May 20, 2026. Senior Judge John D. Bates told the second Trump White House that the Presidential Records Act still applies. He would not let a Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel memo call the 1978 law unconstitutional and walk off with the files. He did not enjoin the President. He enjoined the staff. That is the episode.
John D. Bates. Official portrait, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts / U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. government work. From uscourts.gov, 23 September 2022.
Nos. 1:26-cv-01169 and 1:26-cv-01402. Preliminary injunction requiring specified Executive Office defendants to comply with the Presidential Records Act. He did not enjoin the President. Not dumped again as a photo card below.
The rest of the file
United States Capitol, west front. Architect of the Capitol. U.S. government work.
