The country’s top cop spent this week suing The Atlantic and sending his FBI after a New York Times reporter.
The reporter had called Patel’s 27-year-old girlfriend while writing about the FBI SWAT team that guards her full-time. Yesterday, a federal judge tossed Patel’s other defamation suit as “rhetorical hyperbole,” and at a press conference announcing the SPLC indictment, Patel polled reporters on whether a detail in his own lawsuit was true.
America is 56 days into a war with Iran and three months into a government shutdown. Its FBI director sues journalists with his personal lawyers and investigates them with the FBI. He is not up to the task of keeping the country safe. Call your representatives through 5 Calls and Resistbot and demand they publicly call for Patel’s resignation.
We’ve emailed 7,100+ stories over 447 straight nights. The algorithm doesn’t always show them to you. Subscribe now at govbrief.today
#GovBriefToday #Resist
🚨172|🚨164|🟡91|🟢79|🟢76
5th Circuit rules Texas can force public schools to post Ten Commandments, declaring a 1980 Supreme Court precedent against such displays no longer binding.
Today’s GovBrief News
Iran's Revolutionary Guard seizes two commercial ships in Strait of Hormuz a day after U.S. boards Iranian oil tanker.
Source: The Associated Press
April 22, 2026
CDC overrides scientific review to block publication of report showing COVID vaccine halved ER visits and hospitalizations for healthy adults last winter.
Source: The Washington Post [gift link]
April 22, 2026
House Oversight Committee split on whether Trump should pardon Ghislaine Maxwell in exchange for testimony in Epstein investigation.
Source: Politico
April 22, 2026
Florida Gov. DeSantis signs law banning local DEI funding and says white men are the "disfavored" group most discriminated against.
Source: The Associated Press
April 22, 2026
Virginia circuit court judge blocks results of redistricting referendum a day after voters narrowly approved map that would favor Democrats in 2026 midterms.
Source: NOTUS
April 22, 2026
FBI opened stalking investigation into New York Times reporter after her story on Director Patel assigning FBI personnel to his girlfriend's security detail.
Source: The Independent
April 22, 2026
Defense Secretary Hegseth fires Navy Secretary Phelan weeks after ousting Army's top general during Iran war.
Source: Reuters
April 22, 2026
Justice Department agrees to pay Carter Page $1.25 million to settle 2016 surveillance lawsuit, a month after paying Flynn over $1 million.
Source: CNN
April 22, 2026
Federal judge dismisses FBI Director Patel's defamation lawsuit against former FBI counterintelligence official, calling the nightclub comments "rhetorical hyperbole."
Source: UPI
April 22, 2026
CISA nominee Sean Plankey withdraws after 13 months awaiting confirmation, leaving cyberdefense agency without a Senate-confirmed director amid Iran war and election-year threats.
Source: NextGov
April 22, 2026
Rep. David Scott dies at 80, leaving Georgia's 13th District vacant as House Democrats lose another seat.
Source: WANF Atlanta
April 22, 2026
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) has missed every House vote since March 5 and not responded to colleagues' calls, with his office citing only a "personal health matter."
Source: NJ Spotlight News
April 22, 2026
Senate adopts budget resolution 50-48 at 3:30 a.m. after marathon vote-a-rama, clearing path for Republicans to fund ICE without Democrats.
Source: CBS News
April 22, 2026
DHS says it will stop paying 100,000 employees in May as shutdown enters third month and Senate advances reconciliation bill to fund ICE without Democrats.
Source: Government Executive
April 22, 2026
Iowa federal judge orders third bond hearing for truck driver held 10 weeks, says government wants to "whipsaw" him with retroactive mandatory detention rule.
Source: The Iowa Capital Dispatch
April 22, 2026