Trump’s Top 10 Worst Criminal Allegations & How You Are Helping Defeat Them
Publisher's Roundup 79
With Gabe Lezra
This week, I revisit our Trump Top 10 Worst Criminal Allegations list. I survey where the cases stand today — and how you, Contrarians, have helped defeat many of Donald Trump’s worst attempts to weaponize prosecutorial power. The scorecard since our first edition: judges tossing charges, grand juries refusing to indict, and prosecutors slinking away.
Olympian Davey Hearn
After the rushed and costly Reflecting Pool renovation fell flat on its face, Trump went looking for a scapegoat and found my client, Olympian canoeist Davey Hearn. If the government can prosecute a man for touching the pool, no American is safe from this administration’s misuse of prosecutorial power. We are pleased the judge dismissed this meritless case after U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro conceded she could not prove it.
We filed motion after motion until the prosecution finally collapsed. But the case is not over; the judge has ordered briefing on whether or not the case will be dismissed “with prejudice” so it can never be brought again. We could not wage this battle without your help. Your paid Contrarian subscriptions help fuel this and all our over 300 legal cases and matters. If you are not a paid subscriber, please consider becoming one.
As I said in a statement with co-counsel Mary Dohrmann of the Washington Litigation Group and Steve Levin of Steptoe LLP after the charges were dropped, “The Trump administration’s case against Davey Hearn should have never been brought.” Davey was eloquent on what it all meant:
Former FBI Director James Comey
Prosecutors first charged Comey last year, alleging that he lied to Congress and obstructed congressional proceedings. A judge threw out that baseless prosecution because Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney who brought it, had been improperly appointed — a ruling that rested on a legal theory my colleagues and I developed in an earlier case.
Undeterred by that epic failure, the Department of Justice rolled out a second indictment against Comey, who Trump considers one of his main “political enemies.” The new case is based on Comey posting a picture of seashells and is every bit as absurd as the first. This week, Comey pushed back, moving to dismiss the case for selective and vindictive prosecution. It certainly is.
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Another example of repeat targeting came this week against Lisa Cook of the Fed, with Trump refreshing bogus claims of mortgage wrongdoing to again seek Cook’s removal from her job. Here, too, my colleagues and I are proud to be a part of the legal team. As I noted with co-counsel Abbe Lowell, “These allegations are as baseless now as they were a year ago when President Trump tried to remove Governor Cook and interfere with the independence of the Federal Reserve. No matter what President Trump tries to do next, this much is clear under the facts and Supreme Court precedent — there is no valid cause for removing Governor Cook. As we did before, we will challenge this latest pretext and preserve her position and the historic role of the Fed.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James
James is another public servant whom Trump and his DOJ can’t seem to quit; Trump broadcast his desire to target her in an infamous social media post clearly directed at then-Attorney General Pam Bondi. The same federal judge who dismissed the Comey case threw out the charges against James, ruling that Halligan had likewise brought them unlawfully. When the DOJ tried to re-indict her twice in quick succession last year, two separate Virginia grand juries rejected those efforts, a rare occurrence that dealt yet another embarrassing blow to this brazenly political prosecution.
Representative LaMonica McIver
Last year, the DOJ indicted a sitting member of Congress, New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver, charging her with impeding and interfering with federal officers as they attempted to make an arrest. In reality, McIver was carrying out her constitutional duty of congressional oversight at an ICE detention center in her district — and, as video evidence shows, she was trying to de-escalate the situation. A federal judge rejected her motion to dismiss last November; she appealed, and the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals is reviewing that decision.
We are confident the courts will clear McIver of all charges. Until then, this baseless case keeps stealing time from her important work in Congress. As she expressed aptly, “The point of it all is cruelty.”
Southern Poverty Law Center
When Todd Blanche announced in April that legendary civil rights organization SPLC had been criminally indicted, I got together with ethics counsels for Republican and Democratic presidents alike to explain that “The Trump administration has unethically abused its power to indict the Southern Poverty Law Center. Its supposed crime involves paying informants to expose and prevent violence by the KKK, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups. This is core to counter-extremism work, and it’s exactly what the DOJ and FBI should be doing — not attacking legendary civil rights organizations. Indeed, that is what the DOJ and FBI used to do, including with this very information that SPLC provided to them.”
At the time, Blanche insisted “there is nothing political about this indictment.” In fact, these charges (like the rest of this Top 10 list) are reasons he never should’ve been confirmed. Though this week a court rejected SPLC’s vindictive prosecution motion, the fight against this unjust prosecution goes on, with trial set for October.
Former Special Counsel Jack Smith
Trump and his allies have attacked Smith for years, since well before his investigations produced two felony indictments against the president. Trump has explicitly called for Smith and other “thugs” to be “investigated and put in prison,” and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan dutifully answered the call, referring Smith to the Justice Department over supposed false statements in his congressional testimony. The basis for the referral is asinine. Smith was asked a series of questions about information he derived from search warrants. He did not include in his answers discussion of information he derived separately by making a different request to the National Archives. One is distinct from the other and in normal times never would be the basis for a false statements referral. The evidence says close the case; Trump’s animus suggests otherwise.
Don Lemon and Georgia Fort
These two independent journalists were charged with crimes simply for covering a protest in a church whose pastor was an ICE official. It came during the height of the public outcry over ICE behavior in Minneapolis. The journalists’ activity was protected by the First Amendment and, as I wrote at the time, “Be assured that neither we at The Contrarian nor our friends in the independent media and legal communities will be cowed by such an outrageous violation. Just the opposite: Independent journalism — and your support of it! — has never felt more essential.” This week, Lemon and Fort moved to dismiss the claims on various grounds, including vindictive prosecution. We should be protecting journalists for doing their jobs, not prosecuting them. Hopefully the court will do just that.
Former CIA Director John Brennan
Brennan is another figure Trump perceives as a political foe. His assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump’s campaign has haunted the president for a decade. The DOJ has reportedly been investigating Brennan for almost a year. Given the clear potential for the abuse of power, Brennan filed a lawsuit against the administration last month, asking the court to order officials to retain records connected to investigations involving him. With another potentially politically motivated indictment looming, he’s wise to go on offense.
SEIU California President David Huerta
Federal agents arrested Huerta last summer while he observed an ICE raid to help ensure the safety of the garment workers present; he suffered injury when agents pushed him to the ground, an assault that sent him to the hospital. Prosecutors first charged him with felony conspiracy but later downgraded it to misdemeanor obstruction. In November, Huerta pleaded not guilty, calling the charges “baseless” and “an attempt to silence anyone who dares to speak out.” My Democracy Defenders Fund colleagues and I are proud to serve on the counsel team representing him, and, with your support, he has stood firm. Prosecutors recently announced that they are moving to drop the case. Again, your paid subscriptions helped to make the difference.
Plus Two Honorable Mentions
The “Ship Six” Members of Congress
After six sitting members of Congress, all veterans of the military or the intelligence community, released a video urging service members to refuse illegal orders, Trump lashed out on social media, branding it as “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR” “punishable by DEATH!” DOJ investigations soon followed, and federal prosecutors moved to indict the lawmakers.
As has often been the case, a grand jury rejected the charges, and prosecutors dropped the case shortly thereafter — an acknowledgement that no evidence supports it. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, seemingly eager to appease his boss, sought to revoke Sen. Mark Kelly’s retired Navy captain status and slash his military pension. A judge granted Kelly a preliminary injunction, which Hegseth appealed. Kelly’s injunction is now under consideration at the D.C. Circuit, where we expect Hegseth’s vendetta to fare no better.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia
The administration unlawfully deported Abrego Garcia to El Salvador in March 2025; a judge directed the government to facilitate his return, and even the Trump administration acknowledged that the deportation resulted from an “administrative error.” Soon after he returned to the U.S., the DOJ indicted him on federal human smuggling charges, and the administration kept pushing to deport him even as he pleaded not guilty. Fortunately, a judge dismissed the case, finding the prosecution vindictive and selective. The judge stated that then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s conduct “taints the investigation with a vindictive motive” — yes, the same Todd Blanche just confirmed to lead the entire department. The criminal case is gone, but the administration remains determined to deport Abrego Garcia. This fight isn’t over.
There you have it, Contrarians — just a few of the worst examples of the administration’s abuses. We’ll continue to keep you updated on developments in these cases and much, much more, along with all the democracy news daily. To see what I mean, just take a look at the best of this week’s coverage at The Contrarian.
Blanche & DOJ
Todd Blanche Failed Epstein Survivors Again
Rachel Foster wrote about how Blanche’s behavior in a hastily arranged meeting with survivors underscored just how little he deserves to head the Department of Justice. “He effectively admitted he had not even reviewed the Epstein files before meeting with the very women whose abuse those files document.”
What’s Next for Todd Blanche’s Attorney General Chances
On the podcast this week, Tim Dickinson spoke with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) about the “deep, deep mess” at the DOJ and why the climate crisis is a growing economic crisis, too. “It’s important to be able to go to a president and say, sir, you’re wrong about this. Here’s the evidence.”
Blanche Answers to Trump, Not to America
Tim also spoke this week to Justice Connection Founder Stacey Young, who warned that Blanche’s confirmation will cause irreparable harm to the American public. “If all of this is okay with senators, then they should know that history is going to judge them.”
Voting & Primaries
Jennifer Rubin wrote on how the Democratic Party should contextualize Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan’s hotly contested Senate primary. “While pundits and partisan axe-grinders told us for weeks the race turned on an ideological schism in the party, ordinary voters choose between real candidates, not partisan manifestos.”
Black Youth Will Decide the Future of Our Nation
Esosa Osa argued that to rebuild organized collective power, Democrats need to walk the walk of uplifting Black youth. “The next chapter of American democracy will be written by a generation that experiences civic engagement as a direct expression of the culture and community they are already building together.”
Former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes gave us an election strategy lesson: Candidates who win primaries should seek to understand fellow Democrats who voted against them rather than expect their votes by default. “There’s a general fatigue surrounding the phrase ‘vote blue no matter who,’ and for good reason.”
MAGA Healthcare
Meredith Blake was not impressed by RFK Jr.’s MAHA cooking show, an unsavory blend of misinformation, celebrity-mongering and wild ideas about affordability. “A grim yet fitting state of affairs for a presidency that owes its very existence to reality TV.”
The Real Cost of Ending Medicare’s Prescription Drug Subsidies
Jeff Nesbit wrote on the Trump administration’s newly announced plans to stop a federal subsidy program designed to hold down drug costs for millions of older Americans — “a horrendous decision that could have dangerous, even life-threatening implications … at a minimum, up to 25 million Americans who rely on Medicare will see the costs of their prescriptions go up.”
Why the Fauci Hearing Was Even More Harmful Than You Think
Megan Armstrong wrote on the farcical Senate hearing Anthony Fauci endured this week, a piece of political theater ostensibly on the origins of COVID-19. “As malicious and outlandish conspiracy theories rained down, Dr. Fauci had to invoke the Fifth Amendment over 100 times.”
When the Snake Oil Runs Out (or Causes Explosive Diarrhea)
Meghan Houser wrote on the chickens coming home to roost for RFK’s disastrous leadership of Health and Human Services. “Arguably the most toxic substance RFK Jr. has been selling is the lie of simplicity. The MAHA movement is a vision of health, government, and reality that trades interdependence for a fantasy of personal control and optimization.”
Iran
Tom Malinowski wrote on how Trump’s recent Saudi nuclear deal puts his use of the presidency for personal profit on full display — and creates an imperative for Congress. “The Trump administration recently achieved a rare feat: It announced an international deal that virtually everyone, Democrats and Republicans, hates.”
Brian O’Neill wrote that Trump’s impulsiveness is playing into Tehran’s hands and doing anything but ending the war he started. “Iran does not need to defeat the United States on the battlefield. It needs only to keep presenting Trump with situations in which restraint can be portrayed as weakness.”
Fighting Back
When the Victim Can No Longer Speak, We Have To
Hera McLeod gave us a brave, searing essay from personal experience on the necessity of asking questions, again and again, in the face of justice not served — especially when authorities would rather you didn’t. “Nolan Wells deserves the advocacy he’s receiving from the public. Many public murder cases, including my own son’s, have taught us that people asking questions shouldn’t be dismissed as interfering.”
Honor the Voting Rights Act. Become a Poll Worker
In the latest Contrarian Calls to Action, we featured actions to help turn the South blue, oppose the Big Bend border wall, tell the FDA to keep our food safe, watch out for ICE at airports, and more ways to step up for democracy this week.
The Contrarian Covers the Democracy Movement
This week, we saw protests in Ohio, Washington, Arkansas, and more. Get help organizing from Indivisible, find protests in your area at mobilize.us, and send us your protest photos at submit@contrariannews.org.
Cartoons, Culture, & Fun Stuff
This week, our cartoonists took on murky waters (Anyone Can Fly, RJ Matson; Tom the Dancing Bug, Ruben Bolling), telling reflections (The Dealmaker, Nick Anderson), redacted truths (Any Remaining Objections?), and the worst music (Calling the Tune, Michael de Adder).
Keep up the fabulous work, Norm Eisen. Trump has been disparaging you, so now we know he's mad at being defeated, proven a liar and justice prevailed. The work you do is ENORMOUS. Stay safe and well. The world needs more Norm Eisen's.
From Heather Cox Richardson's current substack: [Hearn] "...is represented by a TRUMP DERANGED SLEAZEBAG, Political Hack Lawyer, Norm Eisen,” the president of the United States posted."
CONTRATULATIONS, NORM!!! You've won the honor of a public insult from the most ugly, deranged deliverer of insults on the face of the earth. You must be doing something terriby right--as your update today shows.