A federal judge on Dec. 30 rejected a claim by President Donald Trump's administration that it is legally barred from securing funding for the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, noting that a court order already bars the administration from shutting the agency down. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson came as the CFPB faced the imminent exhaustion of funds. The Trump administration has denied the CFPB additional funding since taking control of the agency in February. Officials say cash on hand could be exhausted in early 2026. CFPB representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The agency's supporters say that without it the public will be more exposed to predatory lending practices, scams and other abuse. Trump and others have accused it of politicized enforcement and called it a burden on free enterprise. The agency was started to protect financial services consumers after the financial crisis of 2008. It announced last month that an administration legal opinion held that, under the CFPB's governing statute, it could not seek additional funding from the Federal Reserve so long as the central bank is losing money. In her ruling on Dec. 30, Jackson rejected this as outcome-driven reasoning without basis in the law and said it would violate her March injunction against shutting down the agency so long as a lawsuit plays out in court. "It appears that defendants’ new understanding of 'combined earnings' is an unsupported and transparent attempt to achieve the very end the court’s injunction was put in place to prevent," she wrote, adding that the administration's "unilateral decision" to decline further CFPB funding was therefore a violation. Unlike many federal agencies, the CFPB is funded by the Federal Reserve, rather than through a budget set annually by Congress. But lawmakers this year slashed the CFPB's maximum allowable funding, meaning the agency may face tighter funding constraints regardless.

The man accused of planting pipe bombs in Washington the night before the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack confessed to the FBI and told investigators he thought the 2020 election had been “tampered with,” according to a court filing from federal prosecutors. Brian Cole, 30, of Virginia admitted to planting the devices, neither of which exploded, outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican national committees following his arrest earlier this month, according to the filing, which was made public on Dec. 28. Cole told FBI agents “something just snapped” and that he wanted to do something “to the parties” because of their influence in U.S. politics, adding “I really don’t like either party at this point,” according to excerpts of his interview cited in the filing. Prosecutors revealed new details about the investigation as they argued that Cole should be detained while awaiting a trial. A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 30 in Washington federal court. Cole is facing two explosives-related charges. He has not yet entered a plea. Cole’s arrest nearly five years after the incident came after top officials at the FBI ordered a fresh look at a case that had long vexed investigators and became fodder for right-wing theories tied to the Capitol riot. Cole denied in the FBI interview that the placement of the bombs on January 5, 2021 was connected to the certification of the election in Congress on the following day. The pipe bombs were not discovered until about 1 p.m. on January 6, diverting police resources just as a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump surged into the Capitol. He initially denied planting the devices, telling the FBI that he had been in Washington to attend a protest to support Trump's false claims that his defeat in the 2020 election was the result of rampant voter fraud. Cole told the FBI that powerful people needed to speak out if “something as important as voting in the federal election is being tampered with.”

When it comes to the number of new laws passed, Michigan’s divided Legislature made 2025 a historically unproductive year. Still, in last-minute votes, they sent a flurry of bills Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s way, giving the governor a chance to cap the year celebrating bipartisanship with a bill-signing spree. With a Republican-controlled Michigan House of Representatives and a Democratic-controlled Michigan Senate, Whitmer has made finding common ground across partisan lines a key talking point and celebrated the bills she approved as a sign of collaboration across the aisle. "I'll work with anyone to lower costs for Michiganders, protect consumers, keep kids safe, and cut red tape," Whitmer said in a statement Dec. 23 included in a news release from her office announcing her signature on 36 bills. "These commonsense bills will build on the progress we've made, make a difference for Michiganders, and help more individuals, families and small businesses 'make it' in Michigan." Here's a look at some of the bills Whitmer signed into law: 'Taylor Swift' anti-bot bills signed into law Michigan now has a law banning bots that circumvent ticket sales limits or an online waiting queue for concerts, sports games and other events at entertainment venues. Michigan's attorney general can now investigate potential violations. Violators face a maximum civil fine of $5,000 for each ticket. Dubbed the "Taylor Swift" bills in reference to hiccups in the Eras Tour ticket sales, with Whitmer's signature, Michigan joins many other states that have enacted laws cracking down on ticket bots. Proponents argue bots bulk buying tickets leave fans facing excessive prices for tickets on the resale market. Federal law already prohibits scalpers from using technology to skirt ticket purchase limits or use a false identity to buy tickets. But a state law gives Michigan’s attorney general new authority to act. Entertainment company Live Nation – which owns Ticketmaster – expressed support for the bills during a legislative hearing earlier this year. Ticket exchange and resale company StubHub also celebrated the passage of the legislation. Temporary locks in child care centers A package of bills Whitmer signed will allow child care facilities in Michigan to install devices that can temporarily lock doors without violating fire codes. The new law is aimed at enabling child care centers to use the same kind of safety technology available to schools in the event of a shooting or other intruder situation. Surveying the Michigan-Indiana border A survey of the Michigan-Indiana border now has more time to be completed under legislation Whitmer signed, which also enables the Michigan-Indiana State Line Commission to fund counties' survey efforts. The last survey of the border was carried out in 1827, and many markers from that survey have rotted, according to Bridge Michigan. The new law aims to remove any uncertainty over the state boundary lines. Non-alcoholic beers at Michigan breweries Currently, Michigan breweries can only sell their own beer in their tasting rooms, but a new law allows them to start selling nonalcoholic beer purchased from wholesalers. Whitmer also approved a change in regulations to allow the names and logos of Michigan colleges and universities to appear on alcohol containers sold by vendors at those schools, according to a summary of the legislation. Alcohol licenses at community colleges Following Whitmer's approval, the state's Liquor Control Commission will now be able issue licenses to serve alcohol at Macomb Community College and Wayne County Community College, along with some other schools. And a forthcoming Nino Salvaggio marketplace planned for Schoolcraft College will be able to sell alcohol, while a restaurant near the store can now serve alcohol for on-site consumption. Optional firearm safety instruction for Michigan students The Michigan Department of Education will soon collaborate with the Department of Natural Resources to create a new firearm safety instruction curriculum for middle and high schoolers that school districts and leaders could offer on an optional basis to students. Under legislation Whitmer signed to establish the curriculum, no real firearms will be used as part of the classroom instruction. Regulations for cottage food operators Whitmer signed legislation amending Michigan's regulations for "cottage food operations" that sell food generally made in a home kitchen – rather than a commercial one – and can be kept at room temperature without the risk of foodborne illness. The law aims to let those considering launching a food retail business to receive consumer feedback before scaling up and allow farmers to sell items such as jams at farmstands, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Among the changes to the law, the cap for annual cottage food operation sales will increase from $25,000 to $50,000, with a new $75,000 cap if an operation sells a product that costs $250 or more per unit. The new law also allows cottage food products to be sold online and through food delivery services. The sales threshold for exempting producers of prepackaged honey and maple syrup from food licensing requirements will also increase. First Amendment protections Legislation Whitmer signed aims to protect free speech rights from so-called "strategic lawsuits against public participation," allowing expedited judicial review for these so-called SLAPP suits. Michigan joins 38 states with anti-SLAPP laws, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Such laws are intended to ensure that litigation does not have a chilling effect on First Amendment activities. Racial discrimination in life insurance A change to the law increases the fine for those selling life insurance policies in the state that discriminate based on someone’s race or color to $500 to $1,000. Previously, fines ranged from $50 to $500. The law also no longer includes references to “colored persons.”