I was late in putting together this roundup, which enabled me to include news that just broke today: Former National Security Adviser John Bolton pled guilty this morning to illegally retaining classified information, according to this AP story. Sentencing is scheduled for October 28. The plea agreement reportedly “recommends capping any prison sentence at five years,” though Bolton apparently hopes to avoid a custodial sentence altogether. The investigation that led to the plea began before the current administration took office. Bolton apparently sent classified information to family members, including by text message.
Jail crowding in Charlotte. Turning to North Carolina news, WFAE recently reported on jail conditions in Charlotte: “More than 2,100 people are being held at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center — hundreds more than its designed capacity. People are sleeping in overflow areas . . . [and a] reporter saw plastic beds lining the floor of one living area.” Crowding makes it harder for inmates to shower, to use the phones, or to access tablets and other devices. Sheriff Garry McFadden explained that the increased population has resulted in part from changes to pretrial release procedures required by Iryna’s Law. He plans to reopen a second jail in August in order to accommodate the increased number of inmates.
Veto overrides include law requiring cooperation with federal immigration officials. The General Assembly overrode several gubernatorial vetoes this week. For readers of this blog, the most pertinent concerns Senate Bill 153, now Session Law 2026-19. Among other things, the law directs various state officials to enter into section 287(g) agreements with federal immigration authorities; directs NCDHHS to “take all steps necessary to cease providing State-funded benefits to noncitizens residing in the United States without legal permission”; and limits governmental immunity for cities and counties that adopt sanctuary ordinances. I suppose that there might be some doubt about the authority of the legislature to order executive branch agencies to take the steps listed in the law, but I am not an expert on such things and express no opinion about them.
Reflecting pool vandalism charges and more. The Associated Press reports that criminal investigations are ongoing concerning possible vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which President Trump recently directed to be resurfaced in a blue color drawn from the American flag. According to the story, “[t]he Interior Department said Thursday there have been seven arrests, seven federal citations and 18 police reports filed,” but “did not specify what the charges were or identify anyone cited by police.” The investigation seems to be focused on a long slit that may have been cut into the rubber material used to line the bottom of the pool, as well as fence posts being thrown into the pool. Meanwhile, CNBC reports that a group of Senate Democrats “is probing President Donald Trump’s troubled renovation of the reflecting pool in Washington that has drawn scrutiny for running over budget and rapidly deteriorating.”
New North Carolina report on THC products. The Assembly has this new piece up, exploring how confident a consumer can be that the products sold in vape shops contain the quantity of THC and other substances that they purport to contain. The story’s subheading conveys the gist: “There’s no guarantee that the products sold by North Carolina retailers are what they say they are. Our investigation reveals many don’t have the THC levels they claim—but they do contain bacteria and other contaminants.”
Prosecutors decide not to re-re-retry Harvey Weinstein. CBS News reports that New York prosecutors announced this week that “they are dropping a rape charge against Harvey Weinstein instead of trying him for a fourth time.” This particular charge concerned Weinstein’s alleged rape of actress Jessica Mann, who accused Weinstein of raping her in 2013. According to the story, “[a]n appeals court overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction [on the charges], and a jury deadlocked twice” in retrials, most recently in May. Weinstein has another conviction for a sex crime in New York and one in California, so he will remain incarcerated.
Ethics complaint filed against Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Several nonprofit organizations, joined by over 100 former judges, filed an ethics complaint in the New York state courts this week against Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Lawyers Defending American Democracy, one of the groups, summarized the complaint on its website as alleging conflicts of interest, a lack of professional competence, the misuse of power for political purposes, and as concerning Blanche’s “personal involvement in overseeing the Department of Justice’s botched and incomplete release of documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein.” The entire 69-page complaint is available at the link above. I could not find any public comment or response by Acting Attorney General Blanche, who seems likely to contest the allegations vigorously.
Free webinar on requests for release or disclosure of body-worn camera footage and other law enforcement agency recordings. The School of Government, in partnership with the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police and the North Carolina Judicial College, is offering a free webinar on the above topic on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. until 1:15 p.m. It’s intended for law enforcement leaders and agency attorneys, but anyone who is interested may attend. Shea Denning and I will talk about the relevant statute, explain recent decisions by the appellate courts interpreting the statute, and address how agencies should respond to requests for recordings. Did I mention that it is free? However, you must register in advance to participate. To register, please visit the course page. I hope to see you there. In the meantime, have a good weekend, and stay cool.