GovBrief Today header

What Happened Today – June 8, 2026

Two lawyers who built careers defending powerful politicians accused of crimes took opposite paths.

Dan Cogdell spent nine years defending Ken Paxton through a felony fraud case and the impeachment that ended in acquittal, and he gave money to Paxton’s campaigns along the way. Today he endorsed Paxton’s opponent and said the man he once defended had lost sight of who he was elected to serve.

Todd Blanche chose a different path. He defended Donald Trump through a criminal trial that ended in 34 guilty verdicts and never left his side. Today Trump rewarded him with the nomination to be the next attorney general of the United States.

I’ve emailed 7,738 stories over 494 straight nights, free and without ads. The algorithm can’t show them all to you. Add your email address at govbrief.today and I will.

#GovBriefToday #Resist

🚨 GovBrief Intensity Score 218
Extreme. History will remember.
Volume: Normal (16)
Severity: Moderate (2.25)
Defining Moments: 0
Previous 5 Days
🟒61|🟒61|🟠116|🚨152|πŸ”΄136
100 = normal day. Volume is headline count. Stories weighted by significance. Defining Moments are the ones history remembers.
Today's Quote
She is known as a Radical Left Lunatic that caters to Democrats, and has no respect for Republicans, or Republican Ideology.
Donald Trump post about senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough on June 8, 2026
Yesterday's Most Read

Trump storms out of an NBC interview after Meet the Press host Kristen Welker fact-checks his baseless election-fraud claims.

Today’s GovBrief News


War 1 of 16

Israel and Iran halt fire on the war's 101st day after Trump orders both sides to stop shooting.

Beirut strikes defied Washington's wishes

Source: CBS News

June 8, 2026

Science 2 of 16

New Mexico confirms its first New World screwworm case in 60 years as the flesh-eating parasite spreads beyond Texas.

Outbreak could cost billions, raise beef prices

Source: Source New Mexico

June 8, 2026

Economy 3 of 16

Trump says he scheduled a meeting with major AI companies about the government taking equity stakes, but the firms say no one told them.

Would partially nationalize the industry

Source: NOTUS

June 8, 2026

Justice Dept 4 of 16

Trump formally nominates his former defense lawyer Todd Blanche as attorney general, sending the choice to the Senate.

Negotiated Trump tax immunity deal

Source: UPI

June 8, 2026

Justice Dept 5 of 16

Trump's Justice Department killed a criminal pollution investigation into the coal empire of Republican Senator Jim Justice, a close Trump ally.

Career prosecutors believed the case was strong

Source: ProPublica

June 8, 2026

Criminal Justice 6 of 16

Federal appeals court calls Alabama's nitrogen gas execution method intolerably cruel but lets Thursday's execution proceed.

Inmate requested firing squad instead

Source: USA Today

June 8, 2026

Immigration 7 of 16

Border czar Homan vows the largest ICE deployment New York City has ever seen after Hochul signs immigrant-protection laws.

https://go.govbrief.today/homan-nyc

Source: The Hill

June 8, 2026

Immigration 8 of 16

Federal judge strikes down Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee, ruling he imposed a tax without congressional authorization.

20 Democratic attorneys generals sued

Source: Axios

June 8, 2026

Immigration 9 of 16

ICE facility in Louisiana reports its second detainee death in two months, days after an inspection found filthy conditions and excessive force.

19th death in ICE custody since January

Source: The Associated Press

June 8, 2026

Immigration 10 of 16

Milwaukee mosque leader has lost 30 pounds in immigration detention as lawyers say guards disrupt his prayers and deny halal food.

Offered barbecue pork rinds to eat

Source: Wisconsin Public Radio

June 8, 2026

Immigration 11 of 16

New Jersey Governor Sherrill says federal officials blocked her from speaking to Delaney Hall detainees during a tightly controlled tour.

Detainees say hunger strike in week 3

Source: The New Jersey Monitor

June 8, 2026

Congress 12 of 16

Lawyer who defended Ken Paxton in his impeachment and fraud cases endorses Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race.

Says Paxton lost sight of mission

Source: The Texas Tribune

June 8, 2026

Religion 13 of 16

Pentagon reverses its religious-affiliation list after Latter-day Saints lawmakers protest being excluded from its Christian categories.

Sen. Lee personally appealed to Trump

Source: NOTUS

June 8, 2026

Culture 14 of 16

Kennedy Center scrubs Trump's name from its website but leaves it on the building faΓ§ade until a June 12 court deadline.

Most concrete reversal of his takeover

Source: The Associated Press

June 8, 2026

Culture 15 of 16

Trump becomes the first sitting president at an NBA Finals game and draws loud boos from the Madison Square Garden crowd.

https://go.govbrief.today/trump-nba

Source: NBC News

June 8, 2026

Fighting Back 16 of 16

Salt Lake City and county sue to stop ICE from turning an 830,000-square-foot warehouse into a 10,000-bed detention center.

ICE wrote "TBD" on water-needs form

Source: The Utah News Dispatch

June 8, 2026

Share this brief:

Get the daily brief in your inbox

Subscribe Free