Tom Homan bribery investigation: Did Trump’s deportation czar accept $50K in cash?

This story appeared in The Logoff, a day by day publication that helps you keep knowledgeable concerning the Trump administration with out letting political information take over your life. Subscribe right here.Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration has ended a federal bribery investigation into one among its high immigration officers.What occurred? Final 12 months, President Donald Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan was reportedly recorded accepting $50,000 in money from “businessmen” — undercover FBI brokers — in change for promising to assist safe authorities contracts, spurring a Justice Division investigation.Homan was a personal citizen when he’s mentioned to have accepted the money, however he had boasted about taking part in a distinguished position in a possible second Trump administration within the months main as much as the fee. The investigation was closed earlier this 12 months by the Trump administration.Who’s Homan? As border czar, Homan has been one of many public faces of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown. He served as appearing ICE director in Trump’s first time period, and claimed final 12 months that he would “run the most important deportation operation this nation’s ever seen.”What has the Trump administration mentioned concerning the case? The White Home denied Homan accepted the cash — regardless of the reported existence of an audio recording of him doing so — and described the investigation into Homan as entrapment and “one other instance of the weaponization of the Biden DOJ.”Why does this matter? The Homan story — hundreds in money delivered clandestinely in a takeout bag — can be a significant scandal in another period, beneath another administration. Right here, it’s one knowledge level in a rising physique of proof for the politicization of Trump’s DOJ, together with the Friday resignation of US Legal professional Erik Siebert and a subsequent Reality Social put up by Trump calling for felony prices in opposition to his political opponents.And with that, it’s time to sign off…The newest episode of Vox’s The Grey Space podcast has some nice information: The solar will save us. That’s the promise, roughly, of environmental activist and author Invoice McKibben’s newest guide, Right here Comes the Solar, which is all about how photo voltaic and wind vitality are poised to drive a clean-energy revolution. My colleague Sean Illing spoke with McKibben for The Grey Space, and you’ll take heed to their dialog right here (or learn an excerpt right here). Have a terrific night!