Democrats Had a Shot at Protecting Journalists From Trump. They Blew It.
Senate Democrats had a legislative path to shield journalists and their sources from surveillance and subpoenas. They didn’t act.
Shawn Musgrave
Shawn Musgrave is a media law attorney and reporter based in New York, and was previously counsel to The Intercept. Shawn brings considerable experience in government transparency, including the federal Freedom of Information Act, state public records laws, and court access. Prior to joining The Intercept, Shawn worked at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the Center for Investigative Reporting, and MuckRock. His reporting has been published in Politico, The Verge, Vice, Reason, and the Boston Globe, among other outlets.
Contacts:
- shawn.musgrave@theintercept.com
- shawnmusgrave.82 on Signal
- @shawnmusgrave.bsky.social on Bluesky
- @ShawnMusgrave on X
Posts:
DOGE Installs a Former Tesla Employee at the FBI
Former Tesla employee Tarak Makecha has roles at the FBI and the Justice Department, records reviewed by The Intercept show.
The War on Immigrants
The Unusual Nonprofit That Helps ICE Spy on Wire Transfers
A little-known database logs hundreds of millions of wire transfers sent to or from Mexico, Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.
The War on Immigrants
ICE Got Warrants Under “False Pretenses,” Claims Columbia Student Targeted Over Gaza Protests
The law behind the warrants bars concealment of people in the country illegally, yet the students were legal residents living on campus.
DOGE Keeps Trying to Dodge the Freedom of Information Act. So We’re Suing.
DOGE claims it’s not an “agency” that has to comply with FOIA. We don’t buy it — and so far judges haven’t, either.
The War on Immigrants
Why Trump Is So Desperate to Keep Mahmoud Khalil in Louisiana
Government lawyers would be happy to avoid a legal precedent set in the case of Ravi Ragbir during the first Trump administration.
DOGE Likely Can’t Evade Freedom of Information Law, Court Rules
“The rapid pace of [DOGE’s] actions requires the quick release of information about its structure and activities,” a judge ruled.
The End of Roe
How to Keep Providing Gender-Affirming Care Despite Anti-Trans Attacks
Using lessons learned defending abortion, some providers are digging in to serve their trans patients despite legal attacks.
We Found Elon Musk’s DOGE Email Address and We’re Fighting to Reveal His Messages
The Intercept is publishing Elon Musk’s government email address to aid those seeking information on DOGE in the public interest.
Leaked List Shows DOGE Is Lawyering Up
A list of DOGE staffers reviewed by The Intercept shows Elon Musk’s quasi-agency has brought in at least four more attorneys.