Each time we hear more about the unfolding situation with the takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, the story gets darker and involves greater abuses of power. My colleague Kate Riga is, as I write, covering a hearing about the incident that happened yesterday. When I last wrote about the story yesterday, I focused on the fact that the DC Metropolitan Police Department had sided with DOGE and the purported new directors of the Institute and expelled the incumbent staff. That remains the case. But based on new filings which Kate told me about during the podcast we recorded a short time ago, I learned that there is an entirely new dimension of the story which is at least as important as the MPD issue and likely more so. I’ve now had a chance to do a brief review of the court filings from the USIP. I’m going to give you a very brief overview now and then probably either Kate or I or perhaps both of us will have more information later in the day.
So here’s the gist.