Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The U.S. Senate on Wednesday narrowly rejected President Obama’s choice to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The 47-52 vote was shy of the majority needed, the New York Daily News reports. Debo Adegbile couldn’t muster a majority because eight Democrats joined all 44 Republicans in voting no. At issue was…
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The Justice Department is looking to go on a hiring spree. After three long years, the Justice Department is finally lifting a ban on hiring that will bring in new attorneys, The Baltimore Sun reports. The news comes after Congress restored funding to the Justice Department. “After years of doing more with…
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Mythili Raman, the Justice Department’s top criminal attorney, is leaving the agency next month following high-profile cases of corporate misdeeds, Reuters reports. Raman is a 17-year veteran of the department and once acted as chief after her predecessor, Lanny Breuer, stepped down last year. Raman said she’s not sure what’s next in…
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The Justice Department has pledged to stop secretly subpoenaing news organizations – for the most part. Fox News reports that the Justice Department is changing its policy to notify news agencies of its desire to obtain records in leak investigations. The revision will allow news organizations to challenge search warrants or subpoenas in…
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com States have two choices: Comply with federal prison standards to reduce inmate rape or lose federal grant money. The Montgomery Advertiser reports that the Justice Department sent all 50 states a letter last week warning that would lose 5% of their federal funding if they are in compliance with the Prison Rape…
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The Justice Department is searching prisoners who may qualify for clemency. NPR reports that Deputy Attorney General James Cole met Tuesday with defense attorneys and interest groups to help identify inmates with clean records, long sentences for low-level crimes and no significant history with gangs or violence. The speech is a strong…
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com An alarming letter from the Department of Justice accuses Missoula County, Montana prosecutors of all but ignoring sexual assault cases. Buzzfeed reports that the Missoula County Attorney’s Office only took action on 17 of 85 police reports of sexual assaults of adult women between January 2008 and May 2012. “[Female] sexual assault…
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com After four years of attacks and controversies, Attorney General appears to be finally settling in during his second term under President Obama. The Los Angeles Times reports that Holder “has tackled his responsibilities with newfound energy and determination, surprising critics and supporters alike by striking out on a broad, ambitious and unapologetically liberal…
