Afternoon Briefs: Top DOJ officials backed family separations; judge forgives gunman who killed her son
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Top DOJ officials said to be ‘driving force’ in family separations
Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, told federal prosecutors in 2018 that they had to prosecute immigrants who were in the country illegally, even if it meant separating families, according to a draft report obtained by the New York Times. The top Department of Justice officials were a “driving force” behind the separation policy, said Michael Horowitz, the DOJ inspector general, in the draft report. (The New York Times)
Federal judge won’t let son’s murder stop her return to the bench
U.S. District Judge Esther Salas of the District of New Jersey told Good Morning America on Tuesday that she has forgiven the gunman who killed her son and wounded her husband. She also plans to return to the bench. “This man took the most important thing in my life. I can’t let him take anything else,” Salas said. “I love my job. I’m proud to be a United States district judge. I can’t let him take that from me.” (ABC News, Fox News)
2 more BigLaw firms decide against fall bonuses
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson have decided that they won’t be paying special bonuses to associates. Brad Karp, chair at Paul Weiss, said in an internal memo that providing a special cash award in response to the pandemic “does not feel right at this time” while so many clients are experiencing unprecedented economic trauma. Special bonuses paid by peer firms will be taken into account, however, in end-of-year bonuses. Greenberg Traurig said in a memo that it plans to be competitive with its year-end bonuses. (Law.com, Above the Law, Thomson Reuters Legal)
Lawyers who pointed guns at protesters are indicted
Husband and wife lawyers Mark and Patricia McCloskey have been indicted on felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering, according to their lawyer. The lawyers waved guns at protesters outside their home in June. President Donald Trump has called the couple’s prosecution “a disgrace,” and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has said he will likely pardon them. (The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the New York Times)
