House Democrats Demand DOJ Cease Tracking of Epstein File Reviews, Government Shutdown Looms
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Several key developments unfolded on Friday, February 13, 2026, including a demand from House Democrats for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to stop tracking lawmakers' review of unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files, and the beginning of a partial government shutdown impacting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Additionally, reports emerged about the use of artificial intelligence in a recent military operation, and a federal agent was attacked during an anti-ICE protest.
A trio of House Democrats, including Representatives Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal, and Robert Garcia, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging the DOJ to "immediately cease" tracking lawmakers' search history related to the Epstein files, according to ABC News. The lawmakers requested the DOJ "develop a new protocol" to allow for a "meaningful" review of the unredacted documents. Jayapal, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, accused Bondi of "spying" on her search history.
Meanwhile, a partial government shutdown began just after midnight on Saturday, impacting DHS, as reported by Fox News. The shutdown, the third in under half a year, resulted from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Congress had completed approximately 97% of its yearly government spending responsibilities, but a deal on DHS funding remained elusive. The shutdown is expected to affect around 250,000 employees.
In other news, the U.S. military utilized the artificial-intelligence tool Claude, developed by Anthropic, during the operation that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, according to a Fox News report. Maduro and his wife were brought to the U.S. to face narcotics charges. The AI tool was deployed through a partnership between Anthropic and Palantir Technologies, whose tools are widely used by the Defense Department.
Also on Friday, a federal agent was injured during an anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest in Downtown Los Angeles, as confirmed by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) via Fox News. Demonstrators blocked traffic, committed acts of vandalism, and threw items at police.
Finally, the co-hosts of the "I've Had It" podcast expressed concerns that President Trump might be succeeded by a more "diabolical" conservative politician, according to Fox News. The hosts voiced their worries that a younger, more focused successor could be more effective in advancing conservative goals.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment