MEDIA CENTER
For general media and press inquiries, please reach out to us at press@democracydefenders.org
FIRED PARDON ATTORNEY ASKS COURT TO REJECT DOJ’S BID TO END LAWSUIT
Press Release | March 3, 2026
Elizabeth G. Oyer, the former U.S. pardon attorney who sued the Department of Justice last year for unlawfully withholding records related to her abrupt dismissal, today asked a federal court to reject DOJ’s motion for summary judgment and instead to order full compliance with federal transparency laws. Ms. Oyer is represented by Democracy Defenders Fund and Jeffrey S. Gutman, PLLC.
DEMOCRACY DEFENDERS FUND DEMANDS INVESTIGATION INTO APPOINTMENT OF JARED KUSHNER AS SPECIAL ENVOY FOR PEACE
Press Release | March 3, 2026
Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF) today requested that the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General investigate the appointment of Jared Kushner as Special Envoy for Peace and any actions he has taken in that role. The complaint alleges that Kushner’s appointment likely violates the anti-nepotism statute and creates grave and unprecedented conflicts of interest given that Kushner’s company, Affinity Partners, has received billions of dollars in investments from countries in the Middle East.
DEMOCRACY DEFENDERS FUND FILES FOIA REQUEST ON KASH PATEL’S TAXPAYER-FUNDED OLYMPICS TRIP
Press Release | February 27, 2026
Democracy Defenders Fund today filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking records related to FBI Director Kash Patel’s February 2026 trip to Italy, including his attendance at the Winter Olympics.
PLATKIN LLP AND DDF DEMAND INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP FAMILY PROFITING NEARLY $200 MILLION OFF ABRUPT ADMINISTRATION POLICY REVERSAL
Press Release | February 23, 2026
Platkin LLP and Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF) today sent a formal letter to the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce demanding an immediate investigation into whether the Trump Administration approved the export of advanced AI chips to G42, a state-backed UAE company, in exchange for a $500 million investment in the Trump family’s cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial.
LEGAL GROUPS REPRESENTING PLAINTIFFS FILE SUPREME COURT BRIEF SUPPORTING CORE CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION OF BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
Press Release | February 19, 2026
Legal organizations representing a class of all babies who would be subject to President Trump’s harmful, unconstitutional, and unlawful executive order restricting birthright citizenship filed their Supreme Court merits brief today outlining the myriad reasons the court should strike down the order once and for all.
DEMOCRACY DEFENDERS FUND SUES FBI OVER REFUSAL TO RELEASE HOMAN INVESTIGATION RECORDS
Press Release | February 17, 2026
Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the agency’s refusal to release records regarding its abruptly concluded investigation of Tom Homan’s alleged pay-to-play corruption. DDF sought all records related to the investigation, including original and unedited audio recordings, video footage, and photographs taken or collected in connection with his communications with FBI agents concerning promises to provide government contracts. As the administration’s “Border Czar,” Homan oversees policies affecting millions of people and billions in federal spending.
NEW DDF COMPLAINT: DOJ'S ATTEMPT TO SEIZE VOTER ROLLS IN MINNESOTA IS AN ABUSE OF POWER
Press Release | February 13, 2026
Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Department of Justice (DOJ) officials may have engaged in misconduct and abused their authority when the department sent a letter to Gov. Tim Walz demanding that Minnesota provide access to its statewide voter rolls, Democracy Defenders Fund said today in a complaint filed with DOJ’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
LEGAL CHALLENGE BROUGHT AGAINST EFFORT BY TRUMP-VANCE ADMINISTRATION TO STYMIE PUBLIC ACCESS TO EAST POTOMAC PARK, CREATE EXCLUSIVE GOLF COURSE FOR PRESIDENT
Press Release | February 13, 2026
The DC Preservation League and two local residents are taking legal action to protect East Potomac Park and its golf course, challenging the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful and possibly hazardous dumping at the park as part of an effort to convert the public recreation space into an exclusive, high-end golf course. East Potomac Park is seen as a model for public golf courses in America, and is still the most used public golf course in Washington, D.C. Plaintiffs are represented by Democracy Forward Foundation, Lowell & Associates, and Democracy Defenders Fund.
DOJ CLAIMS FULL COMPLIANCE WITH EPSTEIN TRANSPARENCY ACT WHILE LIMITING ITS REVIEW OF RECORD
Press Release | February 6, 2026
The Department of Justice continues to violate the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) by overredacting information, withholding documents, and apparently now narrowing its document search while publicly claiming full compliance, Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF) said today.
JUDGE CLEARS WAY FOR MUSK DEPOSITION OVER DISMANTLING OF USAID
Press Release | February 5, 2026
A federal court in Maryland denied efforts to prevent Elon Musk and others from being deposed by attorneys in the class action lawsuit challenging the unconstitutional shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The case, which was the first asserting Musk’s actions violate the United States Constitution’s Appointments Clause, will now continue, including proceeding with discovery.
AAUP AND IMMIGRANT PROFESSIONALS FILE LAWSUIT CHALLENGING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S GOLD CARD VISA PROGRAM AS AN UNLAWFUL PAY-TO-PLAY SCHEME
Press Release | February 3, 2026
The American Association of University Professors and a group of immigrant professionals today filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s “Gold Card” visa program, which unlawfully sells U.S. residency to wealthy individuals while pushing aside scientists, researchers, engineers, and other outstanding professionals whom Congress directed the system to prioritize.
DDF DEMANDS MORE RECORDS IN INVESTIGATION OF TOM HOMAN’S ALLEGED PAY-TO-PLAY BRIBERY SCHEME
Press Release | February 3, 2026
Democracy Defenders Fund has submitted another series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests concerning the alleged bribery scheme involving Tom Homan. The first request seeks records from the Department of Justice (DOJ) related to the DOJ’s investigation of Homan, including case files, interview reports, and summaries, as well as any communication between the DOJ, the White House, and Trump’s White House transition team. The second request seeks documents from the Department of Homeland Security that could provide insight into contractors who may have benefited from the alleged pay-to-play scheme.
FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS KEY PROVISION OF TRUMP’S ANTI-VOTING EXECUTIVE ORDER
Press Release | February 2, 2026
In a new ruling, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia struck down key provisions of President Trump’s anti-voting executive order issued early last year. The court blocked provisions that directed certain federal agency heads to assess citizenship before providing voter registration forms to people receiving public assistance. It also blocked a provision that ordered the Secretary of Defense to add a documentary proof-of-citizenship requirement to the registration form for military and overseas voters.
DEMOCRACY DEFENDERS FUND STATEMENT ON DOJ’S CONTINUED FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE EPSTEIN FILES TRANSPARENCY ACT
Press Release | January 30, 2026
Following is a statement by Amb. Norm Eisen (ret) , executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund, on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) continued failure to fully release all eligible files relating to the Epstein investigation, as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
DEMOCRACY DEFENDERS FUND DEMANDS RELEASE OF RECORDS & COMMUNICATIONS RELATING TO THE MURDER OF ALEX PRETTI
Press Release | January 28, 2026
Democracy Defenders Fund has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration & Customs Enforcement seeking the release of communications and records related to the killing of Alex Pretti. The request comes following the Department of Homeland Security’s disturbingly different interpretation of the information currently available.
ADMINISTRATION’S MOVE TO GUT FEMA STAFFING VIOLATES AGENCY’S INDEPENDENCE AND MISSION, NEW LAWSUIT ASSERTS
Press Release | January 28, 2026
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and a broad coalition of labor organizations, nonprofit groups, and local governments filed a supplemental complaint Tuesday challenging the unlawful and drastic reduction of staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The coalition is represented by Altshuler Berzon LLP, Democracy Forward, Democracy Defenders Fund, Protect Democracy, and the Public Rights Project.
DOJ SECRETLY RE-REDACTS EPSTEIN FILES; DDF CALLS FOR AN INVESTIGATION
Press Release | January 23, 2026
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is quietly altering and re-redacting some previously released Jeffrey Epstein files while continuing to withhold the overwhelming majority of records mandated for public release under federal law, Democracy Defenders Fund outlines in a complaint filed today with the DOJ Office of the Inspector General.
STATEMENT FROM ABBE D. LOWELL, LOWELL & ASSOCIATES, AND NORM EISEN, EXECUTIVE CHAIR OF DEMOCRACY DEFENDERS FUND
Press Release | January 21, 2026
Following is a joint statement by Abbe David Lowell of Lowell & Associates, and Norm Eisen, executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund, regarding the Trump administration's attempt to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
SUSAN GRUNDMANN ENDS LEGAL CHALLENGE TO ILLEGAL REMOVAL FROM FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY
Press Release | January 21, 2026
Susan Tsui Grundmann has moved to dismiss her lawsuit challenging her removal by President Trump from her position on the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), an independent federal agency that adjudicates labor management disputes between federal agencies, unions and employees.
ONE YEAR IN: DEMOCRACY DEFENDERS FUND ESSAY SERIES EVALUATES THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DEMOCRATIC STRESS TEST
Press Release | January 20, 2026
Democracy Defenders Fund today released a series of essays (Autocracy vs. Democracy in America: A First Year Report) evaluating the Trump administration’s assault on our democracy and how the courts, institutions and civil society met the threats. Following are statements by Norm Eisen and Susan Corke reflecting on the first year of the Trump administration.
TSA MUST HONOR WORKERS’ UNION CONTRACT, JUDGE RULES
Press Release | January 15, 2026
A federal judge ruled today that the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) would violate a court injunction issued earlier this year.
DEMOCRACY DEFENDERS FUND DEMANDS INVESTIGATION INTO EX-CFTC CHIEF OVER POSSIBLE ETHICS VIOLATION
Press Release | January 14, 2026
Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF) today called for an investigation into Caroline Pham, the former Acting Chairman of the Commodities Future Trading Commission (CFTC), over potential criminal ethics violations. The complaint asks the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., and the FBI to investigate whether Pham violated federal conflict-of-interest laws. It alleges she personally directed the CFTC’s cryptocurrency regulation and enforcement policies while she was also negotiating future employment with MoonPay. MoonPay is a digital-asset payments company that describes itself as “a key driver behind mainstream crypto adoption.”