Robert Mueller, Former FBI Director and Special Counsel, Dies at 81 
U.S. Prosecutors Scrutinize Colombian President Petro in Drug Trafficking Probes 
Trump White House Unveils National AI Policy Framework for Congress 
S&P 500 Rebounds After Netanyahu's Statements on Iran's Military Setbacks 
U.S.-Iran War Escalates: Marines Deploy, Strait of Hormuz Closure Drives Global Oil Crisis 
Trump Threatens ICE Airport Deployment Amid TSA Shutdown Crisis 
Federal Reserve Crisis: DOJ Standoff Threatens Powell's Succession and Rate Stability 
Palestinian Activist Leqaa Kordia Released from U.S. Immigration Detention After Judge's Order 
Trump Administration Quietly Approves $7 Billion in Unannounced Weapons Sales to UAE 
Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks Resume in Florida Amid Ongoing Russia-Ukraine War 
Iran Threatens Gulf Infrastructure as U.S.-Israel War Enters Critical 48-Hour Window 
US-Iran War: Trump Eyes Military Exit as Markets React to Potential De-escalation 
Trump Issues 48-Hour Ultimatum to Iran Over Strait of Hormuz, Threatens Power Grid Strikes 
Trump Signals U.S. Nearing End of Military Goals in Iran War, Shifts Hormuz Responsibility to Regional Nations 
Trump Links DHS Funding to Voter ID Legislation 
Iran-Israel War Escalates: Long-Range Missiles, Nuclear Site Strikes, and Global Energy Crisis 
TSA Absences Surge During Government Shutdown as ICE Agents Prepare Airport Deployment 
Former President Donald Trump made a controversial move when he stood in front of a church to take a photo amidst the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests that he denounced. Federal attorneys are now looking to have the lawsuits against the former president for clearing Lafayette Square.
Last week, federal lawyers were seeking to have the lawsuits against Trump and other former officials dismissed for the manner in which Lafayette Square was cleared. The lawyers cited that the new administration would not engage in similar behavior as a reason to dismiss the cases. The controversial photo op came as there were widespread protests after the death of George Floyd.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of the individuals that were affected by the clearing of Lafayette Square for Trump at the time. US District Court Judge Dabney L. Freidrich heard arguments on whether or not to dismiss the cases.
An attorney for the protesters, however, argued that the demonstrators did nothing illegal and did not pose a threat. Some of the demonstrators suffered injuries as a result of the incident, and the attorneys argued that it is important to find out how the official response happened. Attorney Randy Mastro also cited that the then-Attorney General said that there was no violence that occurred on that day during the protests.
Lawyers for the previous administration claimed that they had immunity as they were only doing what was necessary to clear the space for the now-former president to walk through.
The manner in which space was cleared for Trump to pass through and have a photo taken in front of a church was especially noted in the lawsuits. The lawyer for the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that tear gas was used on the demonstrators in order to clear the grounds for Trump and his senior aides to pass through.
Attorney Richard Sobiecki confirmed during a court hearing last week that authorities used tear gas on protesters. Sobiecki added that the officers were not targeting anyone in particular and that they did not violate any constitutional rights.
“The curfew, violence of past nights, chaos created by federal defendants, discharge of tear gas in that direction was not unreasonable,” said Sobiecki.
