Federal Government

Trump tweets criticism of ‘deep state’ Justice Department, suggests it should act on Comey, Abedin

President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of the U.S. Justice Department in a tweet on Tuesday while also targeting fired FBI director James Comey and Huma Abedin, a former top aide to Hillary Clinton.

Jan 3, 2018 9:35 AM CST

9th Circuit rules against third travel ban

Once again, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against a Trump administration attempt to restrict travel from six Muslim-majority nations.

“We conclude that the president’s issuance of the proclamation once again exceeds the scope of his delegated authority,” the court wrote in a per curiam opinion.

Dec 22, 2017 9:04 PM CST

The top 10 legal news stories of 2017

It’s hard to imagine a year more packed with major legal news than 2017, much of it generated by President Donald Trump's administration. We may never get used to the frenetic pace. Here are 10 stories—themes, really—that dominated legal news reports.

Dec 22, 2017 9:00 AM CST

Federal judge dismisses emoluments clause lawsuit against Trump

Corrected: Congress, not the courts, should decide whether President Donald Trump is violating the Constitution by failing to divest his business holdings while acting as president, a federal district judge ruled (PDF) Thursday.

Dec 21, 2017 6:31 PM CST

Former meatpacking executive released from prison after Trump commutes his 27-year sentence

Former Iowa meatpacking executive Sholom Rubashkin was released from federal prison on Wednesday after President Donald Trump commuted his 27-year sentence for bank fraud and money laundering. Rubashkin has served more than eight years, report the Washington Post, the Associated Press and the Des Moines Register. A White House statement…

Dec 21, 2017 4:57 PM CST

4th Circuit refuses to stop admission of transgender people in the military starting Jan. 1

The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has refused the government’s request for a partial stay that would stop the admission of transgender recruits to the military starting Jan. 1. The 4th Circuit is the first appeals court to rule on a government stay request in cases challenging…

Dec 21, 2017 3:37 PM CST

Sessions reportedly orders review of Uranium One probe

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has reportedly ordered Justice Department prosecutors to review evidence in an FBI probe into the sale of a uranium company to Russia’s nuclear agency. FBI agents have been asked to explain the evidence in the now-dormant probe that looked into allegations of corruption surrounding approval of…

Dec 21, 2017 11:31 AM CST

Youth is ‘a thumb on the scale’ for Trump’s judicial nominees, while weakness is disfavored

President Donald Trump is seeking youth and two other characteristics in his judicial nominees. Trump has told advisers the nominees should be young, conservative and strict constructionists, the Washington Post reports. In most cases, the nominees should be under 50 and preferably under 40. The president also has one overarching…

Dec 20, 2017 9:39 AM CST

Mueller’s investigation could last at least another year, sources say

The investigation of Russian influence in the 2016 election could last at least another year, according to people with knowledge of the investigation. That means it is unlikely that President Donald Trump’s lawyers will receive the assurances they are seeking in a meeting scheduled for later this week with the…

Dec 19, 2017 10:04 AM CST

Trump reportedly considered withdrawing Gorsuch’s Supreme Court nomination

President Donald Trump reportedly told associates earlier this year that he was thinking about withdrawing Neil M. Gorsuch’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump was upset following reports that Gorsuch had told a Democratic senator that he found Trump’s attacks on the judiciary “disheartening” and “demoralizing,” unnamed sources told…

Dec 19, 2017 9:38 AM CST

Trump transition team lawyer says GSA illegally turned over emails to special counsel

The general counsel for President Donald Trump’s transition team maintains that the General Services Administration improperly gave thousands of emails that included privileged communications to special counsel Robert Mueller’s office. Kory Langhofer, general counsel for the transition group Trump for America, sent a letter complaining about the document turnover to…

Dec 18, 2017 11:30 AM CST

Trump’s tweets were too vague and subjective to be defamatory, appeals court says

An appeals court in New York has affirmed dismissal of a lawsuit that claimed Donald Trump defamed a guest television commentator in his tweets during the presidential campaign.

Dec 14, 2017 8:00 AM CST

Grassley says 2 controversial judicial nominees won’t be confirmed

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley says the nominations of two controversial judicial nominees won’t be moving forward based on his conversations with the White House.

Dec 13, 2017 1:32 PM CST

Grassley asks White House to reconsider 2 controversial judicial nominees

Shortly before 8th Circuit nominee Leonard Steven Grasz was confirmed by the senate, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said he was asking the White House to reconsider the nominations of controversial judicial nominees Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer.

Dec 12, 2017 4:00 PM CST

Critics ask why Dowd and Cobb have failed to assemble a ‘battalion of lawyers’ for the president

Donald Trump’s legal response to a well-staffed effort by special counsel Robert Mueller is led primarily by John Dowd and Ty Cobb, leading critics to question why they have not “assembled a battalion of lawyers” for the president, according to a Washington Post story.

Dec 12, 2017 11:34 AM CST