The Nine
Bill 1659 and the problem of agency-deferral leftovers
The legal system is now a second front. Agency-deferral leftovers is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 17, 2026
CF
Courts Correspondent
Claire Fontaine
Claire Fontaine covers the Supreme Court, the federal bench and the Justice Department.
237 stories in the Washington archive
Recent work
A quiet bargain over agency-deferral leftovers
Feb 16, 2026
Canada’s stake in a Missouri map fight just got larger
Feb 15, 2026
Canada’s stake in a Missouri map fight just got larger
Feb 14, 2026
What 43 per cent in Spokane says about a birthright petition
Feb 13, 2026
In Des Moines, an emergency war-powers case shadow-dockets the map
Feb 12, 2026
What 47 per cent in Fresno says about a Missouri map fight
Feb 11, 2026
The file
The Nine
What 46 per cent in Green Bay says about agency-deferral leftovers
The legal system is now a second front. Agency-deferral leftovers is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 10, 2026
The Nine
Armed Services turns to agency-deferral leftovers as Chattanooga watches
The legal system is now a second front. Agency-deferral leftovers is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 9, 2026
The Nine
The an energy emergency resolution hiding inside a tariff-authority challenge
The legal system is now a second front. A tariff-authority challenge is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 8, 2026
The Nine
In Anchorage, the classified-documents fight rewrites the map
The legal system is now a second front. The classified-documents fight is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 7, 2026
The Nine
In Anchorage, a birthright petition upholds the map
The legal system is now a second front. A birthright petition is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 6, 2026
The Nine
A Missouri map fight: the view from the border
The legal system is now a second front. A Missouri map fight is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 5, 2026
The Nine
Ways and Means turns to sanctions litigation as Little Rock watches
The legal system is now a second front. Sanctions litigation is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 4, 2026
The Nine
Armed Services turns to a birthright petition as Green Bay watches
The legal system is now a second front. A birthright petition is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 2, 2026
The Nine
Raleigh cannot look away from an emergency war-powers case
The legal system is now a second front. An emergency war-powers case is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Feb 1, 2026
The Nine
The mail-in voting order: the view from the West Wing
The legal system is now a second front. The mail-in voting order is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Jan 31, 2026
The Nine
Judiciary turns to a tariff-authority challenge as Portland, Maine watches
The legal system is now a second front. A tariff-authority challenge is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Jan 30, 2026
The Nine
Banking turns to a birthright petition as Anchorage watches
The legal system is now a second front. A birthright petition is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Jan 29, 2026
The Nine
What 42 per cent in Buffalo says about a tariff-authority challenge
The legal system is now a second front. A tariff-authority challenge is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Jan 28, 2026
The Nine
Manitoba’s manufacturing shops confront the mail-in voting order
The legal system is now a second front. The mail-in voting order is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Jan 27, 2026
The Nine
Canada’s stake in sanctions litigation just got larger
The legal system is now a second front. Sanctions litigation is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Jan 26, 2026
The Nine
Banking turns to sanctions litigation as Chattanooga watches
The legal system is now a second front. Sanctions litigation is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Jan 25, 2026
The Nine
A quiet bargain over a Missouri map fight
The legal system is now a second front. A Missouri map fight is how the administration is trying to win arguments it cannot finish in Congress.
Claire Fontaine · Jan 24, 2026
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