Judiciary Committee news stories on Newser

Senate Panel OKs Kagan

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:44:37 CDT

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted today to approve Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court. The 13-6 vote sends Kagan's nomination to the full Senate, where she's expected to be confirmed as early as next week to succeed John Paul Stevens. Just one Republican, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, joined...

GOP Girds for Supreme Court Battle

Neal Colgrass — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:00:00 CDT

Lacking the votes to block President Obama's Supreme Court pick, Republicans have a gang of researchers digging up prospective candidates' "crazy opinions" to hurt Dems in the 2010 midterm elections, a GOP aide tells Politico. But knowing that Obama's pick will likely be a woman or Latino or both—Judge...

Judge Pleads Guilty, Avoids Sex Crime Trial

Kevin Spak — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:38:12 CST

US District Judge Sam Kent pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice today, as part of a deal that will allow him to duck a messy trial on sex crime charges, the Houston Chronicle reports. He then retired from the bench. “A trial would have been long, embarrassing, and difficult for...

Todd Palin Defies Subpoena

Peter Fearon — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:26:38 CDT

Sarah Palin's husband will not comply with a subpoena demanding he testify before a panel of Alaska lawmakers investigating Troopergate. He and anyone else who refuses to compy with the subpoena cannot be held in contempt until the full state Senate reconvenes in January—after the presidential election.

Dems Demand Torture Memos

Peter Fearon — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 03:19:50 CDT

The disclosure by the New York Times of secret Justice Department memos greenlighting the use of torture techniques on terror suspects has triggered an uproar on Capitol Hill. Democrats have demanded to see the memos, which authorized head-slapping, sleep deprivation, freezing, a near-drowning technique called water boarding and other painful...

Bush Aide Stonewalls Senators

Dustin Lushing — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:29:16 CDT

Karl Rove didn't show up, but the White House sent a 29-year-old aide to field Senate Judiciary Committee questions about the US attorney firings today. Scott Jennings, the first administration figure to testify while still in office, followed the path laid out by ex-boss Sara Taylor in refusing to answer...

Domestic Spying Probe Reaches West Wing

M. Morris — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:05:05 CDT

Patrick Leahy came out swinging against the Bush administration's "sweeping assertions of secrecy and privilege" today, issuing subpoenas to the White House, Dick Cheney's office, the Justice Department, and the NSC. The documents demanded by the Senate Judiciary Committee relate to the warrantless wiretapping of terrorism suspects and the controversial...

Justice Dept. Aide Ties Rove to Firings

Peter Fearon — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 07:50:02 CDT

Alberto Gonzales was more deeply involved in the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys than he has admitted, and Karl Rove had a direct role in the firings, according to dramatic testimony by the attorney general's former chief of staff yeasterday, reports the Washington Post. Kyle Sampson claimed he briefed...