Attorney General

Scores of inspectors general criticize DOJ response to Ukraine whistleblower

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz is among about 70 federal inspectors general who are criticizing the department’s conclusion that the Ukraine whistleblower complaint did not need to be turned over to Congress.

Oct 28, 2019 1:17 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: DOJ opens criminal review of Russia probe; DeVos held in contempt

Department of Justice reportedly opens criminal inquiry into origins of Russia probe The U.S. Department of Justice’s review of the origins of the Russia probe has shifted from an administrative review to a criminal inquiry, according to two anonymous sources who spoke with the New York Times. According to the…

Oct 25, 2019 2:19 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: NYC bar calls for Barr’s Ukraine recusal; law school renamed after donor

U.S. attorney general should recuse himself in Ukraine matters, bar group says The New York City Bar Association is calling on Attorney General William Barr to recuse himself from any Justice Department review of Ukraine-related issues in which he was allegedly involved. If Barr refuses to recuse in the future,…

Oct 24, 2019 4:44 PM CDT

Parents of Matthew Shepard use DOJ speech to criticize Barr’s stance on gender identity protections

The parents of Matthew Shepard, a college student murdered because he was gay, criticized the Justice Department’s stance on LGBTQ workplace protections on Wednesday in a speech delivered at an event commemorating a hate-crime law named after their son.

Oct 17, 2019 10:39 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge reprimanded for yelling; prosecutor wants nearly 800 cases tossed

Judge reprimanded for yelling at former supporters Judge William Maruszczak of Pennsylvania has received a public reprimand for “loudly and publicly berating former supporters who had changed their support to his election opponent.” Maruszczak will also have to submit to a psychological assessment to assess impulse control and anger-related issues.…

Oct 8, 2019 4:05 PM CDT

Questions raised about attorney general and DOJ legal opinion as whistleblower complaint is released

The whistleblower complaint released by Congress on Thursday says President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani is “a central figure” in Trump's effort to get Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, and U.S. Attorney General William Barr “appears to be involved as well.”

Sep 26, 2019 12:13 PM CDT

Trump urged Ukrainian president to speak with Barr about investigating Biden, transcript shows

President Donald Trump urged the president of Ukraine to speak with Attorney General William Barr about investigating the conduct of former Vice President Joe Biden, according to a transcript of a July 25 phone call released on Wednesday.

Sep 25, 2019 10:45 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Law school lost $1.6M to fraud; 3rd Circuit strikes down religious ad ban

Audit concludes financial wrongdoing cost law school $1.6M The University of Texas School of Law has tightened its financial controls after an internal audit concluded that a former employee’s improprieties cost the school nearly $1.6 million. According to the audit, the wrongdoing included theft of property, personal purchases charged to…

Sep 18, 2019 4:32 PM CDT

Vigilante child predator stings are dangerous and illegal, Wisconsin attorney general says

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is seeing a resurgence of child predator stings by vigilante groups in the state. Kaul discouraged the practice in a press release that said the operations are illegal and are dangerous for the vigilantes, the suspects and the public. The stings also increase the chances…

Sep 4, 2019 11:34 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Client convicted of tax attorney’s murder; 4th Circuit says Sessions was wrong

Client convicted of murdering his tax attorney A former city council member in Cedar Lake, Indiana, was convicted of murder Wednesday for the fatal shooting of his tax attorney. Jurors convicted William “Bill” Landske, 84, for the 2018 shooting death of Hobart, Indiana, lawyer T. Edward Page. Landske shot Page…

Aug 29, 2019 4:38 PM CDT

IG says Comey violated policies in handling of memos, but DOJ didn’t prosecute

The Justice Department’s inspector general said Thursday that FBI Director James Comey violated agency policies and his employment agreement in his handling of memos he wrote summarizing seven of his interactions with President Donald Trump.

Aug 29, 2019 12:26 PM CDT

AG Barr books annual family holiday party at Trump hotel; expected price tag is about $30K

U.S. Attorney General William Barr is expected to invite about 200 people to his annual family holiday party and spend about $30,000 on the affair.

Aug 28, 2019 3:06 PM CDT

Daily government newsletter for immigration judges included links to white nationalist website

Updated: A daily government email newsletter to immigration judges sometimes summarized or linked to articles published by a white nationalist website called VDare, according to a report by BuzzFeed News. The email newsletter is distributed by the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review to all immigration court employees, according…

Aug 26, 2019 7:30 AM CDT

Justice Department avoids gender pronouns in brief in transgender case

The U.S. Department of Justice and a funeral home that fired a transgender woman managed to avoid gender pronouns in Supreme Court briefs opposing her bias claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Aug 21, 2019 2:06 PM CDT

EEOC doesn’t sign US brief telling Supreme Court that transgender discrimination is legal

The general counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission didn’t sign a Supreme Court brief filed on its behalf by the U.S. Justice Department on Friday in the case of a transgender funeral home employee. The EEOC had sued on behalf of funeral director and embalmer Aimee Stephens, who says…

Aug 19, 2019 2:10 PM CDT