Senate committee splits over homeless youth bill
A bill that would assist homeless youths in getting access to various documents that could help them find employment passed through a committee Thursday, but not without concerns.
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Mueller report looming, new attorney general in hot seat
William Barr has been attorney general for just one week but is on the cusp of staring down what will almost certainly be the most consequential decision of his long career: How much of the special counsel’s findings to make public.
Indiana Senate approves stripped-down hate crimes bill
The Republican-dominated Indiana Senate passed a stripped-down hate crimes bill Thursday and sent the measure to the House, where Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and others hope the legislation can still be strengthened. The Senate voted 39-10 in favor of the legislation that was changed two days earlier to remove a list of specifically protected characteristics, including sexual orientation, gender identity and race.
Trump chooses Jeffrey Rosen for deputy attorney general
President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he intends to nominate Jeffrey Rosen, a longtime litigator and deputy transportation secretary, to replace Rod Rosenstein as deputy attorney general.
Judge orders Roger Stone to court over Instagram post
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered Roger Stone to appear in court to consider whether to revoke his bail after the longtime Donald Trump confidant posted a photo on Instagram of the judge with what appeared to be crosshairs of a gun.
New book on President Harrison highlights his life in law, politics
Author Ray Boomhower describes the Hoosier president as a man whose legal career made him a powerful speaker capable of reaching and swaying an audience. “He had that experience of trying to convince a jury which, I think, translated very well in trying to convince voters to support his candidacy.”
Indiana Senate committee moves bias crimes bill forward
After more than three hours of testimony and discussion on Monday morning, the Senate Public Policy Committee voted to send a bias crimes bill to the full Senate for consideration. Senate Bill 12 would give judges the ability to consider whether a crime was committed out of hate or bias toward specific groups of individuals as an aggravating circumstance at sentencing.
Trump emergency declaration faces fights in the courts
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency along the southern border and predicted his administration would end up defending it all the way to the Supreme Court. That might have been the only thing Trump said Friday that produced near-universal agreement.
Justices to decide if 2020 census can ask about citizenship
The Supreme Court will decide whether the 2020 census can include a question about citizenship that could affect the allocation of seats in the House of Representatives and the distribution of billions of dollars in federal money. The justices agreed Friday to a speedy review of a lower court ruling that has so far blocked the Trump administration from adding the citizenship question to the census for the first time since 1950.
Trump says he’s declaring emergency to build border wall
President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will declare a national emergency to fulfill his pledge to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump said he will use executive powers to bypass Congress, which approved far less money for his proposed wall than he had sought.
Impeachment investigation sought of Indiana attorney general
An Indiana legislator wants an investigation into the possible impeachment of state Attorney General Curtis Hill over allegations he drunkenly groped a female lawmaker and three female legislative staffers at a bar. Democratic Rep. Ed DeLaney of Indianapolis said he submitted the request Thursday asking that the House Judiciary Committee investigate Hill’s conduct and whether he should remain in office.
COA: Stolen gun’s owner shielded from suit in fatal shooting
The Indiana Court of Appeals denied a mother’s argument of negligence against a gun owner whose stolen handgun caused the death of her son. The appellate court found the gun owner was shielded from liability under Indiana Code section 34-30-20-1.
Senate confirms William Barr as attorney general
The Senate on Thursday confirmed William Barr as attorney general, placing the veteran government official and lawyer atop the Justice Department as special counsel Robert Mueller investigates Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Judge finds Manafort lied to investigators in Russia probe
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort intentionally lied to investigators and a federal grand jury in the special counsel’s Russia probe, a judge has ruled.
Ex-FBI official McCabe was concerned Russia probes could ‘vanish’
Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said in an interview aired Thursday that he worried that investigations into President Donald Trump’s ties to Russia and possible obstruction of justice would be shut down after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey.
House approves bill to lift light-rail ban in central Indiana
A bill that would end the prohibition on light-rail construction in Marion and six other central Indiana counties passed the Indiana House on Tuesday.
No action coming on Indiana attorney general removal bill
Legislative Republicans are not going to take any action on a proposal that aims to make it easier to remove some state officeholders from their positions, which was filed by an Indiana legislator who says she was groped by Attorney General Curtis Hill.
Connecticut man sues over job rejection due to medical marijuana
A Connecticut man whose bid to become a firefighter in the state’s largest city was rejected because he uses medical marijuana has sued.
Indiana superintendent criticized for letter seeking prayers
A southern Indiana school superintendent’s letter asking local churches to pray for the district has led to criticism that he may have overstepped the boundary between church and state.
Acting AG overseeing Mueller probe says he’s not interfered
Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said on Friday he has “not interfered in any way” in the special counsel’s Russia investigation as he faced a contentious and partisan congressional hearing in his waning days on the job.