Afternoon Briefs: Indiana AG defends his law license; Secret Service asked rapper Eminem about lyrics
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Rapper Eminem in 2014. Photo by EJ Hersom via Wikimedia Commmons.
Indiana AG testifies his touching at party wasn’t ‘lewd’
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill testified last week in an ethics hearing that he is “a fun guy” who likely made physical contact with women at a bar in March 2018. But none of the touching was done “in a lewd manner,” he said. Four women testified that Hill groped or touched them inappropriately at the end-of-the-legislative session party. (Indianapolis Star, WBOI)
Secret Service interviewed Eminem about Ivanka Trump lyrics
The Secret Service interviewed rapper Eminem concerning his rap lyrics about an imagined murder of Ivanka Trump, according to documents obtained by BuzzFeed News under the Freedom of Information Act. As Secret Service members read the lyrics in question, Eminem rapped along to them. (BuzzFeed News via the Marshall Project, Esquire)
AG Barr downplays his role in probe of origins of Russian inquiry
On Monday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr downplayed his role in a probe into the origins of the investigation of Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election. Barr told Fox News that U.S. Attorney John Durham is in charge. Barr said he traveled overseas to open channels for Durham and to answer questions by foreign governments. Barr said there is no basis for claims that he is acting as a personal lawyer for President Donald Trump. (Fox News, the New York Times)
Prosecutors seek recusal of judge from more than 300 cases
Prosecutors in southern Louisiana contend that Judge Lori Landry should be removed from more than 300 criminal cases because of her comments about the treatment of black defendants. The prosecution recusal motions say Landry criticized prosecutors for imprisoning black people at a higher rate than others. One motion also accuses Landry of bullying behavior toward prosecutors. Two judges will consider some of the recusal motions in a hearing Wednesday. (The Lafayette Daily Advertiser, the Associated Press)
