Sessions defends deputy after impeachment move
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended his top deputy Thursday after a handful of congressional Republicans moved this week to impeach him.<
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Democrats fault Kavanaugh comment on independent counsel law
Democrats opposing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination are seizing on remarks he made in 2016 saying he would like to put the “final nail” in a Supreme Court precedent upholding an independent counsel law as constitutional. Republicans are pushing back, saying Kavanaugh’s comment is being distorted.
Dems see Kavanaugh as Obamacare threat, but law likely safe
The heated debate over how Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would vote on the Affordable Care Act might not matter. As long as five past defenders of the health care law remain on the nation’s highest court, the odds tilt in favor of it being allowed to stand. Some Democrats are warning that President Donald Trump’s designee could spell doom for the statute, even as some conservatives are portraying Kavanaugh as sympathetic to former President Barack Obama’s landmark legislation.
12 Russians accused of hacking in 2016 U.S. election
The Justice Department on Friday indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers on charges they hacked into Democratic email accounts during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and released stolen information in the months before Americans headed to the polls.
Right to hope: New law lets patients request untried drugs, but many skeptical
The federal right-to-try law passed this year after similar legislation was adopted in dozens of states, including Indiana. While the law aims to give patients hope for a new treatments or cures, it does not guarantee they will have access because drugmakers can still turn down requests for their experimental medicines.
Dozens of immigrant children to be reunited with parents
Dozens of immigrant children under the age of 5 will be released from government custody and reunited with their parents Tuesday after being separated at the border under President Donald Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy. A government lawyer said Monday at least 54 children under the age of 5 would join their parents by a court-ordered deadline, only about half the 100 or so children covered by the order.
Supreme Court enjoys relatively high public confidence
The next Supreme Court justice will join the bench at a time when the public has more confidence in the high court than in Congress or the presidency. A Gallup survey in June found 37 percent of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the court, while another 42 percent have “some” confidence. Only 18 percent have little or no confidence in the court.
Trump interviews 4 for Supreme Court, 2-3 more to go
President Donald Trump interviewed four prospective Supreme Court justices Monday and planned to speak with a few more, as he powered forward with a speedy selection process to fill the fresh vacancy.
Indiana’s Barrett a top contender in brewing Supreme Court battle
With another seat opening on the U.S. Supreme Court, Notre Dame Law School professor and 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett is being viewed as a leading contender on President Donald Trump’s list of potential nominees.
Indiana nominees Brady, Hanlon join others awaiting confirmation
After receiving approval Thursday from the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the pair of nominees to Indiana’s two district courts are now advancing to the floor of Senate, but when they will be called for a confirmation vote is uncertain.
Judge: Separated families must be reunited within 30 days
A judge in California on Tuesday ordered U.S. border authorities to reunite separated immigrant families within 30 days, setting a hard deadline in a process that has so far yielded uncertainty about when children might again see their parents.
Congress told more Southern District judges needed
Judicial leaders reiterated the urgent need for additional judgeships in the Southern District of Indiana and elsewhere before a House subcommittee Thursday. The Southern District is struggling under the weight of increasing caseloads and saw a 30 percent increase in cases in 2017.
Kentucky man sentenced to 30 days for assault on congressman
A Kentucky man who had “had enough” of his congressman neighbor edging too close to his yard has been sentenced to 30 days in prison after he ran onto Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s property and tackled him. Rene A. Boucher, 60, after he assaulted Paul on Nov. 3, 2017.
7th Circuit refuses to dismiss congressman’s corruption charges
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago refused to dismiss corruption charges against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, saying Wednesday that it can’t legally assess whether his prosecution violated constitutional separation-of-powers clauses until after his trial.
Congress OKs letting terminal patients try unapproved drugs
A bill helping people with deadly diseases try experimental treatments sailed through Congress on Tuesday, a victory for President Donald Trump and foes of regulation and a defeat for patients' groups and Democrats who argued the measure was dangerous and dangled false hope.
IU McKinney professor to testify before Senate on opioid crisis
An Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law professor is headed to Washington, D.C., to testify before the U.S. Senate about his work combatting the ongoing opioid crisis. Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly announced Tuesday that IU McKinney professor Nicolas P. Terry will testify before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging.
State, railroad argue over blocked crossings before Supreme Court
The Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday heard oral arguments in a case to determine whether state or federal law controls how long trains may block road crossings. Norfolk Southern Railway challenged the state’s blocked crossing statute after receiving 23 citations for blocking a crossing for more than 10 minutes.
Giuliani cautions no Trump-Russia interview decision soon
President Donald Trump and his lawyers likely won’t decide whether he will answer questions from Russia probe investigators until after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next month, according to the president’s legal team.
In Elkhart, Trump urges GOP to mobilize for 2018 midterms
Embracing his role as party leader, President Donald Trump issued a stern warning at an Elkhart rally Thursday that Democrats would disrupt the economic progress of his administration, imploring Republicans to mobilize during the 2018 midterm elections.
Republican immigration moderates say they’ll force House votes
Republican lawmakers with moderate views on immigration defied party leaders and took steps Wednesday toward forcing election-year House votes on the issue, and a leader of the group said they had enough support to succeed.