House Democrats release photos of Trump, Clinton and Andrew from Epstein’s estate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are accusing Democrats who released photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate of “cherry-picking photos” to create a false narrative about President Donald Trump. Republicans say nothing in the documents the House Oversight Committee has received shows “any wrongdoing” by Trump. House Democrats on Friday released photos including some of Trump, Bill Clinton and the former Prince Andrew. The 19 photos are a small part of more than 95,000 they received from the estate of Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting sex trafficking charges. The photos were released without captions or context and include a black-and-white image of Trump alongside six women whose faces are blacked out.

DOJ asks appeals court to block judge’s contempt inquiry in mass deportation case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has asked an appeals court to block a contempt investigation of the Trump administration for failing to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador in March. In a court filing Friday, the department also sought Chief Judge James Boasberg’s removal from the case. The department asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to rule on its requests before Monday, when Boasberg is scheduled hear testimony from a former government attorney who filed a whistleblower complaint. The judge is trying to determine if Trump administration officials should be prosecuted for willfully defying his March 15 order blocking the Venezuelan migrants’ deportations to El Salvador.

Trump sued by preservationists seeking reviews and congressional approval for ballroom project

(AP) — President Donald Trump has been sued by preservationists seeking an architecture review and congressional approval over his White House ballroom project. The National Trust for Historic Preservation wants a federal court to stop the ballroom project until it goes through comprehensive design reviews and public comments and wins approval from Congress. The National Trust argues Trump, by fast-tracking the project, has committed multiple violations of the Administrative Procedures Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, while also exceeding his constitutional authority by not seeking congressional approval. The lawsuit says no president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without review. Trump says the White House is overdue for a ballroom.

Illinois becomes 12th state to provide medical aid in dying for the terminally ill

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois residents with terminal illnesses may choose to end their lives on their own terms under a law Gov. JB Pritzker has signed. The Democrat took action Friday on the Medical Aid in Dying act. It will take effect in September 2026 to give medical regulators time to develop “stringent processes and protections” for implementation. It is also known as “Deb’s Law” for Deb Robertson, a retired social worker with a terminal illness who pushed for the law’s approval.