Attorney General

Convicted Enron chief executive could be released early from prison

Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling could win early release from prison under a sentencing agreement with the U.S. Justice Department. The DOJ posted a notice on its website on Thursday to notify victims of Enron fraud that it was considering the agreement, report the New York Times DealBook blog, Reuters…

Apr 5, 2013 11:30 AM CDT

Server location key to jurisdiction in international cases, US Attorney asserts

U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride of the Eastern District of Virginia is claiming jurisdiction to pursue cases against alleged international copyright pirates and out-of-state securities fraud defendants, citing the location of computer servers in his district. The Associated Press explains. MacBride says he has jurisdiction over most securities fraud cases because…

Mar 26, 2013 11:00 AM CDT

Are shopping websites covered by disability law? The answer could be ‘yes’ in new DOJ regs

Only a few courts have held that websites are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act; most take the view that the 1990 law doesn’t apply to the Internet. The Justice Department could embrace the minority view when it issues new ADA regulations later this year, the Wall Street Journal…

Mar 22, 2013 12:03 PM CDT

Attorney General Eric Holder reports for jury duty in cellphone robbery case

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder fulfilled his civic obligation Tuesday and reported for jury duty in a Washington, D.C., courthouse at which he formerly served as a judge. His three FBI bodyguards waited in a hallway as the nation’s top law enforcement officer waited to see whether he would be…

Mar 20, 2013 3:00 PM CDT

Obama taps ‘assertive civil rights regulator’ to head Labor Department

President Obama has nominated Justice Department official Thomas Perez as labor secretary, a move criticized by some Republican lawmakers who say the nominee is too political. Perez has led the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division since 2009, report the New York Times and the Washington Post. The Times describes Perez…

Mar 19, 2013 1:54 PM CDT

A drone strike in a US cafe? In a ‘catastrophic attack’? Holder responds to questions

Attorney General Eric Holder is providing a simple answer to Sen. Rand Paul’s latest questions about drone strikes. The Republican senator from Kentucky talked for nearly 13 hours in a Senate filibuster on Wednesday as he demanded answers about the government’s drone strike policy. Holder responded on Thursday in a…

Mar 8, 2013 12:55 PM CST

Justice Department’s ‘jet-setting executive travel’ gets senator’s attention

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is criticizing the use of FBI jets to transport leaders of the Justice Department and FBI. A new report (PDF) by the Government Accountability Office found that the Justice Department spent $11.4 million between 2007 and 2011 on “non-mission” travel for attorneys general and FBI…

Mar 1, 2013 1:32 PM CST

US brief backs right to gay marriage in California in ‘eight-state solution’ stance

The Obama administration has filed an amicus brief backing a right to gay marriage in California that suggests resolving the case in a way that could affect only eight states with civil unions. The administration argues that California is violating the equal protection clause by withholding the benefits of marriage…

Mar 1, 2013 12:52 PM CST

How many DOJ legal opinions are classified? The number is a secret

The U.S. Justice Department has 11 lists of classified legal opinions issued during the Obama administration. How many are on each list? The DOJ won’t disclose the number. Nor will it reveal the authors or even the names of many unclassified opinions. The Huffington Post sought a list of every…

Feb 26, 2013 1:27 PM CST

DOJ toughens its Wall Street strategy, but critics see only a ‘symbolic reprimand’

The U.S. Justice Department has a new, slightly tougher strategy in its pursuit of Wall Street wrongdoers. Rather than settling for deferred prosecution agreements, the department is seeking criminal guilty pleas from bank subsidiaries, the New York Times DealBook blog reports. The model was used against UBS and the Royal…

Feb 20, 2013 11:30 AM CST

State AG wants misdemeanor hit-and-run charges against him dismissed

Ariz. Attorney General Tom Horne is seeking the dismissal of misdemeanor hit-and-run charges against him on the grounds that he’s being singled out for special prosecution as part of a political vendetta by FBI agents. Horne is accused of backing his borrowed car into another vehicle in a Phoenix parking…

Feb 14, 2013 7:40 PM CST

A ‘profoundly disturbing’ memo? DOJ white paper outlines legal basis for targeted killings

Overseas targeted killings of top al-Qaida leaders who are U.S. citizens don’t need to be approved by U.S. courts, according to a U.S. Justice Department white paper. Nor do courts have the authority to block the actions, the document asserts. NBC News obtained a copy of the 16-page memo (PDF),…

Feb 5, 2013 2:34 PM CST

US sues Standard & Poor’s over its ratings of bundled mortgages

The U.S. government has filed a civil fraud suit against Standard & Poor’s that claims the ratings service gave unwarranted optimistic ratings to bundled mortgages that tanked during the financial downturn. The Justice Department filed suit in Los Angeles federal court on Monday, report Reuters, the New York Times DealBook…

Feb 5, 2013 1:27 PM CST

DOJ sues to block Anheuser Busch merger with Mexico’s Grupo Modelo

The Justice Department on Thursday sued to stop a planned merger of Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev with Mexico’s largest beer maker, Grupo Modelo. Justice officials argue the merger would threaten competition and drive up beer prices, the Washington Post reports. If the two beer giants merge, a deal valued at $20.1…

Feb 2, 2013 12:06 AM CST

The FBI doesn’t require reference checks, except for lawyer applicants

The U.S. Justice Department requires reference checks for new lawyer hires, but not for those who apply for federal law enforcement positions, according to an inspector general’s report. The FBI, for example, rarely conducted reference checks for new law enforcement applicants, but did use reference checks for those seeking attorney…

Jan 18, 2013 2:57 PM CST