Ex-Atty. Gen. Ashcroft Dodges Bullet; Supreme Court Tosses Lawsuit Against Him

By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON — Ex-Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft is off the hook. In an 8-0 ruling, the Supreme Court tossed out a lawsuit against Ashcroft. It overturned a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision, saying the former Attorney General under President Bush  enjoyed “qualified immunity” from a lawsuit filed by Abdullah al Kidd,…

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Let the Games Begin: President Officially Nominates Solicitor Gen. Elena Kagan for Supreme Court

By Allan Lengel ticklethe wire.com Let the games begin. With the smiling nominee flanked to his left, and his vice president to his right, President Obama on Monday morning announced the nomination of Solicitor General Elana Kagan for the Supreme Court. Heaping superlatives upon superlatives, he called her a “superb” Solicitor General and said she…

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Three Front Runners For Supreme Court Spot Have Had or Do Have Ties to Justice Dept; 2 Are Jewish

By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON –– Three of the leading candidates reportedly being considered to replace the retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens all have had or do have ties to the Justice Department and two are Jewish, according to media reports. Elena Kagan, 49, the U.S. Solicitor General, the fourth highest ranking post…

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Obama to Nominate David Ogden for Dep. Atty. General

By Alland Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON – As expected, private attorney David Ogden, a former Justice Department lawyer under President Clinton, will be the nominee for Deputy Attorney General. President elect-Barack Obama made the announcement Monday morning. Obama also  announced that he planned to nominate three other people from the Clinton administration to key posts: Elena…

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