#jamieraskin

bing news | Congress opens investigation into Bard College's ties to Jeffrey Epstein AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Congress has opened an investigation into Bard College’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after President Leon Botstein’s name appeared extensively in Epstein’s files; the House Judiciary Committee, led by ranking member Jamie Raskin, sent a letter to Bard’s board chair demanding all documents and an interview with Botstein, alleging a “financial and deeply personal” relationship in which Botstein courted Epstein aggressively and even helped traffic victims. Botstein, who announced his retirement in May following an outside law‑firm report on his connection to Epstein, has defended the relationship as limited to fundraising for the private college. The committee says the college’s internal probe was insufficient and is pressing the Board of Trustees for further information by July 1. Read more: https://www.wamc.org/news/2026-06-18/congress-investigating-bards-ties-to-epstein #BardCollege #JeffreyEpstein #LeonBotstein #JamieRaskin #HouseJudiciary #JamesCoxChambers

The New Republic | Trump’s IRS Deal Is a Massive Test for Congress and the Courts by Timothy Noah AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Timothy Noah argues that President Donald Trump’s recent IRS “settlement” – a $1.8 billion payment that would both reward allies and shield the Trump family from tax penalties – is fundamentally illegal because it breaches the Constitution’s domestic emoluments clause, which forbids a president from receiving any additional compensation from the United States while in office. He notes that prior emoluments lawsuits against Trump’s businesses have been dismissed or rendered moot, yet the settlement still proceeds despite lacking legal merit and exceeding the statute of limitations. Democrats have filed an amicus brief urging the court to reject the deal as a clear constitutional violation, while two Capitol‑Police officers who defended the January 6 riot are suing to block the “slush fund” that they say would finance future insurrectionists. In response, lawmakers like Rep. Jamie Raskin are drafting legislation to ban any use of federal funds for settlements that benefit a president, his family, or associated entities, and to prevent similar arrangements in the future. Noah concludes that without swift congressional and judicial action to invalidate Trump’s settlement, the United States risks abandoning the rule of law and becoming a “banana republic.” Read more: https://newrepublic.com/article/210770/trump-massive-test-congress-courts #DonaldTrump #law #politics #slushfund #TimothyNoah #KathleenWilliams #HarryDunn #DanielHodges #JamieRaskin