November 12

OMB orders 670,000 furloughed workers back on November 13 before shutdown backpay clears

The Office of Management and Budget ordered approximately 670,000 furloughed federal employees to report to work November 13, 2025 — one day after Trump signed the funding bill — before backpay could be processed. The spending agreement reaffirmed the 2019 law requiring backpay, but actual payments were not expected until November 16–19, forcing workers to return before receiving compensation.

Trump Pardons Joseph Lewis for Securities Fraud Conviction in Southern District of New York

Trump pardoned Joseph Lewis on November 12, 2025, a British billionaire who owned Tottenham Hotspur soccer club and pleaded guilty to securities fraud for trading on inside information obtained from company boards and sharing tips with his yacht companions. Lewis received three years' probation, a $5 million fine, and $400,000 restitution in his April 2024 sentencing. The pardon erased a securities fraud conviction for one of the wealthiest individuals to receive clemency from Trump.

Trump Sends Letter to Israeli President Herzog Requesting Full Pardon for Netanyahu

President Trump sent an official letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on November 12, 2025, calling on him to fully pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial. The letter, released publicly by the Israeli president's office, stated Trump believed Netanyahu's prosecution was political and unjustified, and characterized Netanyahu as a wartime prime minister whose attention should not be diverted by legal proceedings. Israeli legal experts and opposition figures criticized the letter as unprecedented foreign interference in an independent judiciary.

AP-NORC Poll: Only 33% Approve of Trump's Government Management During Shutdown

An AP-NORC poll conducted November 6–10, 2025 found only 33% of U.S. adults approved of Trump's management of the federal government, down from 43% in March. Republican approval fell from 81% to 68%. The poll was conducted during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, capturing erosion of base support amid the extended crisis.

Human Rights Watch Documents Systematic Torture of U.S.-Deported Venezuelans at El Salvador's CECOT Prison

Human Rights Watch and Cristosal released an 81-page report on Nov. 12, 2025 documenting systematic torture of 252 Venezuelans deported by the U.S. to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison between March and April 2025. Guards beat detainees for minor rule violations, including requesting medical care. The U.S. provided at least $4.7 million to El Salvador for detention costs. HRW called the U.S. "complicit in torture."

Kash Patel Uses FBI Jet for Olympics, Concerts, and Hunting Trips After Criticizing Wray for Same

FBI Director Kash Patel drew scrutiny after using FBI government jets for personal travel including sporting events, concerts in Tennessee, a Texas hunting resort, and trips to Italy for the Milan Winter Olympics hockey finals. In 2023, before becoming director, Patel had publicly demanded the FBI's G5 jet be grounded, saying "Chris Wray doesn't need a government-funded G5 jet to go to vacation." A whistleblower later alleged the jet use delayed FBI evidence response to a mass shooting.

House Democrats release Epstein emails referencing Trump

House Oversight Democrats released emails from Epstein estate materials that referenced Donald Trump. Republicans then released a larger document set the same day. The emails became a flashpoint in the fight over selective disclosure, context, and whether Congress or DOJ should control the release process.

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Burchett blames Democrats for blocking Epstein files

On Nov. 12, 2025, a House discharge petition reached 218 signatures — 214 from Democrats and four from Republicans — forcing a floor vote to release remaining Jeffrey Epstein files. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) then publicly blamed Democratic leadership for blocking his earlier unanimous-consent request to release the records, even though Democrats supplied the votes that forced the vote. The episode exposed partisan contradictions: Democrats demanded release through procedural pressure while Republicans accused them of grandstanding.

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Adelita Grijalva is sworn in after Speaker Johnson’s 50-day delay

Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva was sworn into the House on November 12, 2025, 50 days after winning her September 23 special election — the longest delay for any member after a special election win. Speaker Mike Johnson had refused to seat her during the shutdown. Grijalva immediately signed a bipartisan discharge petition to release Epstein files, becoming the 218th signature needed to force a House floor vote.

Adelita Grijalva signs 218th discharge-petition signature for Epstein files vote

Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) provided the decisive 218th signature on a discharge petition to force a floor vote on releasing DOJ Epstein investigation files. She signed immediately after being sworn in, with Epstein survivors watching from the gallery. The bipartisan petition was led by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA); four Republicans and all Democrats signed. Under House rules, seven legislative days must pass before a vote can be called.

House Republicans accuse Democrats of selective Epstein email release

House Republicans accused Democrats of selectively releasing Epstein estate emails that referenced Trump, then released a broader batch of records the same day. The event is a messaging and document-context row: it tracks how both parties tried to shape public interpretation of the same evidence.

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House Oversight releases 20,000 pages of Epstein estate documents

The House Oversight Committee released over 20,000 pages of documents from Jeffrey Epstein's estate, including emails in which Epstein claimed Trump "knew about the girls," called Trump "borderline insane," and discussed coordinating legal strategy with Ghislaine Maxwell. The release was separate from DOJ files and came from Congress's direct acquisition of Epstein estate records.

Progressive Katie Wilson Defeats Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell in Upset

Democratic socialist Katie Wilson defeated incumbent Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell by 0.73% — the closest Seattle mayoral race since 1906 — after trailing for nearly a week post-election day. Wilson, co-founder of the Seattle Transit Riders Union, had never held elected office. Harrell conceded on November 13, 2025, handing another win to the progressive left.

Democrat Jordan Wood Exits Maine Senate Race to Run for Jared Golden's House Seat

Maine Democrat Jordan Wood announced on November 12, 2025 that he was dropping his U.S. Senate bid against Susan Collins to instead run for Rep. Jared Golden's open House seat in Maine's 2nd Congressional District after Golden announced he would not seek reelection. Wood joins State Auditor Matt Dunlap in the Democratic primary for the competitive swing district.

Senate Spending Bill Includes $500,000 Phone-Record Shield for Senators Swept Up in Jan. 6 Probe

A government funding bill included a provision allowing senators to sue for $500,000 in damages if their phone records are subpoenaed without notification—retroactive to January 2022. The rider was inserted after FBI documents showed records of eight senators and one congressman were obtained during Jack Smith's Jan. 6 probe. The provision applied only to senators, not House members, including Rep. Mike Kelly whose records were also seized.

Newsom Leads U.S. Climate Presence at COP30 as Trump Administration Skips Summit

California Gov. Gavin Newsom attended COP30 in Belém, Brazil on November 12, 2025, emerging as the highest-profile American at the UN climate summit after the Trump administration declined to send any delegation — one of only four countries absent. Newsom signed wildfire pacts with Pará state and an MOU with Nigeria, calling Trump an "invasive species" and a "wrecking ball president" on climate.

House Oversight releases Larry Summers emails with Epstein

The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability released more than 20,000 pages of documents from Jeffrey Epstein's estate on Nov. 12, 2025, including email exchanges between former Treasury Secretary and Harvard president Larry Summers and Epstein spanning from 2013 through July 5, 2019 — more than a decade after Epstein's 2008 sex-offense conviction. The emails showed Summers seeking relationship advice and discussing personal matters with Epstein; within days Summers resigned from the OpenAI board of directors, citing the distraction the disclosure created.

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