Judge rails against DOGE for 'terrorizing' U.S. Institute of Peace after using 'guns and threats' to shut it down

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Thu Mar 20, 2025, 05:27 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Independent

Wednesday 19 March 2025 17:55 EDT


A federal judge was alarmed by allegations that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency provoked a dramatic standoff this week with the U.S. Institute of Peace, culminating in what attorneys for the agency called a hostile “takeover” fueled by threats and harassment. Federal prosecutors have threatened institute officials with criminal prosecution, DOGE members warned that a private security contractor would lose government contracts, and the institute’s president was forcibly removed by several law enforcement agencies – events that attorneys with the Department of Justice have not disputed.

In a hearing in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, District Judge Beryl Howell asked Justice Department attorneys whether Donald Trump’s administration could enforce his executive order seeking to shutter the agency “without using the force of guns and threats by DOGE against American citizens.”

“I mean, this conduct of using law enforcement, threatening criminal investigations, using arms of law enforcement … probably terrorizing employees and staff at the institute, when there are so many other lawful ways to accomplish the goals … why?” she said. “Just because DOGE is in a rush?”

The institute is not a federal agency but an independent nonprofit established by Congress under President Ronald Reagan. Its headquarters in Washington, D.C., is not government property, and its personnel are not federal employees. The institute employs roughly 600 people in the United States and overseas with a congressional mandate to help resolve international conflicts.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/doge-peace-institute-threats-judge-b2718273.html

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The institute is not a federal agency but an independent nonprofit established by Congress under President Ronald Reagan. Its headquarters in Washington, D.C., is not government property, and its personnel are not federal employees.

Operative words highlighted. If the courts allow this, then they can conceivably and forcibly go into any of the "non-white focused" Smithsonian museums and forcibly shut them down. Just. Because.

[Walleye]

1. Why is there no news coverage on the spot at these things?

We hear about these atrocities and see the consequences in court, but it seems like there’s a blackout on the actual activity. Has anybody ever seen “Big Balls” working? All we are seeing is propaganda videos put out by our so-called government.

[Hugin]

2. I've seen precious few photos even.

So few that I can recall them. Like the dude in the hoodie preventing members of Congress entry into one of the attacked Agencies for instance.

With hundreds of millions of cell phones complete with cinematic quality image and audio capture capabilities walking around out there, we can do better. Come on, people! What’s it take?

[Walleye]

4. This is a good nonviolent thing we can do. We need to distribute the pictures as well with accurate captions.

[Hugin]

5. To be frank...

Documenting these criminal activities would be magnitudes more effective than trashing a car dealership. However, look what gets covered. Trashing car dealerships.

[Walleye]

6. Yep. And we never even see who does these things.

Have we learned who is doing this vandalism? Have we seen their social media post? We can’t count on journalism or the free press anymore.

[intheflow]

49. Wait.

You want to hold the vandals accountable? No. These folks are not heroes but they are distracting Musk from the wholesale slaughter of our government and anything that makes Musk cry is a beautiful thing, imho.

[jmowreader]

60. AND...

...how do we know it's liberals trashing those dealerships? It's obvious that if anyone has a reason to take out a Tesla showroom it's people pissed off at Musk, which is why right-wingers trashing the places would be so effective: we get blamed for something we didn't even do.

[stoned]

20. Exactly right!

People are fueled by (and sadly entertained by) emotion ("oooooh look at that burning Tesla&quot and logic seems a skill many simply cannot muster.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

39. Those cars burning are an inside job.

Where is the video of the perps?? Teslas have their own camera system on each vehicle. Where is the reward for information??? It stinks of a coverup and I wouldn't count out the police being involved.

[Bengus81]

48. Camera's all over the place showing burning cars but the same camera's didn't record the person?

I haven't seen any video of the perpetrator. That Trump "shooter" won't have a trial till next Sept.

[yellow dahlia]

62. My suspicion, as well.

[LiberalArkie]

42. More than likely the officers are grabbing the phones and saying "Say anything and you WILL go to Guantnamo"

Threats against employees go a long way.

[mdmc]

3. yeah

exactly

[BumRushDaShow]

7. I have noticed over the past couple years

that when stuff like this happens, instead of calling up "the media", the people will "post on Facebook" about what happened and only THEN will the media discover it, and report on it.

E.g., I will see a "news report" that will mention some famous person dying and noting that the incident "was posted on Facebook" or "was posted on Instagram".

There is a whole universe of information gathering/sharing going on in social media that unless you are tuned in, following it, and immerse yourself in it (like many of the younger generations), it gets missed - notably by the M$M.

Consider that the vast majority of the nation is NOT watching "CNN" or "MSNBC" or even "Faux", out of 330 million people.

I.e., the "biggest" outlets got 3 million or less primetime viewers last week.

[Walleye]

9. People don't trust the accuracy of these reports. So they are worthless.

We used to think if we read it in the New York Times of the Washington Post it was true. Maybe that still applies, but there are so many other sources of inaccurate information.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. This is the world we are now in

when you also have the so-called "traditional media" now owned by billionaires with an agenda and are starting to use tools like "AI" to "enhance" what can become "fictional story-telling". No need for "reporters" when "AI" will save them a salary.

[Walleye]

11. They're ruining their own business. If they're not telling the truth, they have nothing to offer.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. They use their ownership and control of the "media" as a "donation to the cause"

They aren't relying on it for "profits".

I watched the same thing happen with the Washington Times and the Moonies. It ran for years and years at a loss but finally turned a profit, and is one of the big RW noise machines (still run by Moon's wife).

[Walleye]

17. True. The Washington Times is not known for accuracy.

It looks like people believe the conspiracy theories over the truth because they are better stories. It’s like eating candy for supper.

[markodochartaigh]

18. Towards the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic,

how many Roman citizens knew what was going on in the Senate vs. how many knew what was going on in the Coliseum?

[BumRushDaShow]

21. "Bread and Circuses"

[markodochartaigh]

23. When I first watched this on a small black and white TV

with my Grandmother I couldn't have known that it would become so much more relevant today.

And Juvenal's quote is incredibly relevant too. "Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses."

We have abdicated our duties as citizens to remain informed and engaged.

[BumRushDaShow]

25. What always fascinated me about that episode

was the "studio" and showing use of a fake sound effects machine (with recorded applause and other sounds). This was during the era when shows (mostly comedies) were "recorded in front of a live studio audience" to get the reactions, and here you have a glimpse of other gimmicks that are "behind the scenes". There was a similar (but more complicated) type of "audience sound effects" machine used in the film "A Face In The Crowd".

[markodochartaigh]

26. That is a great point. Kind of analogous to the astroturfing of the Tea Party movement.

I got the chance to see "A Face in the Crowd" a few years ago, before Trump's first term, when it was screened locally by a relative of the director.

It seemed to me that although the "face" was a problem for democracy, the "crowd" was just as much a problem.

[BumRushDaShow]

36. I had DVR'd the movie

I think from TCM awhile ago since it was referenced a lot on DU (especially due to a "young" Andy Griffith). Finally got to watch it a couple years ago and noted the "young Walter Matthau" too.

I would put it close to similar later prophetic media genre films like "Network" (TV) and perhaps even comparative to earlier media-focused ones like "Citizen Kane" (Newspapers).

And agree that it is "the audience" that helps to "feed the monster". The longest-running "reality show" is "Cops", which is still going after 35 years.

[LymphocyteLover]

32. Rachel Maddow interviewed a Congressman who went there to see what was happening

a couple nights ago-- but yeah, ridiculous no news agency has gone there.

This whole story is freaking insane

[yellow dahlia]

63. This story is insane!

But why hasn't Judge Howell applied some sort of TRO, so they can't do any more damage?

[LymphocyteLover]

66. It iS insane... I don't know the details of the case, there's probably some technical thing

[thinkingagain]

34. Perhaps the news media has been told

To”stand down” if police are called
People on scanners can hear the call I think some news places have those and listen so they can go to calls of any significance
But if they have been told to do nothing on anything to do with doge then they don’t.
As for cell phones I imagine and a lot of government agencies you might not be allowed to have a cell phone on you to prevent any misuse or pictures, gathering of information etc. that could be taken using a cell phone so you might not have one with you.
As for this place that the no cell phone thing probably wouldn’t be a thing I don’t know so only thing I can think of is at the way it happened. People freaked out and didn’t think to pull out the cell phones, but the cops were called the cops worked in conjunction with doge for some reason.

All of these thoughts are just speculation and possible scenarios

[LiberalArkie]

43. "Stand down or you will not be allowed in the press pool" maybe

[Daleuhlmann]

67. Yes, Where Is the Mainstream News Media?

This is reprehensible, and, again, something that the mainstream news agencies have been ignoring!

[JustAnotherGen]

8. Stitch coming

Not a Federal agency.
Not gov't employees.
Not Federal property.

I wouldn't go back into work unless I was armed. Machetes, bear spray, numchuks - you name it. Folks need to stand their ground and if DC Police were involved? Those officers need to lose their jobs.

Also - the members of Doge who were trespassers need to be arrested- today.

[Walleye]

12. Yes, please arrest them and show us some mugshots so we will know who to beware of

[Magoo48]

24. But, isn't that the problem after all, judges can be outraged until the cows come home?

When there is no agency in America which is willing to police the criminals now in charge, then outrage and epitaphs are so much horseshit and gunsmoke. If we the people don’t stand between them and their criminal activities, who will? And, up to this point in time, the citizenry has not been willing to do that. Here we are then.

[LiberalArkie]

44. Who polices the police? If the FBI is at your door with SWAT, who do you call that can do anything in a minutes time?

[JustAnotherGen]

47. I think they engaged

D.C. Police. If a few of them lost their jobs - they'd start refusing to allow trespassers and thieves in.

[Magoo48]

53. In our present situation, we only have massive grassroots to rely on.

So far, the American citizenry is unwilling to move in mass. We need a present or past leader with enough gravitas to organize and lead us.

[JustAnotherGen]

69. Bernie Sanders

Is doing a tour - but he's not issuing calls to arms.

[Magoo48]

70. Call to arms would be worst thing we could do.

What I’m looking to is a call to massive, consistent, PEACEFUL, direct action.

[yellow dahlia]

64. I keep asking - why are there not arrests of these vandals and criminals?

[Diraven]

65. DOGE uses US Marshalls as enforcers

They're under direct orders from AG Bondi to rough up whoever Musk wants roughed up.

[Irish_Dem]

14. Trump's gestapo can legally break into any private residence.

And kidnap and disappear anyone on secret flights.

[Baitball Blogger]

15. Which begs the question: Why is DOGE in a rush?

Because they know that calmer minds will eventually prevail. They know what they're doing is criminal, so they are busying themselves collecting as much data as they can. They will be prepared to do malicious attacks on the US once they're deposed.

[orangecrush]

58. THIS

[Vinca]

16. I don't understand why they haven't been arrested for this particular act. It's breaking and entering.

[markodochartaigh]

19. One of the goals of maga

is to govern the US like a town in the South in the 1850's. The sons of the plantation owners would not have been arrested if they vandalized a newspaper printing anti-slavery opinion pieces.

[LiberalArkie]

45. Exactly my thought... That seems to be the rights view of an ideal society ever since Nixon bought into the Southern

Strategy.

[SharonAnn]

46. Or to govern the US like a town in apartheid South Africa!

[LiberalArkie]

50. Ahh, same difference. I think apartheid South Africa was patterned after the southern US pre and post slavery.

I feel that is why the Dept of Education is being demolished. It called for equal education standards for school funding. And that is something that why do not want.
I remember being in High School and driving older books from my all white new school campus across town to the all black school. Their library was mainly books that we had given them. Probably 500 or so books in total. We had thousands of relatively new books. I think probably more than the towns large public library.

In my guts that is what they want. That is how schools were in S. Africa that President Musk would have seen.

[GiqueCee]

22. Trump is emulating his hero...

... and handler, Vladimir Putin. Hence, his expansionist threats against Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and Panama. And unilaterally renaming an international body of water is only one of his endless list of illegal acts, for which he'll see no consequences, thanks to the grotesquely corrupt Supreme Court majority. THAT is your precious legacy, Roberts, you asshole.

Musk is a psychotic child who despises empathy and altruism, and has no concept of self-restraint. Like Trump, he's always stolen whatever he wants, and he's gotten away with it by making threats and spreading his daddy's money around. Now that he has his own wealth, he's gone supernova, and he will continue to escalate his criminality until he is either imprisoned or killed. The entire world hopes it's the latter.
He is a raving Nazi racist pig, who will make Hitler look like a choirboy if he isn't stopped.
And the sniveling cowards at the top of the DC food chain do... nothing.

[BlueKota]

27. To the judge's question why don't they use more

legal ways? Because they are jack booted thugs who have no respect for the law.

[Kid Berwyn]

28. Where's the backlash?

Or is it the new normal to NAZI?

[IronLionZion]

29. MAGA uses violence and intimidation to end peace

MAGA showed us what they are many times during Trump's first term. This time it's on steroids...er... ketamine.

[dchill]

30. This particular incident has terrorized me, personally.

How what they're doing is not prosecuted is beyond me. OUR DOJ is totally corrupt at the top. No one in the Republican administration is honoring their oath of office, so it means nothing. Police departments are guilty of this, too.

[atreides1]

31. Mayor Bowser probably gave the OK

I suspect that in her futile attempt to save her job Mayor Bowser will be going along with anything that Trump wants done.

The irony is that no matter how low she bows down, it won't stop Congressional Republicans from taking away D.C. autonomy.

[AloeVera]

33. Trump doesn't want to resolve international conflict.

He wants to instigate it. Doing pretty good too.

He ran on "peace" but shuts down the Institute of Peace.

[LymphocyteLover]

38. Right?? You can't make this shit up!

[CaptainTruth]

35. LOCK THEM UP!!!

JFC we need to shut this shit down, NOW!

[LymphocyteLover]

37. Great point about the "non-white focused" Smithsonian museums

we should expect those to be taken over very soon

[BumRushDaShow]

41. You have the Smithsonians

National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Museum of African Art
National Museum of the American Indian

And U.S. affiliates -

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Or even any of the National Park Service designees like -

The King Center and adjacent Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

This will probably have a bulldozer taken to it too (Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial) -



(at least I got to see it before they get their plans together to remove it as "DEI" )

[travelingthrulife]

40. Then have them arrested. What good does railing against them do?

What is with these wimpy judges?

[IbogaProject]

51. Approved by Reagan

The institute is not a federal agency but an independent nonprofit established by Congress under President Ronald Reagan.

[BlueKota]

52. They even turn on their own former hero.

[kimbutgar]

54. You know it's coming the African American history museum closed

And the MLK jr statue taken down. These evil racists MFers!

[Evolve Dammit]

55. They have been given carte blanche to intimidate, threaten and do "whatever the hell they want." Rule of law stress-test

[kacekwl]

56. I hope they

file gun charges among others . People need to go to jail for this.

[AmericaUnderSiege]

57. Meet strength with strength.

Don't let fascists take score after score on threats and then just complain about the threat they control. Make the Russian occupation cross the line, watch them act as illegally and blatantly as their character craves, and then deal with that on your terms. This is the only way. The alternative is appeasement and collaboration.

[Karasu]

59. This is what they've been doing all along, so I really have no idea how any court could possibly rule in favor of them

when they aren't even an actual fucking department.

[Initech]

61. We have literal terrorists in charge of our government. Fuck.

[Meowmee]

68. Good news

I just wonder how it will be enforced?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

71. This makes me smile