Alanna Durkin Richer, The Associated Press

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White House abruptly fires career Justice Department prosecutors in latest norm-shattering move

White House abruptly fires career Justice Department prosecutors in latest norm-shattering move

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The recent firings of career Justice Department lawyers by the White House is a sign of President Donald Trump's tightening grip over the law enforcement agency known for its long tradition of political independence.

Justice Department eyes combining ATF and DEA as part of broad restructuring

Justice Department eyes combining ATF and DEA as part of broad restructuring

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Justice Department leadership is proposing cutting some offices and dramatically restructuring the department, including combining the two agencies responsible for enforcing drug and gun laws, according to a memo reviewed by The Associated Press.

Fired head of federal watchdog agency says he's ending his legal battle over his removal by Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The fired head of a federal watchdog agency said Thursday that he's dropping his legal battle over his removal by President Donald Trump.

Appeals court allows removal of watchdog agency head as legal battle rages over Trump firing

Appeals court allows removal of watchdog agency head as legal battle rages over Trump firing

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An appeals court in Washington on Wednesday removed the head of a federal watchdog agency in the latest twist in a legal fight over Republican President Donald Trump's authority to fire the special counsel.

Senate confirms former Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general

Senate confirms former Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Republican-led Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general, placing President Donald Trump's former criminal defense attorney in a key Justice Department post at a time of turmoil in the agency.

New FBI Director Kash Patel is sworn in as acting ATF chief, AP source says

New FBI Director Kash Patel is sworn in as acting ATF chief, AP source says

WASHINGTON (AP) -- New FBI Director Kash Patel was sworn in Monday as acting chief of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, taking the helm of two separate and sprawling Justice Department agencies, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Justice Department files complaint against judge weighing challenge to Trump's transgender troop ban

Justice Department files complaint against judge weighing challenge to Trump's transgender troop ban

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department filed a complaint Friday accusing a federal judge in Washington of misconduct during hearings over President Donald Trump's executive order that calls for banning transgender troops from serving in the U.S. military.

Ex-FEMA worker who directed staff to avoid homes with Trump signs violated Hatch Act, agency says

Ex-FEMA worker who directed staff to avoid homes with Trump signs violated Hatch Act, agency says

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal agency is seeking disciplinary action against former Federal Emergency Management Agency worker who directed workers helping hurricane survivors to avoid homes with yard signs supporting President Donald Trump, according to a complaint filed Tuesday.

Trump's new Justice Department leadership orders a freeze on civil rights cases

Trump's new Justice Department leadership orders a freeze on civil rights cases

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump's new Justice Department leadership has put a freeze on civil rights litigation and suggested it may reconsider police reform agreements negotiated by the Biden administration, according to two memos obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Trump signs death penalty order directing attorney general to help states get lethal injection drugs

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump signed a sweeping execution order on the death penalty Monday, directing the attorney general to "take all necessary and lawful action" to ensure that states have enough lethal injection drugs to carry out executions.

Who is Trump's attorney general pick Pam Bondi? The former prosecutor is a close Trump ally

Who is Trump's attorney general pick Pam Bondi? The former prosecutor is a close Trump ally

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department, Pam Bondi, faced questions on Capitol Hill Wednesday over her loyalty to the Republican president-elect, who has vowed to use the agency to pursue revenge on his perceived political enemies.

What to know about Trump's attorney general pick Pam Bondi as she faces questioning on Capitol Hill

What to know about Trump's attorney general pick Pam Bondi as she faces questioning on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department, Pam Bondi, is set to face questions on Capitol Hill on Wednesday over her loyalty to the Republican president-elect, who has vowed to use the agency to pursue revenge on his perceived political enemies.

Former FBI informant will plead guilty to lying about phony bribery scheme involving the Bidens

Former FBI informant will plead guilty to lying about phony bribery scheme involving the Bidens

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A former FBI informant is set to plead guilty on Monday to lying about a phony bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress.

Ex-FBI informant accused of lying about Bidens agrees to plead guilty to federal charges

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A former FBI informant accused of fabricating a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden's family has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, according to court papers filed Thursday.

How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes

How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes

WASHINGTON (AP) -- One year after the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators "at any level" for "the assault on our democracy." That bold declaration won't apply to at least one person: Donald Trump.

Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against Trump

Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal prosecutors moved Monday to abandon the classified documents case against President-elect Donald Trump in light of longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution.

Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump

Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge on Monday to dismiss the case accusing President-elect Donald Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, citing longstanding Justice Department policy shielding presidents from prosecution while in office.

Someone accessed files said to contain damaging info about Trump AG-nominee Gaetz, lawyer says

Someone accessed files said to contain damaging info about Trump AG-nominee Gaetz, lawyer says

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An unauthorized person gained access to a file containing confidential testimony from women who have made allegations about former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump's pick to become the next attorney general, a lawyer said Tuesday.

Matt Gaetz once faced a sex trafficking investigation by the Justice Department he could now lead

Matt Gaetz once faced a sex trafficking investigation by the Justice Department he could now lead

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, was once embroiled in a sex trafficking investigation by the Justice Department he's been tapped to lead, and remains under scrutiny by the House Ethics Committee over allegations including sexual misconduct.

Judge cancels court deadlines in Trump's 2020 election case after his presidential win

Judge cancels court deadlines in Trump's 2020 election case after his presidential win

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The judge overseeing Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case canceled any remaining court deadlines Friday after prosecutors said they need time to assess "the appropriate course going forward" after the Republican's presidential victory this week.

Incendiary devices that burned ballot boxes carried 'Free Gaza' messages, AP source says

Incendiary devices that burned ballot boxes carried 'Free Gaza' messages, AP source says

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Incendiary devices found at the scene of ballot drop box fires in Portland, Oregon, and nearby Vancouver, Washington, this week were marked with the message "Free Gaza," according to a law enforcement official.

Florida sues Garland for blocking state probe into Trump assassination attempt

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Florida is suing the Justice Department to stop federal authorities from blocking the state's investigation into the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

What's next after prosecutors reveal new evidence in Trump's 2020 election interference case

What's next after prosecutors reveal new evidence in Trump's 2020 election interference case

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Special counsel Jack Smith has provided a road map for how prosecutors hope to prove their case charging former President Donald Trump with an illegal scheme to overturn his 2020 election loss -- if it ever gets to trial.

Rudy Giuliani disbarred in DC after pushing Trump's false 2020 election claims

Rudy Giuliani disbarred in DC after pushing Trump's false 2020 election claims

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was disbarred in Washington on Thursday, months after he lost his law license in New York for pursuing false claims that then-President Donald Trump made about his 2020 presidential election loss.

FBI finds violent crime declined in 2023. Here's what to know about the report

FBI finds violent crime declined in 2023. Here's what to know about the report

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Violent crime in the U.S. dropped in 2023, according to FBI statistics that show a continued trend downward after a coronavirus pandemic-era crime spike.

Garland says he won't let the Justice Department be used as a political weapon

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday he will not allow the Justice Department "to be used as a political weapon," as he denounced "conspiracy theories and "dangerous falsehoods" targeting federal law enforcement.

Garland denounces 'dangerous falsehoods' and conspiracy theories targeting the Justice Department

Garland denounces 'dangerous falsehoods' and conspiracy theories targeting the Justice Department

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General Merrick Garland will denounce "conspiracy theories" and "dangerous falsehoods" targeting the Justice Department during a speech Thursday to employees as he forcefully pushes back against Republican claims of politicization.

11 strikes in 16 seconds: One Capitol rioter's violent attack on police with a hockey stick

WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said she hasn't grown numb to the violent scenes of Jan. 6 that are routinely shown in her courtroom.

Judge knocks down Hunter Biden's bid to use Trump ruling to get his federal tax case dismissed

Judge knocks down Hunter Biden's bid to use Trump ruling to get his federal tax case dismissed

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal judge on Monday denied Hunter Biden's latest bid to dismiss the tax charges against him, setting the stage for his trial to begin next month in California.

Hunter Biden was hired by Romanian businessman trying to 'influence' US agencies, prosecutors say

Hunter Biden was hired by Romanian businessman trying to 'influence' US agencies, prosecutors say

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hunter Biden was hired by a Romanian businessman accused of corruption who was trying to "influence U.S. government policy" during Joe Biden's term as vice president, prosecutors said in court papers Wednesday.

Watchdog finds no improper influence in sentencing recommendation for Trump ally Roger Stone

Watchdog finds no improper influence in sentencing recommendation for Trump ally Roger Stone

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Justice Department watchdog investigation found no evidence that politics played an improper role in a decision to propose a lighter prison sentence for Roger Stone, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, according to a report released Wednesday.

Appeals court panel refuses to delay Trump ally Steve Bannon's 4-month contempt prison sentence

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal appeals court panel on Thursday rejected longtime Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon's bid to stay out of prison while he fights his conviction for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the U.S. Capitol attack.

Trump ally Steve Bannon must surrender to prison by July 1 to start contempt sentence, judge says

Trump ally Steve Bannon must surrender to prison by July 1 to start contempt sentence, judge says

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, must report to prison by July 1 to serve his four-month sentence for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the attack on the U.S. Capitol, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

From collapsed plea deal to trial: How Hunter Biden has come to face jurors on federal gun charges

From collapsed plea deal to trial: How Hunter Biden has come to face jurors on federal gun charges

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Joe Biden's son was in federal court, prepared to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses. The culmination of a sprawling investigation, the deal between Hunter Biden and prosecutors was going to spare him a politically explosive trial in the middle of his father's reelection campaign and likely prison time.

Judge denies request to restrict Trump statements about law enforcement in classified records case

Judge denies request to restrict Trump statements about law enforcement in classified records case

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The judge overseeing Donald Trump's classified documents case in Florida on Tuesday denied prosecutors' request to bar the former president from making public statements that could endanger law enforcement agents participating in the prosecution.