republican Trifectas, and Seven Sstates have Divided gGvernments. Of the States that Require Voter ID, 24 Require ID that includes a Photograph, with certain Exceptions. NYC includes Photo and Signature Match.

The Remaining 14 States do Not generally require Voters to Present Identification to Vote at the Polls on Election Day, aside from what is required in Federal Law. Of the States without Voter ID Laws, 10 have Democratic Trifectas, and Four have Divided Governments. Three Candidates seek Republican Nomination for Indiana Secretary of State

Incumbent Diego Morales, Jamie Reitenour, and David Shelton, are seeking the Republican Party Nomination for Indiana Secretary of State. The Republican Party Convention in Fort Wayne, Indiana, will Choose the Nominee on 6/20/2026. Party Delegates Elected in the 5/5/2026 Primary will Vote at the Convention to Determine which Candidate will be the Party's Nominee in the General Election on 11/3/2026.

Nationally, the Indiana Secretary of State is one of 29 state executive offices for which political parties will choose nominees by convention this year. (Note: This includes eight offices in Utah, where candidates can collect signatures to appear on the ballot, meaning it is possible that those offices will still have a primary.)

Reitenour and Shelton Oppose Morales’ international travel in office. According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle’s Whitney Downard and Niki Kelly, Morales spent the most on Travel of any Statewide Indiana Official in the 2025 Fiscal Year. That is Based on Reports Stemming from a State Law Passed in 2025 that Requires State Officials to Report their Travel Expenses and Funding to the Budget Committee, a Joint Legislative Body.

Morales previously told the Budget Committee, “I want people to talk about Indiana. I want them to know Indiana is open for business. … The Media should be Saying, ‘Thank you for your hard work. Thank you for promoting our state out there.’” Reitenour's Campaign Website says, "Indiana does not need a world traveler serving as Secretary of State; it needs an administrative leader committed to the actual job description of the office.” Shelton said, "I just want the personal satisfaction of doing the job to the best of my abilities. I will not be a taxpayer-funded tourist on a statewide search for photo ops. That is not me.”

Morales Won the Republican Nomination at the 2022 Convention over Incumbent Rolli Sullivan (R). He Defeated Destiny Scott Wells (D) 54%-40% in the General Election. He Served in the U.S. Army, and Indiana National Guard, and Worked in Business as an Executive, Consultant, and Entrepreneur. Morales' Campaign Wwebsite lists Accomplishments and Ffuture Plans along Four Issues: Protecting Elections, Increasing Training and Standards for Indiana Car Dealers, Protecting Hoosier Investments, and Streamlining Business Services.

Reitenour’s Career experience includes Working as a Mortgage Broker, Compliance Manager, and Ministry Leader. Reitenour ran for Governor in 2024, Finishing Fifth among Six Candidates in the Republican Primary with 5% of the Vote. Reitenour Supports using Paper Ballots instead of the Voting Machines the State currently uses for its Elections: "No more expensive machines with third parties holding the source code in escrow. We want paper ballots with watermarks, precinct voting, and precinct-level hand counting."

Shelton was Elected Knox County Clerk in 2018, and also Serves as the Knox County Republican Party Chair, at the time of the 2026 Election. Shelton’s Career Experience includes Working as a Private Investigator and the Owner of an Upholstery Shop. Shelton also Ran for Secretary-of-State in 2022.

Shelton's Campaign Website says He is Running on Professionalism in Office, Election Security, Preparing for the 2030 Redistricting Cycle, Strengthening Election Administration, Leadership, and Improving the Office's Non-Election Functions.

Indiana will also use Conventions to Nominate Candidates for Lieutenant Governor, State Treasurer, State Auditor, and Attorney General this Year. The State’s Democratic Convention will be on 6/6/2026 in Indianapolis.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Big Oil Looking into New Drilling Sites to Escape Iran Turmoil

Chevron, Exxon Mobil, and Other Energy Companies are Speeding-Uup their Searches for New Oil and Gas Prospects. far away from the Perils of the Middle East War.

Exxon recently outlined a potential plan to pump up to $24 billion into Nigeria’s deep-water oil fields, while Chevron expanded its footprint in Venezuela. BP bought stakes in oil blocks off the coast of Namibia, and TotalEnergies signed an exploration deal with Turkey. Major oil companies could together create $120 billion in value from their exploration ventures in coming years, the energy research and consulting firm Wood Mackenzie estimated Thursday.

Iran’s attacks on energy infrastructure and a shipping bottleneck in the Persian Gulf region have sparked a global scramble for oil and lopped off billions of dollars in revenue for some Western oil companies. But the surge in energy prices is providing the oil industry with a windfall of cash that is expected to help it venture into territories previously out of reach or abandoned years ago. The influx comes after many drillers cut spending on exploration to return more cash to shareholders.

“Never underestimate the romance of upstream people looking at opportunities. They say, Boy, wouldn’t it be great if we could do this or that.” said Edward Chow, a nonresident senior associate at the Center for Strategic & International Studies and a former Chevron executive. “Now, you’ve got the cash to do it.” During a call Thursday with executives from Exxon, Chevron and other oil companies, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urged them to keep bolstering oil output to counter surging prices ahead of a looming supply shortfall.

U.S. oil futures are trading near $88 a barrel, above the mid-$60 range where they were hovering before the war. Prices plunged Friday after Trump and Iranian officials said the Strait of Hormuz had reopened. Iran later said the strait was closed again. The oil companies want to maximize their production to take advantage of the higher prices—but within the confines of their current budgets and without taking on the added costs of making major investments, people familiar with the matter said.

Combined, major oil companies spent an average of $19 billion on global exploration each year from 2021 to 2025, according to Wood Mackenzie. Energy executives are also focused on a longer-term mission: finding enough oil and gas to fuel their profits into the 2030s, some of the people said. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil-and-gas chokepoint between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, has trapped 20% of the world’s daily diet of oil and liquefied natural gas.

Some Western oil companies with operations in the Middle East have taken significant hits. Exxon has said the war curtailed its global oil-and-gas production by 6% in the first quarter. The company is poised to lose about $5 billion in revenue a year after suffering damage at natural-gas facilities in Qatar. Its partner QatarEnergy has estimated that repairs could take up to five years.

For now, the oil-and-gas sector is expected to turn its attention away from the Persian Gulf. A few days before the war began, Chevron said it was entering exclusive talks with Iraq’s Basra Oil for a stake in one of the world’s largest onshore oil fields, West Qurna 2. But analysts said it is doubtful that Western oil companies would sign any major deals in the Middle East until the conflict is fully resolved.

Instead, the economic fallout from the war is driving the companies to diversify their portfolios—and spread out the risk of disruption across the globe. Energy companies are also trying to boost their reserves. The world’s oil producers need to find enough new resources to add 300 billion barrels to their collective reserves to meet global demand through 2050, according to Wood Mackenzie. Exxon, Chevron, Shell, BP and TotalEnergies are looking closely at new drilling prospects in Africa, South America and the eastern Mediterranean that could refill their reserves for the next decade.

This past week, Exxon took a step toward drilling off the coast of Greece. In recent months, it signed preliminary exploration agreements with Iraq, Turkey and Gabon. In Trinidad and Tobago, the company is conducting seismic work to find oil and gas in the country’s deep waters. Exxon’s international spending came in at about $9 billion last year, including its existing developments.

Meanwhile, Chevron has boosted its exploration team, including through last year’s $53 billion acquisition of Hess. It has brought a former TotalEnergies executive, Kevin McLachlan, on board as its vice president of exploration. Chevron has earmarked $7 billion in spending on offshore developments around the world this year.

In Venezuela, where Chevron is the largest foreign investor, the company agreed this past week to an asset-swap deal that would boost its position in regions rich in viscous heavy oil that U.S. refineries favor. The state-run Petróleos de Venezuela sold the company an additional 13% working interest in one of its joint ventures in Venezuela. Another project, in which Chevron has a 30% stake, was granted development rights to a neighboring area.

At an energy conference in Houston last month, Chevron Chief Executive Mike Wirth said the country’s recent move to change laws that govern fossil-fuel deals is a good first step. “There’s still things that I believe need to happen to encourage investment at the scale that people would like to see,” Wirth said. He added that operators in Venezuela need more durable and predictable dispute resolution, among other concerns.

The White House is pushing for more U.S. oil companies to plow money into Venezuela’s dilapidated oil sector. Most drillers are cautious about investing there after years of mismanagement. Chevron is set to conduct exploration work later this year in Egypt, where it holds 9 million net acres in the Mediterranean Sea, and it recently confirmed substantial oil discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico. Earlier this year, it won four offshore leases near Greece, as well as a block award in oil-rich Libya.

Oil prices are expected to remain elevated over the coming months even if the bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz clears.

“Sustained high oil prices are the best friend of exploration,” said Schreiner Parker, an analyst at Rystad Energy, a research and consulting firm. “In the medium to longer term, there will be a risk premium attached to every barrel coming out of the Persian Gulf that will push people into frontier exploration.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Michigan Refuses Trump Demand for 2024 Election Ballots

Michigan Officials on 4/19/2026 Pushed Back on a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Demand for Detroit-Area Ballots and Other Materials related to the 2024 Election, Accusing the Trump Administration of trying to Cast Doubt on the Integrity of U.S. Elections.

The DOJ last week, sent a Letter Demanding Ballots, Ballot Receipts, and Ballot Envelopes to the Clerk in Wayne County, Home to the Heavily Democratic-Leaning City of Detroit, According to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D).

Nessel's Office Released the DOJ's Letter, Authored by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon (R), along with a Reply Vowing to Fight the Request. "This request is as absurd as it is baseless,” Nessel said in a Joint Statement with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D). "If this administration wants to bring this circus to our state, my office is prepared to protect the people’s right to vote.”

Trump (R) has long Pushed the False Claim that His 2020 Election Defeat to Biden (D) was the Result of Widespread Voter Fraud. Dhillon's Letter Focuses on 2024's Elections, Arguing they Too need Scrutiny.

The DOJ Confirmed the Letter's Authenticity in Response to a Reuters Request but did Not Provide further Comment.

The 2020 Election remains a Prominent Concern for many Trump Administration Officials.

DOJ Staffers so far, have Reviewed 60 million Voter Records and found they included the Names of 350,000 Dead Persons, said Dhillon, who Leads the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. She did Not provide any Evidence that Votes were Cast for those Names.

In addition, about 25,000 People who Lacked Proof of Citizenship were Referred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) "to dig into that further and see the extent to which people voted," She said.

The DOJ has Suffered Multiple Legal Setbacks in its Pursuit of Election-Related Records, with Judges Ruling against Requests in: California, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Oregon.

A Federal Judge on 4/17/2026 Rejected DOJ's Bid to Force Rhode Island, to Turn Over Non-Public Data on Nearly 750,000 Registered Vvoters, so the Trump Administration could Probe "election integrity" in the Democratic-led State.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

FBI and DOJ Scramble to Fill Depleted Workforce

The FBI and Justice Department (DOJ) are Scrambling to Rebuild a Depleted Workforce, after a Wave of Departures over the Past Year, with Leaders easing Hiring Requirements and Accelerating Recruitment in ways, that some Current and Former Officials see as a Lowering of Long-Accepted Standards.

The FBI has used Social Media Campaigns to Attract Applicants, Offered Abbreviated Training for Candidates from other Federal Agencies, and Relaxed Requirements for Support Staff seeking to become Agents. At the same time, the DOJ has Opened the Door to Hiring Prosecutors out of Law School to Help Fill Vacancies in U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the Country. Some Current and Former Agents also Say the FBI is Promoting into Positions of Leadership Employees with Less Experience, than would be Customary for the Jobs.

The Moves Reflect a Broader Effort to Stabilize a Workforce Strained by Retirements and Resignations, Prompted in Part by Concerns over the Trump (R) Administration's Politicization of the Department, along with the Firings of Lawyers, Agents, and other Employees, Deemed Insufficiently Loyal to the Republican President's Agenda. Critics of the Changes say they Amount to a Reduction in Standards for a Law Enforcement Institution that has Long Prided itself on Professional Expertise and is Responsible for Everything from Preventing Terrorist Attacks to Building Complex Public Corruption Prosecutions.

“It’s a sign of, among other things, the difficulty the department is having right now in keeping and recruiting people,” said Greg Brower (R), a Former U.S. Attorney in Nevada who Left the FBI in 2018, as its Chief Congressional Liaison. The FBI Defended the Changes as a Necessary Modernization of its Hiring Pipeline, saying it is Streamlining, not Lowering, Standards and Rremoving what it says were “Bureaucratic” Steps in the Application Process. It said Applicants were still Evaluated “on the same competencies.”

The FBI has long been seen as the Nation's Premier Federal Law Enforcement Agency, with a Recruitment Process Anchored around Physical Fitness Tests, a Writing Assessment, Interview, and Training Academy at Quantico, Virginia. Elements of the Regimen have been Periodically Tweaked to Fit the Bureau's Needs, including over the Past Year under the Leadership of FBI Director Kash Patel (R).

With a Mantra to “let good cops be cops,” Patel announced Last Fall that Transfers from other Agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration would be able to Complete a Nine-Week Training Academy instead of the Traditional Academy that spans more than Four Months. The Change Rrankled some Current and Former Officials who Say the FBI's Protocols, Professional Culture and Diversity of Cases it Handles Help to Distinguish it from other Agencies.

For Support staff employees looking to become agents, the bureau more recently said it would waive requirements of a written assessment and an interview with a three-member panel of FBI agents meant to measure life experience and judgment, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the moves and an internal written message seen by the AP. The FBI said onboard employees would still need recommendations from a senior leader and to complete Quantico training.

“We are not lowering standards or removing qualifications in any way. What we are doing is streamlining the process to remove duplicative, bureaucratic steps to the application system for onboard employees,” the FBI said in a statement, adding, "These are changes based on a wide variety of feedback from successful agents with over 20 years’ experience.”

Patel boasted in January of a 112% increase in applications, and the FBI says it has a “clear path” to add around 700 special agents this year and that its current Quantico class is one of its largest in years. But some people familiar with the matter say an applications uptick does not necessarily correspond to a surge in high-caliber recruits that can offset the attrition the bureau has endured.

At the other end of the employment spectrum, the FBI also faces turnover among senior leaders, including special agents in charge, the title given to leaders of most of the bureau's 56 field offices. Some were fired by Patel over the past year and others retired. Many offices are now led by someone who has been in the job for under a year.

Facing what current and former officials say is difficulty in filling some of the positions, the FBI has moved quickly to promote agents up the ladder, people familiar with the matter say. That includes elevating assistant special agents in charge to special agents in charge and opening the door for employees to be considered for leadership roles without the significant headquarters experience the FBI historically regarded as necessary for a holistic view of bureau operations.

As a conservative podcast host before becoming director, Patel talked about shutting down FBI headquarters and transforming it into a museum of the “deep state” and immediately upon his arrival told colleagues that as director he would move hundreds of employees from Washington into the field.

“As a field agent, you have a field agent’s mentality, you have a field agent's view,” said Chris Piehota, a retired FBI senior executive. Without adequate headquarters experience, he added, you don't know “the business side of the FBI, the logistical side of the FBI or the political jungle" that can accompany the job. The Justice Department, meanwhile, has lowered hiring prerequisites for some federal prosecutors.

Department officials recently suspended a policy that U.S. attorneys offices only hire prosecutors with at least one year of experience practicing law. The department did not explain the reason, but said in a statement that it is “proud to empower young and passionate prosecutors and offer attorneys at every level the opportunity to invest their talents into keeping their communities safe."

It comes as parts of the agency are struggling to keep up with the workload amid critical staffing shortages, with the department recently acknowledging that it has lost nearly 1,000 assistant U.S. attorneys. In Minnesota, for example, the federal prosecutors’ office has been gutted by resignations amid frustration with the administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement and the department’s response to fatal shootings of civilians by federal agents. Justice Department headquarters in Washington has endured staffing losses, too.

The number of lawyers in the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, which prosecutes organized crime groups and violent gangs, is down significantly, though the section is looking to hire additional attorneys. A National Security Division section that works espionage cases has reported a 40% drop in prosecutors.

The department said in a statement that it has seen an increase in criminal complaints and indictments despite a loss in prosecutors, underscoring the “bloated, ineffective and weaponized” institution it says the administration inherited.

Officials have enlisted military lawyers to serve as special prosecutors in some offices. The administration has also used social media to recruit applicants. One recent post from the FBI's Indianapolis office said: "A calling bigger than yourself. A mission that matters. If you’re ready for the challenge, there’s a place for you on the FBI team. Chad Mizelle (R), who Served as Chief-of-Staff to Trump's First Attorney General, Pam Bondi (R), recently Urged Lawyers to Contact Him on X if they want to become Prosecutors, “and support President Trump and anti-crime agenda.” Mizelle’s Post raised Eyebrows Not only because Federal Prosecutors have Not Generally been Solicited over Social Media, but also because Support for the President has Not been a Prerequisite for Career Employees.

“We need good prosecutors,” wrote Mizelle, who left the Department in 10/2025. “And DOJ is hiring across the country. Now is your chance to join the mission and do good for our country.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Ukraine Lands Diehl Defense Deal for F-16 Missiles

Ukraine Signs a Strategic Contract to Produce IRIS-T Missiles for Air Defense Systems.

Ukraine and the German Company Diehl Defense have Agreed on New Deliveries of IRIS-T Systems, and Joint Development of Missiles for F-16 Aircraft. The Parties have Agreed to a Ssharp Increase in Supplies and the Launch of Joint Projects in the Field of Aviation Weapons, according to Information from Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

IRIS-T SLM and IRIS-T SLS systems have already become the Ffoundation of Ukraine's Multi-Layered Air Defense. Diehl Defense CEO Helmut Rauch Officially Confirmed these Plans. The Focus is on Concrete Solutions that will Allow for Faster Receipt of Scarce Missiles to Intercept Enemy Targets.

"We focused on increasing and accelerating the delivery of missiles for IRIS-T systems. These systems have already proven effective in combat and are a key component of a layered air defense architecture," Emphasized Mykhailo Fedorov.

In Addition, Ukraine and German Arms Manufacturers discussed developing Missile Projects specifically for F-16 Fighter Jets. This could be a Technological Breakthrough for the Ukrainian Air Force:

・Development of New Air-to-Air Missiles.
・Implementation of Technologies to Counter Ballistic missiles.
・Supply of Long-Range Ammunition Funded by the European Union.
・Improvement of Radar Systems.

A Separate Item in the Agreement is the Possibility of Testing the Latest Defense Solutions Directly in Ukraine. The Combat Experience of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will help German Engineers Refine Equipment in Real Time.

Fedorov Emphasized that this Co-Operation is Systematic. It Not only Addresses the Current Needs of the Front but also Ccreates a Foundation for the Future Security of the Entire Continent.

"I am grateful to Diehl Defense for its support and readiness to expand cooperation. This is systematic work that strengthens the protection of Ukraine’s skies and enhances security across Europe," the Mminister said.

Ukraine is currently Moving toward Developing its Own Air Defense Systems of All Standards, said Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to Him, this Includes All Necessary Air Ddefense Systems, Missiles, and Related Equipment. Special Attention is being Paid to Countering Ballistic Threats.

It has also become known that an Enemy Shahed Drone was Shot Down for the First Time by a Private Air Ddefense System. This Happened in the Sky Over the Kharkiv Region, Mykhailo Fedorov said.

Meanwhile, U.S Arsenals are being Depleted, and Washington is Delaying Weapons Deliveries to Europe. This means Ukrainian Air Defense Systems will also Face a Shortage of Ammunition.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Appeals Court Allows Trump Ballroom Construction to Resume

Construction of a Ballroom and Presidential Bunker at the White House will Continue for Now, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Granted an Administrative Stay of an Order earlier this week, that Blocked Most Above-Ground Construction.

The Next Hearing in the Case is set for 6/5/2026, according to the Court's Briefing Schedule, so Construction will likely continue through at least then.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon Temporarily Blocked Construction of the Ballroom in March. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia then Ordered Him to Reconsider the National Security Implications of Halting the Work. Leon Clarified that Work on an Underground Presidential Bunker could Continue, but said Most Above-Ground Construction must Stop.

The Justice Department Filed an Appeal in Leon's Ruling on 4/16/2026, Arguing Leon's ruling "would imperil the President and national security and indefinitely leave a large hole beside the Executive Residence."

Trump (R) Blasted Leon's Decision on TruthSocial, calling him a "highly political Judge" making an "illegal overreach."

"The Ballroom is deeply important to our National Security, and no Judge can be allowed to stop this Historic and Militarily Imperative Project," Trump wrote. In another Post, Trump said "the underground doesn't work, isn't necessary, and would indeed be useless, without the above ground sections."

Trump announced Plans for a Privately Funded White House Ballroom Last Summer and Unexpectedly Demolished the East Wing in 10/2025. The National Trust for Historical Preservation Sued to Block Construction of a New East Wing, late 2025.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker