The Department of Justice has decided not to pursue charges against Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida in relation to a sex trafficking investigation. Gaetz has denied all allegations of wrongdoing, and the decision not to charge him comes after a lengthy investigation and has garnered national attention. Career federal prosecutors informed lawyers for at least one witness of the decision not to prosecute Gaetz, and it is unclear if the Justice Department will continue to investigate other aspects of the case.
Posts tagged as “The Justice Department”
Special Counsel Jack Smith is taking an aggressive legal strategy in the investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents, asking a judge to allow prosecutors to invoke the "crime fraud" exception to sidestep attorney-client privilege protections. Prosecutors allege in writing to the judge that Trump used his attorney in furtherance of a crime or fraud, and are now seeking to compel Corcoran to provide additional testimony before a grand jury. The outcome of this motion is still unclear, and its implications for the former president remain to be seen.
The Justice Department has recently received a folder with classified markings from former President Donald Trump's legal team, which was voluntarily turned over by his lawyers. In addition to the folder, Trump's lawyers have also voluntarily turned over to federal investigators additional papers marked as classified, as well as a laptop belonging to a Trump aide. The Justice Department has appointed a special counsel to investigate the retention by Trump of hundreds of documents marked as classified at his Florida estate.
The FBI conducted a consensual search of former Vice President Mike Pence's Indiana home on Friday as part of a classified records probe. Local police were directing traffic in the area while the search was carried out, which followed the discovery of documents with classified markings by attorneys last month. The search is the latest indication that the investigation into the Trump administration's actions in the weeks leading up to the Capitol riot is expanding.
Special Counsel Jack Smith has been appointed by the Justice Department to investigate former President Donald Trump's role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and the mishandling of classified government records. ABC News has reported that Smith has subpoenaed former Vice President Mike Pence as part of the inquiry, and other individuals may have been subpoenaed as well. Smith has also been investigating Trump's role in the attack and his handling of classified documents in key battleground states.
Two people have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to damage energy facilities in connection with an alleged plot to attack the power grid in Baltimore, Maryland. Brandon Clint Russell, a neo-Nazi leader, and Sarah Beth Clendaniel were charged with conspiracy to damage energy facilities and allegedly planned to "completely destroy" the city. The FBI is continuing to investigate the case and is warning the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
The House Judiciary Committee has issued subpoenas to the Department of Justice, FBI, and Department of Education as part of its investigation into the Biden administration's response to rising tensions and threats of violence surrounding school board meetings. The investigation is focused on whether the Justice Department strategy to address threats against teachers and school officials was abused to target conservative parents. This is the first set of subpoenas from the Judiciary's subcommittee dedicated to investigating the alleged weaponization of the federal government and could have far-reaching implications for the Biden administration.
Hunter Biden's lawyers have called for a criminal investigation into a number of right-wing political figures, including Rudy Giuliani, for allegedly accessing and disseminating personal data from a laptop left at a Delaware computer repair shop in 2019. The letters sent to the Delaware attorney general and the Justice Department allege that the individuals involved committed computer and other criminal violations to use the laptop contents against President Joe Biden. The Delaware attorney general's office has confirmed receipt of the letter and is reviewing it, though it is unclear if any criminal charges will be brought against the individuals involved.