A federal appeals court has temporarily paused a lower court's ruling that would have required Texas to remove its controversial floating river barriers from the Rio Grande. The barriers, which are intended to deter migrants from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, were installed by the state of Texas and will remain in place for the time being. The Justice Department had argued that the barrier was a violation of the U.S. Constitution and the International Boundary and Water Commission Treaty of 1970, while Texas argued that the barrier was necessary to protect the state from illegal immigration. The appeals court's decision is only temporary, and the case will continue to be litigated in the courts.
Posts tagged as “The Justice Department”
Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has recently come under fire for engaging in anti-Semitic behavior, including blaming the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for his company's declining ad revenue and Jeffrey Clark, one of Donald Trump's co-defendants in Georgia, posting a religious attack against a former Justice Department official. The public has responded with shock and outrage, calling for accountability and the ADL has released a statement condemning the behavior. This has highlighted the need for greater awareness of anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry.
The Biden administration has proposed a new regulation that would expand the definition of a firearm dealer and require them to register with the federal government and conduct background checks on customers. This would close the so-called "gun show loophole" and ensure that all gun sales involve background checks. The proposed rule is open for public comment for 60 days, after which the Justice Department will review the comments and make a final decision.
Joe Biggs, a leader of the Proud Boys organization and former Army veteran, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on Thursday after being convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection to the January 6th attack on the US Capitol. The sentence is the second longest handed down in the Justice Department's investigation into the Capitol attack, and Biggs was also convicted of conspiring to obstruct Congress and civil disorder. The US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement that Biggs "served as an instigator and leader" during the attack and had "encouraged and directed other Proud Boys members to join him in the attack on the Capitol."
Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and three of his subordinates will be sentenced Wednesday for their involvement in the January 6th Capitol attack. Prosecutors are seeking the longest sentence yet for Tarrio, 33 years in prison, and 27 years for his subordinate, Ethan Nordean. The sentences will be closely watched by the public and the legal community, as they could set the precedent for the other defendants in the Justice Department's ongoing investigation of the Capitol attack.
The Justice Department is investigating the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, which recently gained media attention for the booking and release of former President Donald Trump and 18 other co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case. A pretrial detainee at the jail died four days after filing a complaint accusing deputies of excessive force, and Trump is considering waiving his arraignment appearance and entering a not guilty plea in writing. The investigation into the jail is ongoing, raising questions about the conditions of the facility.
Congressman Clyde has announced his intention to introduce two amendments to the 2024 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriation bill that would prohibit federal funds from being used to prosecute major presidential candidates prior to the 2024 election. The amendments, if passed, would not affect any existing indictments against President Trump. The bill is currently being considered by the House Appropriations Committee, of which Congressman Clyde is a member, and the Justice Department has released a memo stating that criminal litigation would continue without interruption during a government shutdown. It is unclear at this time whether the amendments will be approved by Congress.
Key takeaways: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis denied a request by indicted former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to have his voluntary…