Attorney General

Judge tosses Manafort’s suit challenging ‘unmoored’ jurisdiction grant to Mueller

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has tossed a lawsuit filed by former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort challenging the broad grant of jurisdiction given to special counsel Robert Mueller. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled Friday against Manafort, who has been indicted on charges of money laundering and…

Apr 27, 2018 2:35 PM CDT

7th Circuit upholds nationwide injunction barring grant holdbacks for sanctuary cities

A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld a nationwide injunction that barred the U.S. Justice Department from withholding public safety grants from sanctuary cities that don’t cooperate in immigration enforcement.

Apr 19, 2018 3:16 PM CDT

Inspector general reportedly referred McCabe findings to federal prosecutors

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz has reportedly referred to federal prosecutors his findings on alleged inaccurate statements by fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Unnamed sources tell the Washington Post that the findings were referred to the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., to determine whether a federal prosecution…

Apr 19, 2018 1:54 PM CDT

ABA condemns suspension of Justice Department’s Legal Orientation Program for immigrants

ABA President Hilarie Bass says the ABA is “deeply disturbed” that the Justice Department has suspended funding for a “know your rights” program for immigrants, an ABA press release said Wednesday.

Apr 11, 2018 2:30 PM CDT

Former US attorney and acting AG who replaced Yates reportedly turned over notes to Mueller

A former U.S. Attorney who replaced acting attorney general Sally Yates after her firing by President Donald Trump has reportedly turned over handwritten notes to the office of special counsel Robert Mueller The notes, turned over by Dana Boente, could be evidence in an investigation into whether Trump obstructed justice,…

Apr 11, 2018 11:15 AM CDT

US attorney in Chicago will oversee document production in House committee’s Clinton probe

U.S. Attorney John Lausch of Chicago has been tapped to oversee the Justice Department’s production of documents in a House Judiciary Committee probe into the FBI’s handling of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server when she was secretary of state. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is acting after President…

Apr 9, 2018 1:09 PM CDT

Justice Department imposes quotas on immigration judges, provoking independence concerns

The Justice Department on Friday announced that immigration judges’ job performance will be evaluated according to how quickly they close cases, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Apr 2, 2018 6:31 PM CDT

Justice Department sues California over ‘extreme’ law restricting federal land transfers

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the state of California on Monday that contends a state law restricting federal land transfers violates the supremacy clause. The federal government seeks an injunction blocking implementation of the law, known as Senate Bill 50, according to a Justice Department press release.…

Apr 2, 2018 3:39 PM CDT

Leader of Justice Department unit is demoted after questions about bias, ‘sexualized’ workplace

The leader of the Justice Department’s death penalty unit has been demoted and moved to a different division after the New York Times began asking about accusations of gender bias, a sexualized workplace environment and a barroom groping incident involving his deputy. Kevin Carwile had been moved from his leadership…

Apr 2, 2018 9:05 AM CDT

Immigration backlog grows as Trump administration curtails administrative closures

The Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration extends to increased opposition to administrative case closures in which judges indefinitely pause lower-priority deportation cases. Prosecutors with U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement appealed less than 1 percent of administrative case closures during the last four years of the Obama administration, while immigration…

Mar 30, 2018 3:07 PM CDT

Sessions says US attorney is reviewing FBI conduct, second special counsel not needed now

Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Republican lawmakers in a letter on Thursday that there is no need—at this time—to appoint a special counsel to investigate the FBI’s handling of high-profile investigations. Sessions said he has appointed U.S. Attorney John Huber of Utah to conduct an inquiry and make recommendations on…

Mar 29, 2018 5:55 PM CDT

US refuses to identify experts consulted on transgender troop ban, seeks lifting of injunctions

A day before Donald Trump approved new limits on transgender troops, the U.S. Justice Department said it would not identify generals and military experts the president consulted before his first ban on transgender people in the military. DOJ lawyers told a federal judge in Seattle that the government will not…

Mar 26, 2018 12:53 PM CDT

9 Iranians indicted for hacking computers of law firm, universities, government agencies

Indictments announced Friday allege nine Iranians working on behalf of the Iranian government hacked university computers to access scientific research, while also targeting one law firm, private companies and government agencies.

Mar 23, 2018 9:20 AM CDT

McCabe reportedly supervised Sessions probe; lawyer says Mueller isn’t investigating AG for perjury

Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe reportedly oversaw a perjury investigation of the man who fired him: Attorney General Jeff Sessions. ABC News broke the news in a story relying on anonymous sources; the New York Times followed with its own anonymously sourced story. The investigation overseen by McCabe considered…

Mar 22, 2018 8:52 AM CDT

Prosecutors can seek death penalty for drug kingpins, Sessions says in directive

Attorney General Jeff Sessions released a memo Wednesday that directs federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty “in appropriate cases” and cited a law allowing the death penalty for drug kingpins.

Mar 21, 2018 2:25 PM CDT