Attorney General

Sessions orders review of federal agreements on local policing, seeks delay in Baltimore case

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has called for a review of Department of Justice agreements with local police departments in a memo declaring that it’s not the federal government’s job to police local law enforcement.

Apr 4, 2017 9:32 AM CDT

DEA has seized more than $3B over 10 years from people never charged with crimes, report says

A review of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s use of civil forfeiture has found that most of the cash it seizes from drug suspects is taken through administrative procedures, rather than through the filing of civil or criminal charges. The DEA has seized more than $4 billion in cash over a…

Mar 31, 2017 8:00 AM CDT

DOJ cited privilege in seeking to block Russia testimony by former acting attorney general

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes abruptly canceled a hearing this week on links between Russian officials and the Trump campaign on the same day that a lawyer for the former acting attorney general indicated that she intended to testify. David A. O’Neil, a Debevoise & Plimpton partner who represents…

Mar 28, 2017 10:53 AM CDT

Sessions warns that ‘sanctuary cities’ may lose Department of Justice block grants

Attorney General Jeff Sessions warned on Monday that the Department of Justice will withhold and even claw back law-enforcement block grants to “sanctuary” jurisdictions that fail to demonstrate compliance with a federal law that requires sharing of immigration information. At a White House appearance, Sessions spoke about the danger created…

Mar 27, 2017 4:06 PM CDT

DOJ files brief in opposition to CFPB’s leadership structure

In a near-unprecedented move, the Department of Justice has filed a brief in opposition to another federal agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, arguing that the CFPB’s structure is unconstitutional. According to a Friday story on the New York Times’ Dealbook blog, the Justice Department filed its brief with the…

Mar 20, 2017 12:45 PM CDT

Under Sessions’ Department of Justice, LGBT community worries about hate crime prosecutions

LGBT rights activists fear a possible slowing down or end to federal prosecutions for hate crimes against members of the community under the Trump administration, and they say the 2009 hate crime law already had not been used often enough, the Associated Press reports. Attorney General Jeff Sessions opposed the…

Mar 20, 2017 11:39 AM CDT

Russian spies and hired hackers are indicted in Yahoo security breach

Updated: Two members of Russia’s intelligence agency and two Russian-hired hackers have been indicted in the 2014 hacking of 500 million Yahoo accounts. The indictments were announced Wednesday, the New York Times reports. The indictments represent the largest hacking case ever brought by the United States, according to an advance…

Mar 15, 2017 9:50 AM CDT

Sessions requests resignations of 46 US attorneys; Preet Bharara fired after refusing to step down

Updated: Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday requested the immediate resignations of all remaining U.S. attorneys appointed by President Barack Obama who have not already left office. Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Saturday he was fired after refusing to resign.

Mar 11, 2017 4:58 PM CST

ACLU files ethics complaint against Jeff Sessions over his Russia testimony

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a complaint against U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions with the Alabama State Bar, where he is licensed to practice law, alleging that the U.S. attorney general has been dishonest about meeting with the country’s ambassador to Russia. Another complaint was filed by J.…

Mar 10, 2017 2:05 PM CST

Former Utah Attorney General Swallow is acquitted, praises Constitution

Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow expressed gratitude for a Constitution that protects the rights of the accused after his acquittal Thursday on public corruption charges. Jurors deliberated more than 12 hours before acquitting Swallow on nine charges, including receiving or soliciting a bribe and making false statements, report the…

Mar 3, 2017 10:45 AM CST

Judge tosses SEC civil complaint against Texas attorney general; criminal case is pending

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has one less legal problem related to his recruitment of investors for a technology company. A federal judge in Texas on Thursday dismissed a civil securities fraud complaint filed against Paxton by the Securities and Exchange Commission, report the Austin American-Statesman, Courthouse News Service and…

Mar 2, 2017 4:37 PM CST

Trump says ‘Sessions is an honest man’ after AG recuses himself from campaign-related probe

Updated: Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday that he will recuse himself from any investigations involving the presidential campaign, a vow made following revelations that Sessions met twice last year with the Russian ambassador.

Mar 2, 2017 3:10 PM CST

Gibson Dunn partner says he would turn down a solicitor general nomination

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher partner Miguel Estrada doesn’t intend to go through another bruising confirmation battle. Estrada was said to be a top possible nominee for solicitor general, but Estrada told the National Law Journal (sub. req.) that he would turn down the nomination. “I have only respect and best…

Mar 1, 2017 4:29 PM CST

Farewell to a Friend: Janet Reno worked closely with the ABA

Janet Reno’s death in November was felt acutely in the ranks of the American Bar Association. Several ABA leaders described Reno, who worked as U.S. attorney general from 1993 to 2001, as a great friend of the association. In many ways, the feeling was mutual.

Mar 1, 2017 1:15 AM CST

Justice Department takes ‘a complete 180-degree turn’ in voting rights case

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday dropped a claim that a strict voter ID law in Texas was enacted with discriminatory intent. Proof of discriminatory intent would force Texas to get federal approval before making changes to its voting laws, report the New York Times and the Washington Post. Civil…

Feb 28, 2017 4:49 PM CST