Lawfare No Bull

On March 1, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to examine Oversight of the Department of Justice. The committee heard from attorney general Merrick Garland, who discussed topics ranging from Section 230 reform to climate change to FISA’s Section 702 and more.

On Feb. 23, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments in a case concerning the Justice Department’s efforts to access Representative Scott Perry’s phone. This is part of the department’s investigation into efforts by former President Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election. The government is trying to access the phone amid congressional probes that claim Perry was an important ally to Trump in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The arguments abruptly ended as the court switched into sealed arguments.

On Feb. 22, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Twitter v. Taamneh, a case that deals with the liability of platforms that host or promote terrorist material. This case addresses the scope of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, arguing that Twitter aided and abetted ISIS by hosting and promoting its content on its platform.