Federal Government

Rielle Hunter’s Father Was a Lawyer Implicated in Horse-Killing Scam

The father of Rielle Hunter, John Edwards’ mistress, was an Ocala, Fla., lawyer implicated in a scam to kill horses for insurance money. The first horse killed belonged to Hunter, who was then a teenager known as Lisa Jo Druck, the Ocala Star Banner reports. Her father, James Druck, represented…

Aug 15, 2008 11:06 AM CDT

Lawyers for Edwards’ Mistress and Campaign Aide Tied to Fred Baron

Lawyers for John Edwards’ mistress and the man who says he is the father of her child both have ties to the Dallas trial lawyer who was chairman of the presidential candidate’s campaign finance committee. The committee chairman, Dallas trial lawyer Fred Baron, has said he paid to relocate Rielle…

Aug 15, 2008 10:48 AM CDT

Overseer Moves to Seize $8B in California Funds for Prison Health Care

A court-appointed overseer for health care in California prisons has asked a federal judge to turn over $8 billion in state funds. J. Clark Kelso said the money is needed to meet minimum constitutional standards for prison health care, the Los Angeles Times reports. He said U.S. District Judge Thelton…

Aug 14, 2008 2:02 PM CDT

Gang-Related Issues Widespread in US, Aided by Internet

Even as the federal government focuses on gang-related criminal activity as an enforcement priority, helping to organize major raids and providing money to local authorities to enhance their efforts, widespread gang-related concerns aren’t likely to be easily resolved. In Hartford, Conn., a plan to impose a 9 p.m. curfew, starting…

Aug 13, 2008 4:57 PM CDT

W. Va. Governor Reportedly Got DuPont’s Help Before Filing Amicus Brief

DuPont lawyers accommodated a request by West Virginia’s governor by supplying two draft briefs that he could use for the state’s amicus brief urging the state supreme court to hear a case involving the company, the New York Times reports. The brief urges the supreme court to hear an appeal…

Aug 13, 2008 3:15 PM CDT

New Regulations Threaten Parts of Endangered Species Act

For years, Congress has resisted efforts to curtail the scope of the Endangered Species Act. But now, in an end run around the legislative process, the Bush administration has introduced planned new regulations that would have much the same effect. The regs, which are now subject to a 30-day comment…

Aug 12, 2008 6:04 PM CDT

Plame Can’t Sue Gov’t. Officials Who Allegedly Outed Her as US Spy

Because high-level government figures were acting within their official capacity when they allegedly revealed to reporters that Valerie Plame had spied for the U.S., she and her husband can’t sue them for damages, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. has ruled. “The conduct … was in the defendants’ scope…

Aug 12, 2008 4:29 PM CDT

ABA Proposes Bipartisan Judicial Selection Process

Updated: Senators from each state should jointly appoint bipartisan commissions of lawyers and others to recommend the names of attorneys to fill federal trial court vacancies that the senators might recommend to the president, the ABA’s 555-member policy-making House of Delegates recommended today. Bipartisan commissions should also be used by…

Aug 11, 2008 8:46 PM CDT

ABA Supports International Criminal Court

The United States should be more involved with the International Criminal Court, even though the United States doesn’t recognize the ICC’s authority over members of the U.S. government, according to a resolution passed this afternoon by the ABA’s 555-member policy-making House of Delegates. The House urged the government to cooperate…

Aug 11, 2008 6:45 PM CDT

What the President Should Look for in a Judicial Nominee

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama says he wants judicial nominees to have empathy. Presumptive Repubican presidential Nominee John McCain says he does not want activist judges. But what that all means and what the presidential candidates should really be saying about judicial selection was the subject of a lively…

Aug 8, 2008 10:08 PM CDT

John Edwards Admits Affair

Updated: Former senator and 2004 vice-presidential candidate John Edwards has reportedly admitted an extramarital affair about which he had previously lied. The personal injury lawyer admitted that he had an affair with novice filmmaker Rielle Hunter, 44, who worked on Edwards’ campaign before he announced his candidacy for president of…

Aug 8, 2008 7:46 PM CDT

SEC Eases Disclosure Rules Under Reg FD

Corporations may now sometimes fulfill their public disclosure requirements under Regulation FD by posting information on their websites and blogs rather than having news releases distributed by third-party companies, according to new guidance issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The move is expected to cut compliance costs. However,…

Aug 1, 2008 9:19 PM CDT

No Suspicion? No Problem: Feds Can Still Take Laptops at Borders, Read Contents

Confirming what some had previously feared, federal agencies say they can confiscate travelers’ laptops at U.S. borders for virtually any reason, and read and share with others the contents of documents the personal computers contain. These policies of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S.…

Aug 1, 2008 6:50 PM CDT

Judge Rejects Absolute Immunity Claim by Bush Aides in Prosecutor Firing Probe

Updated: A federal judge has rejected claims of absolute immunity asserted on behalf of former White House counsel Harriet Miers and former chief of staff Josh Bolten in an investigation into the firings of nine U.S. attorneys. U.S. District Judge John Bates “strongly rejected the administration’s legal arguments,” the Associated…

Jul 31, 2008 3:51 PM CDT

Panel Cites Rove for Contempt for Refusing to Testify in DOJ Hearings

Former White House political adviser Karl Rove has been cited for contempt by the House Judiciary Committee for refusing to testify about political influence in the Justice Department. The committee cited Rove for refusing to testify at a July 10 hearing, the Associated Press reports. The committee wanted to know…

Jul 31, 2008 12:47 PM CDT