The Weeknight 'The Fish Rots from the Head'
Mar 26, 2026
Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General and former U.S. Representative, explains suing federal agencies for evidence in shootings involving federal agents. Jackie Alemany, MS NOW Washington correspondent, briefs on the Special Counsel’s classified documents reporting. They discuss legal fights over access to evidence, transparency around classified-materials probes, masked agents and accountability, and oversight gaps in high-profile investigations.
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Progress Memo Links Classified Files To Business Motive
- Jack Smith's progress memo suggested Trump may have retained classified documents for business reasons rather than only personal intent.
- The memo flagged documents tied to Trump's business interests and noted ultra-sensitive special-access material limited to six authorized reviewers.
White House Jumbo Photos Were Off Limits
- Symone Sanders-Townsend recounted White House 'jumbos' rules where staff were explicitly warned not to take large official photos because they were government property.
- She used the anecdote to illustrate how even seemingly small items are tightly controlled compared with classified-material rules Trump violated.
Intent Is The Legal Pivot In Documents Case
- Mens rea (intent) is central to prosecutions under 18 U.S.C. 793, so evidence of motive like potential financial gain strengthens a case.
- Brendan Ballew explained that showing intent distinguishes criminal retention from mere possession of government material.