Attorney General

DC Circuit refuses to block ban on bump stocks; SCOTUS also had refused to intervene

Gun rights groups are losing their battles to stop a ban on bump stocks from taking effect. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in two cases last week, one from Michigan and the other from Washington, D.C., the New York Times had…

Apr 2, 2019 9:25 AM CDT

Whose Court Is This Anyway? Immigration judges accuse executive branch of politicizing their courts

Immigration judges are concerned that the Trump administration has moved from reprioritizing cases to deliberately trying to affect case outcomes through unilateral changes to case law, pressure on judges to rule faster and even allegedly considering political affiliation in hiring judges.

Apr 1, 2019 12:15 AM CDT

Barr plans to release redacted Mueller report by mid-April; will Trump get privilege review?

Attorney General William Barr plans to release a redacted version of the report by special counsel Robert Mueller by mid-April, “if not sooner,” he told leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees in a letter released Friday. “As we have discussed,” Barr wrote, “I share your desire to ensure…

Mar 29, 2019 5:01 PM CDT

Under AG Barr, phone surveillance program began in ‘92 without legal review, IG finds

There is no evidence that the U.S. Department of Justice ever fully addressed legal questions surrounding the bulk collection of phone records in 1992 by the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to a report from the Office of the Inspector General released Thursday.

Mar 28, 2019 5:04 PM CDT

In ‘major shift,’ Department of Justice argues entire Affordable Care Act should be struck down

The U.S. Department of Justice told a federal appeals court Monday evening that it agrees with a federal judge who struck down the entire Affordable Care Act as unconstitutional.

Mar 26, 2019 9:03 AM CDT

Suit seeks release of Mueller report while Democrats still investigate; obstruction conclusion questioned

Democrats said they would continue to investigate President Donald Trump after Attorney General William Barr said special counsel Robert Mueller had not found any collusion with Russia by Trump or his campaign.

Mar 25, 2019 9:25 AM CDT

Mueller’s report is in; what happens now?

Updated: Special counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report to Attorney General William Barr on Friday afternoon. But how much will become public?

Mar 22, 2019 4:50 PM CDT

Indiana AG’s party behavior violated ‘heightened duty of ethical conduct,’ complaint says

An ethics complaint accuses Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill of inappropriately touching an Indiana lawmaker and three legislative staff members at a bar party, where he also made “rude and sexually suggestive comments.”

Mar 21, 2019 2:37 PM CDT

Former Acting AG Whitaker leaves Justice Department; he agreed to clarify House testimony

Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker has left the Department of Justice amid criticism from Democrats over his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. Whitaker’s last day at the DOJ was Saturday, a DOJ spokesman told the Hill, Bloomberg and NBC News. According to the Hill, the spokesperson “did not…

Mar 5, 2019 1:16 PM CST

DC Circuit rejects challenge to Robert Mueller’s appointment as special counsel

A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously rejected on Tuesday a challenge to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. The D.C. Circuit ruled in a challenge by Roger Stone aide Andrew Miller, report the National Law Journal, the Washington Post…

Feb 26, 2019 2:52 PM CST

Trump will nominate former Kirkland partner to replace Rosenstein at DOJ

President Donald Trump will nominate the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Jeffrey A. Rosen, to replace Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the White House confirmed Tuesday. Rosen is a former senior partner at Kirkland & Ellis, where Attorney General William Barr was of counsel before he was…

Feb 20, 2019 10:49 AM CST

William Barr confirmed as US attorney general

Updated: William Barr will return to lead the U.S. Department of Justice for a second time. The Senate voted to confirm Barr on Thursday, report the New York Times and the Washington Post.

Feb 14, 2019 12:59 PM CST

Acting AG Whitaker tells House Judiciary Committee he had no role in Russia investigation

In a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Friday, Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said he has not been involved in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Feb 8, 2019 3:48 PM CST

Full Senate to vote on Trump attorney general nominee Barr

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance President Donald Trump’s nomination of William Barr to U.S. attorney general to the full Senate for consideration as early as next week. The vote was along party lines, with all 12 Republican committee members voting to advance Barr’s nomination and all 10…

Feb 7, 2019 2:47 PM CST

SCOTUS allows execution of Muslim prisoner to go forward without his imam present in 5-4 decision

Updated: The U.S. Supreme Court granted a request on Thursday night by the Alabama Office of the Attorney General to let it proceed with the execution of a Muslim inmate who won a stay Wednesday after he claimed that the prison violated his religious rights by refusing to allow his…

Feb 7, 2019 1:15 PM CST