Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Smart Again
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Politics
  • Law & Defense
  • Community
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Smart Again
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Politics
  • Law & Defense
  • Community
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Smart Again
No Result
View All Result
Home Trending

Officials Are Denied Access to Library of Congress After Trump Names New Boss

May 12, 2025
in Trending
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
0
Officials Are Denied Access to Library of Congress After Trump Names New Boss
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Staff members at the Library of Congress denied access on Monday to two Justice Department officials who had been tapped for top positions there as part of a shake-up initiated by President Trump, according to two people familiar with the situation. The lockout led to a brief standoff on Capitol Hill.

The episode at the library, an agency of the legislative branch, became the latest tension point in a battle over where Congress’s authority ends and the White House’s begins. The people who described it did so on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment.

It unfolded after Mr. Trump on Monday named Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, who was the lead defense lawyer in his criminal trial in Manhattan last year, to be librarian of Congress, succeeding Carla Hayden, whom Mr. Trump abruptly fired last week. The post is a presidential appointment, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Around 9 a.m., two Justice Department officials arrived at the library’s headquarters across from the Capitol and sought access to the U.S. Copyright Office, which is housed there. They brought a letter from the White House declaring that Mr. Blanche was the acting librarian and that the two men would be serving in top roles at the agency.

Paul Perkins, an associate deputy attorney general, would serve as acting register of copyrights and director of the Copyright Office, the letter said, and Brian Nieves, a deputy chief of staff and senior policy counsel, would be the acting deputy librarian. Mr. Trump fired the previous director of the Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter, over the weekend, one of the people said.

Staff members at the library called the U.S. Capitol Police as well as their general counsel, Meg Williams, who told the men they were not allowed access to the Copyright Office and asked them to leave, one of the people said.

Mr. Perkins and Mr. Nieves then left the building willingly, accompanied to the door by Ms. Williams. The library’s staff is recognizing Robert Newlen, the principal deputy librarian who was Ms. Hayden’s No. 2, as acting librarian until they get direction from Congress, one of the people familiar with the situation said.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Police said that officers “did not escort anyone out” and that Library of Congress personnel did not ask them to “turn anyone away.”

Representative Joe Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration and a member of the Joint Committee on the Library, said the move to fire Ms. Perlmutter and Ms. Hayden amounted to a power grab by the executive branch and criticized Republicans for not speaking out against the overreach.

“This action once again tramples on Congress’s Article One authority and throws a trillion-dollar industry into chaos,” Mr. Morelle said in a statement after Ms. Perlmutter was fired from the Copyright Office, referring to Article One of the Constitution, which describes the powers of Congress. “When will my Republican colleagues decide enough is enough?”

Mr. Morelle led five other House Democrats in calling for an investigation into whether the library had given the Department of Government Efficiency or other executive branch agencies unauthorized access to congressional or library data.

Devlin Barrett, Tim Balk and Jennifer Schuessler contributed reporting.



Source link

Tags: AccessBlanchebossCongressCopyright OfficedeniedDonald JLibraryLibrary of CongressNamesOfficialsPresidential Power (US)Todd (Attorney)Trump
Previous Post

The children are being used as bait

Next Post

At Trump’s Justice Dept., Bondi Embraces Role of TV Messenger

Related Posts

Harvard Letter Points to ‘Common Ground’ With Trump Administration
Trending

Harvard Letter Points to ‘Common Ground’ With Trump Administration

May 13, 2025
Happy Birthday To The Late, Great, George Carlin
Trending

Happy Birthday To The Late, Great, George Carlin

May 13, 2025
Trump Claims Eleven Car Factories Are Being Built: They Are Not
Trending

Trump Claims Eleven Car Factories Are Being Built: They Are Not

May 12, 2025
Donald Blames Dems For The Qatari Airplane Bribery Scandal
Trending

Donald Blames Dems For The Qatari Airplane Bribery Scandal

May 12, 2025
Private prison firm CoreCivic sees Trump’s mass deportation agenda as “catalyst” for growth
Trending

Private prison firm CoreCivic sees Trump’s mass deportation agenda as “catalyst” for growth

May 12, 2025
Stephen Miller came prepared for war — and he’ll defy the courts if he has to
Trending

Stephen Miller came prepared for war — and he’ll defy the courts if he has to

May 12, 2025
Next Post
At Trump’s Justice Dept., Bondi Embraces Role of TV Messenger

At Trump’s Justice Dept., Bondi Embraces Role of TV Messenger

Trump Claims Eleven Car Factories Are Being Built: They Are Not

Trump Claims Eleven Car Factories Are Being Built: They Are Not

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
“A huge net positive”: Controversial “Squid Game” character challenges Western representation ideals

“A huge net positive”: Controversial “Squid Game” character challenges Western representation ideals

December 31, 2024
Will the next pope be liberal or conservative? Neither.

Will the next pope be liberal or conservative? Neither.

April 21, 2025
Zero-sum politics is destroying America. We can build a way out.

Zero-sum politics is destroying America. We can build a way out.

March 22, 2025
Why the Karen Read retrial might end differently this time

Why the Karen Read retrial might end differently this time

May 3, 2025
What Megyn Kelly gets right — and wrong — about Conclave 

What Megyn Kelly gets right — and wrong — about Conclave 

January 12, 2025
Amid chaos, new report reveals 40 percent of DOGE cuts won’t save any money

Amid chaos, new report reveals 40 percent of DOGE cuts won’t save any money

February 25, 2025
“They stole an election”: Former Florida senator found guilty in “ghost candidates” scandal

“They stole an election”: Former Florida senator found guilty in “ghost candidates” scandal

0
The Hawaii senator who faced down racism and ableism—and killed Nazis

The Hawaii senator who faced down racism and ableism—and killed Nazis

0
The murder rate fell at the fastest-ever pace last year—and it’s still falling

The murder rate fell at the fastest-ever pace last year—and it’s still falling

0
Trump used the site of the first assassination attempt to spew falsehoods

Trump used the site of the first assassination attempt to spew falsehoods

0
MAGA church plans to raffle a Trump AR-15 at Second Amendment rally

MAGA church plans to raffle a Trump AR-15 at Second Amendment rally

0
Tens of thousands are dying on the disability wait list

Tens of thousands are dying on the disability wait list

0
Harvard Letter Points to ‘Common Ground’ With Trump Administration

Harvard Letter Points to ‘Common Ground’ With Trump Administration

May 13, 2025
Happy Birthday To The Late, Great, George Carlin

Happy Birthday To The Late, Great, George Carlin

May 13, 2025
Rachel Maddow Slams Trump’s Kleptocracy

Rachel Maddow Slams Trump’s Kleptocracy

May 13, 2025
Trump Claims Eleven Car Factories Are Being Built: They Are Not

Trump Claims Eleven Car Factories Are Being Built: They Are Not

May 12, 2025
At Trump’s Justice Dept., Bondi Embraces Role of TV Messenger

At Trump’s Justice Dept., Bondi Embraces Role of TV Messenger

May 12, 2025
Officials Are Denied Access to Library of Congress After Trump Names New Boss

Officials Are Denied Access to Library of Congress After Trump Names New Boss

May 12, 2025
Smart Again

Stay informed with Smart Again, the go-to news source for liberal perspectives and in-depth analysis on politics, social justice, and more. Join us in making news smart again.

CATEGORIES

  • Community
  • Law & Defense
  • Politics
  • Trending
  • Uncategorized
No Result
View All Result

LATEST UPDATES

  • Harvard Letter Points to ‘Common Ground’ With Trump Administration
  • Happy Birthday To The Late, Great, George Carlin
  • Rachel Maddow Slams Trump’s Kleptocracy
  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2024 Smart Again.
Smart Again is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Politics
  • Law & Defense
  • Community
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2024 Smart Again.
Smart Again is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Go to mobile version