The Daily Populous Tuesday May 13rd, 2025 evening edition
Authored by thedailybeast.com and submitted by Hiversitize

Two Justice Department officials were denied access to the Library of Congress on Monday, causing a brief standoff on Capitol Hill.

The two officials—Paul Perkins, an associate deputy attorney general, and Brian Nieves, a deputy chief of staff and senior policy counsel—were seeking access to the U.S. Copyright Office but were denied entry at around 9 a.m., sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity told The New York Times.

The pair had brought a letter from the White House declaring that they were going to be serving in two top positions at the library under Todd Blanche’s leadership and recommendation. Blanche, the deputy attorney general, was named acting librarian of Congress by President Donald Trump on Monday—an appointment that would have to be confirmed by the Senate.

The letter reportedly declared that Perkins would be acting as register of copyrights and director of the Copyright Office, while Nieves would be the acting deputy librarian, according to The Times.

The president name his lead defense lawyer from his criminal trial last year, Todd Blanche (R), as acting Librarian of Congress. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Library staff members called U.S. Capitol Police, however the two Justice Department officials left willingly after General Counsel Meg Williams asked them to leave and reiterated they were not allowed access to the Copyright Office.

Representatives at the Justice Department and Library of Congress did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast‘s request for comment.

The president launched an overhaul of the library last week after dismissing former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on Thursday. He then proceeded to fire the director of the Copyright Office Shira Perlmutter over the weekend, according to several reports.

Despite Trump’s appointment of Blanche, library staff have reportedly been recognizing Robert Newlen as their interim replacement instead, according to The Times’ sources. Newlen was principal deputy librarian and Hayden’s second-in-command.

Trump ousted Carla Hayden from the top post on Thursday. Shannon Finney/Getty Images

Staff seem to be waiting for direction from Congress, with Newlen additionally sending an email to employees saying he did not recognize Blanche’s appointment as valid, according to Politico.

The terminations have sparked an outcry from House Democrats including Rep. Joe Morelle, who described Trump’s termination of Perlmutter in particular as a “brazen, unprecedented power grab with no legal basis” in a statement Saturday.

Perlmutter was laid off from the Copyright Office after publishing a report on the contentions between artificial intelligence and fair use.

Blanche, meanwhile, was Trump’s lead defense lawyer during his Manhattan criminal trial last year.

Rusalka-rusalka on May 13rd, 2025 at 11:48 UTC »

Good for them! I have been so frustrated reading about how these agencies have been so easily taken over by people with the help of agency security guards.

Amazing-Artichoke330 on May 13rd, 2025 at 11:14 UTC »

This agency does not report to the President. It's right there in the name, "Library of Congress."

Deinosoar on May 13rd, 2025 at 10:58 UTC »

They have to be appointed by congress. Two people showed up and said they were appointed by Donald trump. That doesn't work. And I applaud the workers at the Library of Congress for obeying the law.