Ethan Melzer, a former US Army soldier, was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Friday for his role in a plot to attack a US military base in Turkey and kill his fellow service members. He had provided sensitive details to a neo-Nazi, pro-jihadist group known as the Order of the Nine Angles (O9A) in connection with its plot to spark a jihadist terror attack. His motivation was to cause a mass casualty event and further the goals of white supremacy and the downfall of Western civilization. The sentence is the maximum penalty for his crimes.
Posts tagged as “The Justice Department”
United States Attorney General Merrick Garland made an unannounced trip to Ukraine on Friday to reaffirm the US's commitment to justice and security in the country. He joined President Volodymyr Zelensky at the “United for Justice Conference” to discuss the importance of international justice and the need for accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine. The trip is part of the US's ongoing commitment to support Ukraine and its people and to hold Russia accountable for its actions.
The US Justice Department has argued that former President Donald Trump can be sued in civil lawsuits for damages incurred during the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, rejecting his claims of absolute immunity. The Department clarified that the brief does not determine whether Trump should be held liable, but argued that a president cannot be absolutely immune for speech that incites violence. The lawsuits allege that Trump incited the violence by making false claims about the election results and encouraging his supporters to march on the Capitol.
A federal judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump and FBI Director Christopher Wray can be deposed in a lawsuit brought by former FBI agent Peter Strzok. The ruling ends a yearlong dispute over whether Strzok could question Trump and Wray under oath, with the depositions limited to two hours and a “narrow set of topics”. The Biden White House must decide by late March whether the current president will assert executive privilege over conversations that Trump had directly.
The U.S. Court of Appeals is currently deciding whether the Justice Department was legally allowed to seize Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry's cellphone last year. Perry, an ally of former President Donald Trump, is arguing that the Speech or Debate Clause of the Constitution protects him from certain investigative steps. The court has yet to make a ruling on the matter, and the decision will have implications for the future of the investigation into the Capitol attack.
The Justice Department conducted a consensual search of former Vice President Mike Pence's public policy organization, Advancing American Freedom, on Friday. One binder containing three previously redacted documents was taken as part of an ongoing investigation into the Trump administration's activities. Pence has been cooperative and transparent with the authorities and is looking forward to the conclusion of the matter.
The FBI has conducted two searches at the University of Delaware in the past month as part of an investigation into President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents. The documents removed did not have classified markings, but required further scrutiny. The searches were arranged with the Justice Department and no warrants were issued. It is unclear what the FBI is looking for or if the investigation is related to any other ongoing probes.
The Department of Justice has concluded its investigation into allegations of sex trafficking and obstruction of justice against Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and has determined not to bring any charges against him. Gaetz has denied all allegations and his attorneys have confirmed the Justice Department's decision. The investigation has now concluded, with no charges brought against Gaetz, bringing an end to months of speculation and uncertainty.