John Durham has a stellar reputation for investigating corruption. Some fear his work for Barr could tarnish it.
WASHINGTON – When the U.S. government needed a prosecutor to ferret out corruption in its own law-enforcement and intelligence ranks, John Durham was its go-to guy. The longtime prosecutor helped exonerate men wrongly convicted on murder charges, exposed an FBI agent tied to one of Boston’s most notorious gangsters and dug into the CIA’s destruction […]
Barr disputes key inspector general finding about FBI’s Russia investigation
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William Barr has told associates he disagrees with the Justice Department’s inspector general on one of the key findings in an upcoming report – that the FBI had enough information in July 2016 to justify launching an investigation into members of the Trump campaign, according to people familiar with the matter. […]
Those facing scrutiny suspect Barr is chasing conspiracy theories
Attorney General William Barr has taken an interest in a mysterious European professor whose conversation with an adviser to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign helped launch the FBI investigation into possible coordination with Russia – and who has since become the focal point of an unproven conservative theory that the entire inquiry was a setup, […]
Barr personally asked foreign officials to aid inquiry into CIA, FBI activities in 2016
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William Barr has held private meetings overseas with foreign intelligence officials seeking their help in a Justice Department inquiry that President Donald Trump hopes will discredit U.S. intelligence agencies’ examination of possible connections between Russia and members of the Trump campaign during the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the [[...]
After Epstein’s death, attorney general replaces leader at Bureau of Prisons
Attorney General William Barr announced Monday that he is replacing the head of the Bureau of Prisons, marking the latest fallout from the death in federal custody of multimillionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Hugh Hurwitz, the agency’s acting head, will be replaced by Kathleen Hawk Sawyer, who served as Bureau of Prisons director from 1992 […]
Attorney general rips ‘failure’ of prison officials to keep Epstein alive
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William Barr on Monday decried what he called a “failure” by federal detention center officials in New York to secure Jeffrey Epstein, pointing to unspecified “irregularities” there that preceded the wealthy sex offender’s apparent suicide while in government custody. Barr’s comments underscored the increasing scrutiny on the Federal Bureau of Prison[...]
Pelosi questions Barr’s credibility, says she’ll no longer address anything he says
WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Tuesday declined to answer a reporter’s question about an assertion by Attorney General William Barr, saying he had lied to Congress and that she would no longer address “anything more that he has to say.” Her comments came a day after Barr suggested House Democrats were trying […]
Barr: Mueller’s Hill testimony will be ‘public spectacle’
EDGEFIELD, S.C. (AP) — Attorney General William Barr on Monday accused Democrats of trying to create a “public spectacle” by subpoenaing Special Counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress about the Russia investigation. In an interview with The Associated Press, Barr said the Justice Department would support Mueller if he decides he “doesn’t want to […]
Barr promised to convene civil rights leaders to discuss police reform. It didn’t go as planned.
WASHINGTON – Toward the end of his confirmation hearing, Attorney General William Barr was pressed about his predecessor’s controversial directive restricting the Justice Department’s use of court-enforced agreements to push through reforms in troubled police departments. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., a presidential hopeful, sought a commitment from the attorney general to, within 90 day[...]
Mueller’s statement highlights key differences with Barr on investigation
WASHINGTON – Departing special counsel Robert Mueller III finally spoke publicly Wednesday, and his carefully chosen comments highlight the ways in which he disagrees with his boss, Attorney General William Barr, about the facts and the law surrounding the investigation into President Donald Trump. “If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not […]
Trump gives Barr power to declassify intelligence related to Russia probe
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has granted Attorney General William Barr “full and complete authority” to declassify government secrets, issuing a memorandum late Thursday that orders U.S. intelligence agencies to cooperate promptly with Barr’s audit of the investigation into Russia’s election interference in 2016. The president’s move gives Barr broad powers to unveil careful[...]
AP source: Barr launches new look at origins of Russia probe
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was “lawful and appropriate,” a person familiar with the issue told The Associated Press on Monday. Barr appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to […]
Case Digests
- Fourth Department – Bill of particulars: Harris v. Rome Memorial Hospital, et al.
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Accusations against co-judge: Opinion 22-148
- Fourth Department – Medicaid: Washington Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Home v. NYS Dept. of Health
- Fourth Department – Criminal possession of a firearm: People v. Wilson
- Fourth Department – Promoting prostitution: People v. Watts
- Second Circuit – Class certification: Arkansas Teachers Retirement System V. Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
- Fourth Department – Show-up identification: People v. Waggoner
- Fourth Department – Association: Victory Village Tenants Assoc. v. Evergreen Communities, et al.
- Second Circuit – In personam jurisdiction: Kaplan v. Bank Saderat PLC
- Fourth Department – Labor Law: Verdugo v. Fox Building Group
- Fourth Department – Out-of-possession landlord: Truax v. M.D. Meyer’s Properties
- Fourth Department – Discovery: Sylvester v. Sanders
Law News
- Espinosa named general counsel at Greenlight Networks
- Barclay Damon hires attorney Matt Smith
- Rochester man sues Geneseo police, alleging false arrest, assault
- The Daily Record’s Power List for Intellectual Property 2023
- NY ethics panel says judges can join NRA
- Harter Secrest & Emery LLP names partner-in-charge of Buffalo office
- Banned professor sues SUNY Fredonia leaders
- Hochul signs law requiring unemployment insurance information from employers