Washington correspondent and business of sports reporter

Jeff Barker

Jeff Barker is The Baltimore Sun's Washington correspondent and a business of sports reporter. A University of Pennsylvania graduate, he formerly worked for The Associated Press and as the Arizona Republic’s Washington reporter. He has covered politics and Terps basketball and football for The Sun. He is co-director of a documentary on the development of baseball in China.

Attorney Paul Clement answers questions outside the U.S. Supreme Court on April 25, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images/TNS)

Maryland judges tap ‘Mr. Republican Establishment’ to defend in Trump lawsuit

July 19, 2025 at 7:21 p.m.

Maryland’s federal judges, sued by the Trump administration in a politically supercharged case, faced a difficult legal decision: Who would represent them?

Takoma park Mayor Talisha Searcy speaks in front of a natural foods co-op about her city standing its ground against the Trump administration on issues such as immigration and non-citizen voting. (Jeff Barker/Staff)

Quirky Takoma Park, Montgomery County’s activist enclave, stands its ground vs. Trump

July 19, 2025 at 8:00 p.m.

Takoma Park, a Montgomery County city known for old bungalows, mature trees and its liberal politics, is seven miles from the White House. It seems to stand for everything Republican...

Supporters of Kilmar Abrego Garcia rally outside of the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Md., where a hearing was scheduled to be held on returning him to Maryland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains in custody in Tennessee after judge postpones ruling on possible release

July 16, 2025 at 7:09 p.m.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia remained in federal court custody in Tennessee on Wednesday after a judge postponed a ruling on whether he should be freed while awaiting trial.

Judge to rule on Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s request to return to Maryland

July 11, 2025 at 4:11 p.m.

A federal judge said she will consider ordering the Trump administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Maryland or not to immediately deport him for a second time while he...

U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks speaks at the podium as members of Maryland’s congressional delegation speak together at the U.S. Capitol for the first time in the new two-year session on Jan. 23, 2025.

Congress may have an insider trading problem. Here’s what its Maryland members say about that.

July 14, 2025 at 5:32 p.m.

Should federal lawmakers be allowed to play the stock market given that they can have access to inside information? Maryland's Congress members weigh in.

Judge considers temporary stop on U.S. from deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia again

July 10, 2025 at 6:45 p.m.

A federal judge is slated to hear from Trump administration officials this afternoon on their plans to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to another country.

President Donald Trump, center, speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Baltimore hearing scheduled in Trump administration’s suit against Maryland federal judges

July 9, 2025 at 11:50 a.m.

A federal judge plans to convene a hearing next month in Baltimore on the Trump administration's lawsuit against Maryland's entire federal district court.

Trump administration plans to send Abrego Garcia to ‘third country’ as he awaits Tennessee trial

July 7, 2025 at 6:02 p.m.

The Justice Department's "current plan" is to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to a third country — not El Salvador — if the wrongly deported Maryland man is freed from federal...

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen speaks at the lectern as members of Maryland’s congressional delegation appear together at the U.S. Capitol for the first time in the new two-year session on Jan. 23, 2025. (Sam Janesch/Staff)

Maryland Congress members or staff traveled to Italy, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Israel. Here’s who paid.

July 7, 2025 at 5:02 a.m.

Members of Maryland's congressional delegation got thousands of dollars worth of travel paid for by nonprofit groups, some of which have strong policy agendas.

FILE – President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, May 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

House passes Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ that Maryland Democrats railed against

July 3, 2025 at 5:26 p.m.

Racing to meet President Donald Trump's July 4 deadline, the House approved his massive tax and spending cut package on Thursday.

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