INSIDER
Lies, loyalty and a gag order upheld: Tuesday's Trump hush money trial takeaways
Donald Trumpโs defense attorneys have grilled prosecutorsโ star witness in his hush money trial, portraying former attorney Michael Cohen as a media-obsessed liar whoโs determined to see the former president behind bars.
Who is Robert Hur? A look at the special counsel due to testify on Biden classified documents case
The special counsel who impugned the presidentโs age and competence in his report on how Joe Biden handled classified documents will himself be up for questioning this week.
Uproar over Biden classified documents report carries echoes of 2016 Clinton email case
The release of a harshly critical Justice Department special counsel report on President Joe Biden's handling of classified information has triggered instant flashbacks to the history-shaping events of 2016.
A Jan. 6 rioter was convicted and sentenced in secret. No one will say why
A felony case stemming from the U.S. Capitol riot appears to have been resolved in secret, with the man released from federal custody this week despite no public record of a conviction or sentencing.
Prosecutors drop charges against Bijan Kian, a onetime business partner of Michael Flynn
Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against a onetime business partner of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
Friends to foes: How Trump and DeSantis' relationship has deteriorated over the years
Before Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis were leading rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, they were allies.
Durham report on Trump-Russia investigation: What led to it and what happens next
An investigation into the origins of the FBIโs probe into ties between Russia and Donald Trumpโs 2016 presidential campaign has finally been concluded.
Veteran jurist picked to weigh moving Trumpโs criminal trial
A judge known for his care and cautiousness in presiding over litigation in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks was selected Friday to decide whether Donald Trumpโs criminal case proceeds in state or federal court.
Biden, Trump cases pull Justice Dept. toward politics
There are now two special counsels investigating the handling of classified documents by two opposing U.S. presidents โ a doubly tricky task for a Justice Department that must try to steer clear of politics.
EXPLAINER: What are special counsels and what do they do?
The appointment of a special counsel to oversee the Justice Department probes into the discovery of classified documents at the home and former office of President Joe Biden has focused renewed attention on the role such prosecutors have played in modern American history.
Trump faces peril in docs probe after decades of scrutiny
As a businessman and president, Donald Trump faced a litany of lawsuits and criminal investigations yet emerged from the legal scrutiny time and again with his public and political standing largely intact.
Trump criminal probes will proceed -- even as he's candidate
Donald Trump has officially declared himself a candidate for president, but that wonโt shield him from the same criminal investigations that confront him as an ordinary citizen.
Trump claim of โCrime of Centuryโ fizzles in 3-year probe
Former President Donald Trump once predicted that a special prosecutor appointed during his administration would uncover โthe crime of the centuryโ โ a conspiracy to sink his 2016 campaign.
Jury begins deliberations in trial of Trump dossier analyst
A jury has heard closing arguments in the trial of a think tank analyst accused of lying to the FBI about his role in the creation of a discredited dossier about former President Donald Trump.
Trump's subpoena and what's next for the Jan. 6 panel
In an extraordinary step, the House Jan. 6 committee has voted unanimously to subpoena former President Donald Trump โ a final effort to get the full story of the Capitol insurrection as the panel wraps up its work by the end of the year.
Witness contradicts theory against Trump dossier analyst
The FBI agent who questioned an analyst charged with lying to the bureau about his role in the creation of a flawed dossier about former President Donald Trump has twice testified that he believes the analyst was truthful with him.
Trump's legal woes mount without protection of presidency
Donald Trumpโs latest legal troubles โ sweeping fraud allegations by New Yorkโs attorney general and a stark repudiation by federal judges he appointed โ have laid bare the challenges piling up as the former president operates without the protections afforded by the White House.
Trump legal team advances broad view of presidential powers
A newly unsealed FBI document about the investigation at Mar-a-Lago not only offers new details about the probe but also reveals clues about the arguments Donald Trump's legal team intends to make.
Memo sheds light on decision to clear Trump in Russia probe
Justice Department officials who evaluated then-President Donald Trumpโs actions during the Russia investigation concluded that nothing he did, including firing the FBI director, rose to the level of obstruction of justice.
Panel rules Justice Dept. wrongly withheld Russia probe memo
The Justice Department under Attorney General William Barr improperly withheld portions of an internal memorandum Barr cited in publicly announcing that then-President Donald Trump had not committed obstruction of justice in the Russia investigation.
Virginia Rep. Ben Clines calls FBI investigation into former President Donald Trump โdisappointingโ
The Republican Congressman, who represents Virginiaโs 6TH District, was in Lynchburg Wednesday, and 10 News asked about the federal investigation into whether Trump took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence.
US offers $10M reward for Russian election interference info
The State Department has offered a $10 million reward for information about Russian interference in American elections, including a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a troll farm that officials say fueled a divisive social media campaign in 2016.
Trump associates' ties to extremists probed by Jan. 6 panel
An upcoming hearing of the House committee probing the Jan. 6 insurrection is expected to examine ties between people in former President Donald Trump's orbit and extremist groups who played a role in the U.S. Capitol riot.
Cassidy Hutchinson, Trump White House aide, now in spotlight
Two years after completing a White House summer internship, Cassidy Hutchinson was in the room where the presidentโs top aides debated how they could overturn his election loss.
Clinton campaign lawyer sought to 'use' FBI, prosecutor says
A prosecutor says a lawyer for Hillary Clintonโs 2016 campaign who is charged with lying to the FBI early in the Trump-Russia probe sought to โuse and manipulateโ federal law enforcement to create an โOctober surpriseโ in the final weeks of the presidential race.
Jury selected for trial of lawyer charged with lying to FBI
A jury has been picked in the trial of a lawyer for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign who is accused of lying to the FBI as it investigated potential ties between Donald Trump and Russia in 2016.
Oz's ties to Turkey attacked in Pennsylvania's Senate race
Mehmet Ozโs rivals in Pennsylvaniaโs Republican primary for U.S. Senate are escalating their attacks on the celebrity heart surgeonโs connections to his parentsโ native country of Turkey, raising it as a possible national security issue.
Feds seek nearly $3M from Manafort over undisclosed accounts
The Justice Department is suing Donald Trumpโs former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, seeking to recover nearly $3 million from undeclared foreign bank accounts.
Intel: Putin may cite Ukraine war to meddle in US politics
U.S. intelligence officials think Russian President Vladimir Putin may use the Biden administrationโs support for Ukraine as a pretext to order a new interference campaign in American politics.
New Yorker teams with Celadon for book on Jan. 6 report
The New Yorker is collaborating with a division of Macmillan Publishers on a book edition of the House Select Committeeโs planned report on the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol a year ago by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.
Banker gets gets 1 year in prison in Manafort loan scheme
A Chicago banker has been sentenced to a year in prison for his conviction in a scheme to make $16 million in loans to Paul Manafort to gain influence in the Trump administration.
Stone says he invoked 5th amendment at Jan. 6 deposition
Longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone says he has asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in an interview with the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
NY attorney general seeks Trump's testimony in civil probe
New Yorkโs attorney general is seeking former President Donald Trumpโs testimony in an ongoing civil investigation into his business practices, a person familiar with the matter said.
Lawyers deny spy suspect discussed fleeing to evade arrest
Lawyers for a Maryland woman charged along with her husband in a scheme to sell Navy submarine secrets to a foreign government are pushing back on prosecutorsโ arguments that she was motivated to leave the United States because she was afraid of getting caught.
3 lawyers readying arguments in high court abortion case
Supreme Court justices considering a major abortion case Wednesday will hear from just three lawyers: one representing the state of Mississippi, another representing Mississippiโs only abortion clinic and the last representing the Biden administration.
Appeals court orders release of some Mueller report passages
A federal appeals court is directing the Justice Department to disclose certain redacted passages from special counsel Robert Muellerโs Russia investigation report that relate to individuals who were investigated by prosecutors but not ultimately charged.
Judge: Trump company doesn't have to pay Cohenโs legal bills
Donald Trumpโs company wonโt have to pay hefty legal bills incurred by his former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who became a vocal critic of the ex-president and went to prison after pleading guilty to tax and other crimes.
Analyst who aided Trump-Russia dossier charged with lying
A Russian analyst who provided information for a dossier of research used during the Trump-Russia investigation has been charged with lying to the FBI when questioned about his work.
FBI at Russian oligarch's homes for 'law enforcement' action
Federal agents have been carrying out โlaw enforcement activityโ at a Washington mansion and New York City townhouse tied to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, who is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Post-Trump, Democrats push to curb presidential powers
House Democrats say they will vote on legislation this fall to curb the power of the president, an effort to rein in executive powers that they say President Donald Trump abused.
Lawyer pleads not guilty in Trump-Russia investigation probe
A prominent cybersecurity lawyer charged with making a false statement to the FBI has pleaded not guilty to the charge, stemming from an examination of the U.S. governmentโs investigation into Russian election interference.
Report: Most federal election security money remains unspent
A federal report finds that in the run up to the 2020 presidential election U.S. states and territories had spent less than a third of the $805 million Congress had provided to shore up security for state and local election systems.
NY law has long let officials use campaign funds for defense
Some legislators want to change New Yorkโs campaign finance rules after Gov. Andrew Cuomo used $285,000 in political donations to pay lawyers representing him in sexual harassment and misconduct investigations.
NSA discloses hacking methods it says are used by Russia
U.S. and British agencies have disclosed hacking techniques they say are used by Russian intelligence to target hundreds of government agencies, energy companies and other organizations, amid a wave of devastating cyberattacks around the world.
Justice Dept., Congress probing Trump seizures of Dems' data
The Justice Departmentโs internal watchdog has launched an investigation after revelations that former President Donald Trumpโs administration secretly seized phone data from at least two House Democrats.
McGahn: Effort to get Mueller fired was 'point of no return'
Former White House counsel Don McGahn told lawmakers in a closed-door interview last week that he regarded President Donald Trumpโs demand to have special counsel Robert Mueller fired as โa point of no returnโ for the administration if carried out.
Justice Dept. appeals judge's order on Russia probe memo
The Biden administration says it will appeal a judgeโs order directing it to release a legal memo on whether President Donald Trump had obstructed justice during the Russia investigation.
Deal reached for ex-White House counsel McGahn's testimony
Former White House counsel Don McGahn will answer questions in private from the House Judiciary Committee in an apparent resolution of a longstanding dispute over his testimony, according to a court document filed Wednesday evening.
Judge orders Justice Dept. to release Trump obstruction memo
A federal judge has ordered the release of a legal memorandum the Trump-era Justice Department prepared for then-Attorney General William Barr before he announced his conclusion that President Donald Trump had not obstructed justice during the Russia investigation.
EXPLAINER: What to know about the Giuliani investigation
A long-running federal investigation into Rudy Giulianiโs dealings in Ukraine has moved back into public view after federal agents seized electronic devices from the former New York mayor.
US to create center targeting foreign election interference
The Biden administration says it will establish a new center responding to what the U.S. intelligence community has assessed as attempts by Russia and other adversaries to interfere with American elections.
Justice Department sues Roger Stone over $2M in unpaid taxes
The Justice Department has sued Donald Trump's ally Roger Stone, accusing the conservative provocateur and his wife of failing to pay nearly $2 million in income tax.
US says Russia was given Trump campaign polling data in 2016
The Treasury Department says Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian and Ukrainian political consultant, shared sensitive information from Donald Trumpโs 2016 presidential campaign with Russian intelligence services.
New York Assembly hires top law firm for Cuomo investigation
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks before getting vaccinated at a church in the Harlem section of New York, Wednesday, March 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)ALBANY, N.Y. โ New Yorkโs Assembly has hired a Manhattan law firm to assist in its impeachment investigation of Gov. The Manhattan firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, which has more than 900 attorneys, will lead the probe, said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Judiciary Committee Chair Charles Lavine. โI have the utmost faith that Assemblymember Lavine and our Judiciary Committee will conduct a full and fair investigation,โ Heastie said. On Wednesday, Cuomo received his COVID-19 vaccination at a church in Harlem, where several Black leaders in New York City appeared at his side.
Garland vows return to 'normal' Justice Dept. on 1st day
President Joe Biden's pick for attorney general Merrick Garland, addresses staff on his first day at the Department of Justice, Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Washington. Welcome to the new Justice Department, likely a much tamer place to be after four years of blaring headlines under Donald Trump. The former president insisted that his attorney general, and entire department, be loyal to him personally, battering the departmentโs reputation for political independence. โWhen I walked in the door of Main Justice this morning, it really did feel like I was coming home,โ Garland said, referring to Justice Department headquarters. AdAbout 15 minutes later, he took the oath of office, administered by Assistant Attorney General Lee Lofthus.
Justices call off arguments over Medicaid work requirements
WASHINGTON โ The Supreme Court said Thursday it has called off upcoming arguments over a Trump administration plan to remake Medicaid by requiring recipients to work, agreeing to a request from the Biden administration. But the Biden administration already has decided preliminarily that work requirements do not fit with Medicaid's goal of providing health care to lower-income people. AdOther cases involved Trump administration immigration policies and a fight over unreleased portions of grand jury documents from special counsel Robert Muellerโs investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. The high court had in December agreed to review lower-court decisions involving Arkansas and New Hampshire that found that the Trump administrationโs support for work requirements went beyond whatโs allowed by law. Arkansas had opposed the Biden administrationโs request that the cases be dropped.
Giuliani probe awaits Garland as he nears AG confirmation
The full scope of the investigation is unclear, but it at least partly involves Giuliani's Ukraine dealings, the officials said. AdThe Foreign Agents Registration Act requires people who lobby on behalf of a foreign government or entity to register with the Justice Department. AdThe Justice Department requires that applications for search warrants served on lawyers be approved by senior department officials. Giuliani's attorney Robert J. Costello told The Associated Press he has โheard nothingโ from federal prosecutors concerning Giuliani. Giuliani has said he had no knowledge of illegal donations and hadnโt seen any evidence that Parnas and Fruman did anything wrong.
Riot lawsuit just part of Trump's post-impeachment problems
The former "Apprentice" contestant is trying to get her defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump moving again now that he's no longer president. Federal prosecutors in Washington, meanwhile, have charged some 200 Trump supporters with crimes related to the riot, including more serious conspiracy charges. There has been no indication that Trump would be charged in the riot though prosecutors have said they are looking at all angles. The same U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan also appears to have moved on from its investigation of Trumpโs inaugural committee. Recently, her office has won a series of court rulings forcing Trumpโs company and a law firm it hired to turn over troves of records.
Will Trump's mishandling of records leave a hole in history?
The public wont see President Donald Trumps White House records for years, but theres growing concern that they wont be complete, leaving a hole in the history of one of Americas most tumultuous presidencies. He has a habit of ripping up documents before tossing them out, forcing White House records workers to spend hours taping them back together. He didnโt want to stop,โ said Solomon Lartey, a former White House records analyst. Apparently worried about leaks, higher-ups and White House lawyers became more involved in deciding which materials were catalogued and scanned into White House computer networks where they are automatically saved, this person said. After that, presidential records were no longer considered personal property but the property of the American people โ if they are preserved.
Chaos, violence, mockery as pro-Trump mob occupies Congress
On Wednesday, hallowed spaces of American democracy, one after another, yielded to the occupation of Congress. Trump told his morning crowd at the Ellipse that he would go with them to the Capitol, but he didnโt. Yet Trump, in a video posted 90 minutes after lawmakers were evacuated, told the insurrectionists โWe love you. He said security officers urged lawmakers to put gas masks on and herded them into a corner of the massive room. Shortly after being told to put on gas masks, most members were quickly escorted out of the chamber.
New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other allies
FILE - In this Thursday, June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. President Trump's former campaign manager is to be arraigned on state mortgage fraud charges. Manafort, who led Trump's campaign during a pivotal period in 2016 before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, was among the first people charged as part of Muellerโs investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate โ whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election โ he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.
A look at the 29 people Trump pardoned or gave commutations
Trump commuted his sentence in July just days before he was scheduled to report to federal prison. The president commuted her sentence; the White House said the commutation was supported by several former U.S. attorneys general. A White House news release praised the men as โmodel prisoners,โ who had earned support and praise from other inmates. She was in the White House when Trump signed the overhaul measure, known as the First Step Act, into law. Black was a co-defendant in the case and was also convicted; Trump previously pardoned him.
New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other allies
FILE - In this Thursday, June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. President Trump's former campaign manager is to be arraigned on state mortgage fraud charges. Manafort, who led Trump's campaign during a pivotal period in 2016 before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, was among the first people charged as part of Muellerโs investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate โ whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election โ he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.
A look at pardons, clemency in waning weeks of Trump tenure
On Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned 15 people, including Collins. Papadopoulos was the first Trump aide to plead guilty as part of Muellerโs investigation โ pleading guilty to lying to the FBI โ and served a nearly two-week sentence in federal prison. The White House said Stockman had contracted coronavirus while in federal prison and has served more than two years of his 10-year sentence. Esformesโ prison sentence was commuted by the president on Tuesday, but other aspects of his sentence, including supervised release and millions in restitution, remained intact. The White House said the commutation was supported by a number of former attorneys general and said Esformes is in declining health.
Trump pardons 15, commutes 5 sentences, including GOP allies
He and his allies have discussed a range of other possibilities, including members of Trump's family and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. Trump also commuted the sentences of five other people, including former Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas. Trump also announced pardons for two people entangled in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Trump has granted about 2% of requested pardons in his single term in office โ just 27 before Tuesday's announcement. Bush, another one-term president, granted 10% of requests.
Trump's legacy: He changed the presidency, but will it last?
โFor all four years, this is someone who at every opportunity tried to stretch presidential power beyond the limits of the law,โ said presidential historian Michael Beschloss. I think heโs done tremendous damage in the last several weeks.โJeopardizing the peaceful transfer of power was hardly Trump's first assault on the traditions of the presidency. He rage tweeted at members of his own party and used government property for political purposes, including the White House as the backdrop for his renomination acceptance speech. Trump used National Guard troops to clear a largely peaceful protest across from the White House for a photo-op. He held superspreader events at the White House and contracted the virus himself.
US plans new charges in 1988 Lockerbie airline bombing
FILE - In this Dec. 22, 1988, file photo police and investigators look at what remains of the nose of Pan Am 103 in a field in Lockerbie, Scotland. The Justice Department expects to unseal charges in the coming days in connection with the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people, according to a person familiar with the case. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver, File)WASHINGTON โ The Justice Department plans to unseal new charges in the coming days in connection with the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people, according to a person familiar with the case. The New York-bound flight exploded over Lockerbie less than an hour after takeoff from London on Dec. 21, 1988. One man โ former Libyan intelligence official Abdel Baset al-Megrahi โ was convicted in the Netherlands of the bombing, and a second Libyan suspect was acquitted of all charges.
US plans new charges in 1988 Lockerbie airline bombing
FILE - In this Dec. 22, 1988, file photo police and investigators look at what remains of the nose of Pan Am 103 in a field in Lockerbie, Scotland. The Justice Department expects to unseal charges in the coming days in connection with the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people, according to a person familiar with the case. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver, File)WASHINGTON โ The Justice Department plans to unseal new charges in the coming days in connection with the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people, according to a person familiar with the case. We will not rest until all those responsible are brought to justice,โ Barr said at a 1991 news conference announcing the charges. The New York-bound flight exploded over Lockerbie less than an hour after takeoff from London on Dec. 21, 1988.
Trump asking about special prosecutor for Hunter Biden case
Beyond appointing a special prosecutor to investigate the younger Biden, the sources said Trump is interested in having another special counsel appointed to look into his own baseless claims of election fraud. Trump announced that Barr would be stepping down from his position on Dec. 23, amid lingering tension between the president and the attorney general over the Hunter Biden investigation. Appointing a special counsel could prove to be complicated, requiring consolidating different investigatory angles and bringing in someone new to run the probe and get up to speed. Either way, the probe is complicating Joe Bidenโs pick for attorney general, upon whose shoulders this probe would land. Any nominee for attorney general is likely to face a mountain of questions at a confirmation hearing about how they would oversee the probe.
Trump asking about special prosecutor for Hunter Biden
Beyond appointing a special prosecutor to investigate the younger Biden, the sources said Trump is interested in having another special counsel appointed to look into his own baseless claims of election fraud. Trump announced that Barr would be stepping down from his position on Dec. 23, amid lingering tension between the president and the attorney general over the Hunter Biden investigation. Trump was angry for days after learning that Barr knew of the Hunter Biden tax investigation before the election but did not disclose it. Appointing a special counsel for the Hunter Biden probe would also signal a more prolonged and complicated investigation than the current inquiry, so far largely centered on his taxes. Either way, the probe is complicating Joe Bidenโs pick for attorney general, upon whose shoulders this probe would land.
Trump says Barr resigning, will leave before Christmas
FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2020, file photo, Attorney General William Barr speaks during a roundtable discussion on Operation Legend in St. Louis. Barr went Monday to the White House, where Trump said the attorney general submitted his letter of resignation. Trump said Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen, whom he labeled โan outstanding person,โ will become acting attorney general. But Democrats have repeatedly accused Barr of acting more like the presidentโs personal attorney than the attorney general, and Barr had proved to be a largely reliable Trump ally and defender of presidential power. Trump was also said to blame Barr for comments from FBI Director Chris Wray on election fraud and mail-in voting that didnโt jibe with the presidentโs alarmist rhetoric.
Biden's transition contends with probe into son's finances
But news of the probe, which was revealed on Wednesday and scrutinizes some of Hunter Biden's Chinese business dealings and other transactions, caught most of his father's staffers by surprise. Most notably, the probe casts a spotlight on one of Bidenโs most important choices: his attorney general. And Biden aides believe that because other Hunter Biden stories have blown over, this will, too. Those were based in part on New York Post reporting on a laptop that supposedly once belonged to Hunter Biden and was abandoned at a Delaware repair shop. Hunter Biden, and his baby son, were right in the middle.
Sidney Powell unrelenting in legal battle on Trump's behalf
ATLANTA โ Conservative attorney Sidney Powell has been unrelenting in her battle on behalf of President Donald Trump and the Americans who have pledged their faith in him, regardless of the facts of the 2020 election โ namely, that Joe Biden won. โIโm going to release the Kraken,โ Powell said in a Fox Business interview in mid-November, an apparent reference to the film โClash of the Titansโ in which Zeus gives the order to release the mythical sea monster. Powell did not immediately respond to a voicemail left Thursday at her Dallas law firm. Despite being tossed off the presidentโs legal team, Powell has continued to push his claim that the election was stolen. As they were filed, lawyers across the country reacted on social media, some puzzling about her strategy and others outright mocking her in paragraph-by-paragraph analysis.
Biden's attorney general search is focused on Jones, Garland
WASHINGTON โ Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland are emerging as the leading contenders to be nominated as President-elect Joe Bidenโs attorney general, three people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Biden's thinking was described by people with knowledge of the presidential transition's internal thinking who were not authorized to speak publicly. Jones, who is white, has had a long-standing personal relationship with Biden dating back to Bidenโs first presidential campaign in 1988. Jones would not comment Tuesday on the possibility of a nomination as attorney general. The Biden team has also been considering a number of other potential candidates for the post, including former Justice Department official Lisa Monaco.
Does Trump have power to pardon himself? It's complicated
WASHINGTON โ President Donald Trump has declared that he has the โabsolute rightโ to issue a pardon to himself. The Constitutionโs text โ affording the president โpower to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment" โ can be read to suggest that the Founding Fathers envisioned some sort of limitations on a presidentโs pardon power. The question of whether Trump will do it, though, is as unsettled as the question of whether he can. But, Tushnet said, Trump's lawyers could conceivably try to invoke double-jeopardy arguments to claim that a federal pardon should bar any New York state prosecution based on the same conduct. On the federal level, a self-pardon obviously handcuffs the Justice Department under President-elect Joe Biden from pursuing any federal case against Trump.
Barr's special counsel move could tie up his successor
WASHINGTON โ Outgoing Attorney General William Barr's decision to appoint a special counsel to investigate the handling of the Russia probe ensures his successor won't have an easy transition. But the maneuvering over the special counsel is especially significant because it saddles Democrats with an investigation that they've derided as tainted. A special counsel can only be dismissed for cause. The Biden transition did not respond to a request for comment on the special counsel appointment. But Barr's decision could influence whom the president-elect puts forth as a nominee for attorney general.