Scott MacFarlane, the chief Washington correspondent for MeidasTouch, was stunned on Wednesday after reading a "subtle" line tucked away in a new lawsuit against the Trump administration.
Former CIA Director John Brennan sued the Trump Department of Justice over its investigation into him for allegedly making false statements to Congress and for grand conspiracy. In the 46-page filing, the former intelligence professional used a phrase that piqued MacFarlane's interest, who described it as a "striking" thing for Brennan to include.
"In light of this Justice Department's highly irregular conduct, courts now recognize that it no longer deserves the presumption of regularity in certain categories of cases, and in particular in those against the president's perceived enemies," the lawsuit reads in part.
MacFarlane honed in on the phrase "presumption of regularity."
"That phrase ... sounds benign," MacFarlane said. "That is such a scathing thing to say. The courts function on the presumption of regularity ... What John Brennan is saying is that they can't be trusted."
In the lawsuit, Brennan asked the court to compel the Trump administration to preserve all investigatory materials, fearing they would be destroyed. Brennan also questioned whether the Trump DOJ was being animated by a conspiracy theory to pursue charges against him in the first place.
"This court filing is as subtle as a sledgehammer to the ribs," MacFarlane said.
MacFarlane: This court filing is as subtle as a sledgehammer to the ribs. He's saying it's a conspiracy theory that is the basis of an investigation into him. He is saying the DOJ is working on a conspiracy theory and doing so to satisfy Trump. pic.twitter.com/wyjEZQ0rIE
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 2, 2026