New York Times Sues Justice Department for Legal Memo Approving Targeted Killing

The New York Times claims in a lawsuit that the U.S. Justice Department has failed to provide records on the legality of targeted killing as required by the Freedom of Information Act. The suit seeks a secret memo authorizing the targeted killing of American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, according to the…

Dec 22, 2011 3:20 PM CST

Obama to Sign Bill Authorizing Indefinite Detention; Holder Stayed on the Sidelines

President Obama has indicated he will sign a bill that allows indefinite detention of terrorism suspects and gives prosecution authority to the military. Obama had threatened to veto the bill, but changed his mind after amendments addressed his concerns, the New York Times reports. Attorney General Eric Holder “took an…

Dec 16, 2011 3:43 PM CST

US Settles Suit with Anthrax Victim’s Family for $2.5 Million

The federal government has agreed to pay $2.5 million to the family of the first person killed in the 2001 anthrax letter attacks. The suit had alleged that the Army hadn’t done enough to secure its supply of the anthrax used in the attacks, which were eventually blamed on a…

Nov 30, 2011 7:01 PM CST

Appeals Court Hears Case of Ex-Gitmo Prosecutor Fired by Library of Congress for Op-Eds

A federal appeals court on Thursday considered the First Amendment case of Guantanamo’s former chief prosecutor, who was fired by the Library of Congress for his “provocative tone” in two newspaper opinion pieces. A lawyer from the American Civil Liberties Union argued on behalf of retired Air Force Col. Morris…

Nov 11, 2011 12:30 PM CST

4 Charged in Alleged Fringe Plot Targeting DOJ, Federal Judges and IRS to ‘Save’ Constitution

Federal authorities in Georgia have arrested four men they say are involved in an alleged fringe militia plot targeting the U.S. Department of Justice, federal judges and the Internal Revenue Service for attack by explosives and ricin, a highly toxic derivative of castor beans. Dan Roberts, 67, allegedly was captured…

Nov 1, 2011 11:51 PM CDT

Scholars Propose Emergency Court, If 4 or More Supreme Court Justices are Killed in Terrorist Attack

In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, constitutional scholars have done a lot of thinking about what would happen if a catastrophic strike took out top federal government officials. Now the AEI-Brookings Continuity of Government Commission is proposing an advance plan for dealing with a situation in…

Oct 19, 2011 10:29 PM CDT

Lawyers Sanctioned After Accusing 2nd Circuit of Acquiescence in 9/11 Government Conspiracy

Three lawyers who claimed in a lawsuit that the United States allowed or aided the Sept. 11 attacks have been sanctioned $15,000 for appealing the suit’s dismissal and accusing a federal appeals panel of acquiescence in the government “conspiracy.” The New York City-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sanctioned…

Oct 18, 2011 10:30 AM CDT

Underwear Bomber Pleads Guilty in Surprise Turn of Events

Would-be underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has pleaded guilty a day after prosecutors gave opening statements in his Detroit federal trial for attempted murder. Abdulmutallab was charged with a failed attempt to blow up a flight on Christmas Day 2009 by lighting a bomb in his underwear. He surprised the…

Oct 12, 2011 2:50 PM CDT

Secret Justice Department Memo Authorized Killing of Al-Awlaki; ACLU Objects

The U.S. Justice Department wrote a secret memo authorizing the killing of American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki before he died in a U.S. drone strike on Friday, according to a published report. Unidentified administration officials told the Washington Post that senior lawyers across the administration considered the issues, and all agreed…

Oct 3, 2011 10:30 AM CDT

Into the Breach: Voluntary Compliance on Money Laundering Gets a Boost from the ABA and Treasury

Oct 1, 2011 6:50 AM CDT

Readying for Trouble: Yearlong Initiative by TIPS Focuses on Disaster Preparedness and Response

Oct 1, 2011 6:30 AM CDT

Feds Say Would-Be Jihadist US Citizen Plotted to Bomb Capitol and Pentagon with Small Drone Planes

As federal authorities were checking commercial airline passengers with controversial scanning devices and body pat-downs this year, a United States citizen with a physics degree was allegedly modifying cell phones to use with small remote-controlled drone planes filled with plastic explosives in a planned attack on the Pentagon and the…

Sep 29, 2011 11:32 AM CDT

2nd Circuit Splits on Wiretap Suit; Judge Claims Lawyers Have ‘Fantasy of Persecution’

A federal appeals court split 6-6 Wednesday on whether to grant en banc review of a decision allowing lawyers, journalists and human rights advocates to challenge a federal wiretap law. The split decision (PDF) by the New York City-based 2nd U.S. Circuit of Appeals sheds light on divisions in the…

Sep 22, 2011 4:30 PM CDT

11th Circuit Nixes 17-Year Term for Terrorism Plotter Jose Padilla, Says It Wasn’t Long Enough

A trial court judge reasoned that convicted terrorism plotter Jose Padilla, 40, would be too old to reoffend after serving a federal prison sentence of a little over 17 years in the Southern District of Florida case. Plus, U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke noted, Padilla had been confined under harsh…

Sep 19, 2011 6:56 PM CDT

Fearless About Jailing Rogue Police, Brazil Judge Was Slain in Hail of Police-Issue Bullets

When a rogue police officer needed to be dealt with, Judge Patricia Acioli was fearless about wielding a heavy hammer. She jailed more than 60, most for murder, reports the Associated Press. Now she has been shot to death, in a hail of 21 police-issue bullets, in front of her…

Sep 17, 2011 12:03 AM CDT