NEW: Trump’s lawyers told the court that no one would give him a bond.

Then he got a lifeline from a billionaire. But his lawyers didn't tell the judges.

That may be an ethics violation.

Robert Faturechi, Justin Elliott & Alex Mierjeski:

propublica.org/article/trump-…

Is Rep. Jim Clyburn trying to get ahead of a Supreme Court ruling upholding the GOP congressional map in South Carolina? The NRRT’s Adam Kincaid thinks so.

propublica.org/article/electi…

SCOOP-->A Qatari royal invested about $50 mln in right-wing cable channel Newsmax. Top editorial brass told employees to avoid critiquing the emirate: 'We were not allowed to criticize Qatar,' one person told us. From DavidKenner Jonathan O'Connell and me. wapo.st/3xbV1FI

NEW: Thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers are failed by the state's broken guardianship system -- especially poor folks without family or friends to look after them. We found they're exploited and neglected by a loosely-regulated network of nonprofits. propublica.org/article/how-on…

Marilyn Thompson takes you inside the sprawling effort to further weaken the Voting Rights Act. Featuring powerful operatives, secret plans, and a plaintiff who doesn't know how his lawyers are getting paid.
propublica.org/article/republ…

New from me, in partnership with ProPublica: Secret Recording Shows NRA Treasurer Plotting to Conceal Extravagant Expenses Involving Wayne LaPierre thetrace.org/2024/01/nra-ac…

🚨🚨🚨EXTRAORDINARY IMPACT! Idaho Governor Proposes $2 Billion in Funding for School Buildings Over Next 10 Years propublica.org/article/idaho-… by partner Becca Savransky Idaho Statesman

NEW:

New materials shed light on Clarence Thomas’ finances circa 2000, when his relationships with benefactors were beginning to blossom.

He privately told one R congressman that if SCOTUS didn't get a raise, 'one or more justices' will resign soon
propublica.org/article/claren…

NEW:

Justice Clarence Thomas’ private complaints about money once sparked fears he would resign from the court.

propublica.org/article/claren…

Three years ago, I got some footage that I couldn’t get out of my mind.

It showed the first police killing captured on body-worn cameras in NY.

The NYPD didn’t want anyone to see it.

It eventually launched me on the biggest story I’ve ever done, w/ NYT Magazine

[THREAD]

1/NEW: The federal judiciary governs itself. Judges make sure other judges disclose their finances & don’t violate ethics. Chief Justice Roberts touts how well the system works.

But time and again, it's protected, not policed, federal judges. Here's how: propublica.org/article/judici…

NEW: For decades, judges have relied on a select group to make sure the judiciary adheres to the highest ethical standards:

Themselves.

It doesn’t work.

From Brett Murphy & Kirsten Berg:

propublica.org/article/judici…

Following our September investigation on disgraced OBGYN Robert Hadden, Columbia University has announced a series of steps it will take to finally grapple with the harm he caused: propublica.org/article/columb… Laura Beil @ProPublica @NYmag Wondery

The Supreme Court now has a code of conduct, for the time in history.

But crucial questions remain unanswered—including who, if anyone, will enforce it and whether it will meaningfully impact justices' conduct.

Read judges & scholars weighing in here: propublica.org/article/suprem…

1/ Our story about Leonard Leo tells the full arc of the life of one of the most powerful, and little-known, conservatives in America.

You’ll want to savor every detail, like the fact that he was “Most Likely To Succeed” in high school.
propub.li/3RVSKXA

1/ Today’s the day!

Our podcast “We Don’t Talk About Leonard” is out!

It’s about Leonard Leo, who's responsible for the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority.

But he's much more powerful than that

w/ Ilya Marritz @andykroll @eisingerJ & @katyaotm

propublica.org/article/we-don…

Intuit still really doesn’t want you to be able to file taxes directly with the IRS for free.

I wrote about their latest stealth PR campaign to convince everyone it’s a terrible idea

propublica.org/article/turbot…

New this morning:

In 2018, Justice Clarence Thomas attended a dinner for high-dollar donors to the Koch network in Palm Springs.

His relationship with the brothers goes back years. Our story:
propublica.org/article/claren…

New this morning:

We took a deeper dive into the company Justice Clarence Thomas keeps and found more ultrawealthy patrons funding his undisclosed travel.

'I think it's unprecedented,' one former federal judge said.

With Brett Murphy

propublica.org/article/claren…

NEW: Think you know that Clarence Thomas has wealthy patrons?

You don’t know the tenth of it.

We assembled the most comprehensive account yet of his secret luxury travel—paid for by many billionaires.

Brett Murphy & Alex Mierjeski:

propublica.org/article/claren…