Was federal law enforcement weaponized against Blumenthal due to pressure from an Israel-aligned smear merchant?
The ADC is suing DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin over the government’s seizure and attempted forensic search of Max Blumenthal’s phones after returned from a reporting trip to Iran. The lawsuit accuses the government of not only violating his Fourth Amendment rights, but of retaliating against him for his journalism and constitutionally protected opinions. Laura Loomer has boasted of lobbying top Trump officials to imprison Blumenthal, and effectively took credit for the seizure of his devices. Was federal law enforcement weaponized against the journalist due to pressure from an Israel-aligned smear merchant? The following article was originally posted on the ADC’s website. On February 18, 2026, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination…Open
AI:The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has filed a federal lawsuit against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials following the unconstitutional seizure of journalist Max Blumenthal’s smartphones at Dulles International Airport. The lawsuit alleges that CBP agents violated Blumenthal's First and Fourth Amendment rights by attempting to conduct forensic searches on his devices without a warrant or individualized suspicion after he returned from reporting on the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran. Legal filings suggest the targeting may have been politically motivated, alleging that Trump ally Laura Loomer pressured federal authorities to retaliate…Open
Israel-backed propagandists have demanded Blumenthal face US government persecution for reporting from Iran. It appears the Trump admin obliged.
This was originally published on the website of the ADC. Read the full brief of the ADC’s lawsuit here. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) filed a time-sensitive motion in the Eastern District of Virginia’s federal court on behalf of journalist Max Blumenthal, seeking the immediate return of two smartphones unlawfully seized and retained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The motion argues that CBP’s warrantless seizure and continued retention of Blumenthal’s phones violate the First and Fourth Amendments and the Privacy Protection Act. It seeks the immediate return of both devices and all information or copies obtained from them under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(g), along with an expedited…Open
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) filed a new lawsuit last month on behalf of the Miami Beach resident and Army National Guard veteran Raquel Pacheco, arguing that Miami Beach city officials conducted a coordinated campaign to suppress constitutionally protected speech—namely, the advocacy for the rights of Palestinians and criticism of the foreign government of Israel. […] The post A New Free Speech Case in Florida appeared first on The American Conservative .
Politics A New Free Speech Case in Florida Raquel Pacheco, an Army National Guard veteran, alleges that officials in Miami Beach attempted to suppress her speech rights for criticizing Israel. (Photo by Hector Vivas – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) filed a new lawsuit last month on behalf of the Miami Beach resident and Army National Guard veteran Raquel Pacheco, arguing that Miami Beach city officials conducted a coordinated campaign to suppress constitutionally protected speech—namely, the advocacy for the rights of Palestinians and criticism of the foreign…Open