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Feb 27 (Reuters) - Fox Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch acknowledged under oath that some Fox hosts "endorsed" the notion that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was stolen, according to a court filing unsealed Monday. Documents in the case in Delaware state court show Murdoch and other Fox executives believed Joe Biden fairly beat Donald Trump and that the results were not in doubt. Asked by a Dominion lawyer if some of Fox’s commentators had endorsed the idea that the 2020 election was stolen, Murdoch responded, “Yes. Dominion claims in its filing that Murdoch closely monitored Fox coverage but declined to wield his powerful editorial influence despite strong concerns about Fox's coverage. Murdoch testified that he believed early on that "everything was on the up-and-up" with the election, and that he doubted claims of election fraud from the very beginning.

The justices will hear the case during the court's next term, which begins in October. The case is the latest to come before the Supreme Court seeking to rein in the authority of federal agencies. The CFPB, which enforces consumer financial laws, was created after the 2008 financial crisis as part of a federal law known as the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. A Democratic-led Congress in 2010 set up the agency to draw funding annually from the Federal Reserve, the U.S. central bank, which last fiscal year transferred around $642 million to the consumer protection agency. The court heard arguments in November in two other cases involving agency power.

WASHINGTON, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A Republican congressman's court battle to protect his cellphone records has prevented federal investigators from reviewing over 2,200 documents in their investigation of then-President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 election, according to newly unsealed court documents. An investigation by the U.S. House of Representatives' Jan. 6 committee last year revealed Perry was in frequent contact with Trump White House officials in the weeks before the attack. On Thursday, an attorney for Perry asked an appellate court to reverse Judge Howell's lower court ruling that his communications were not within a "legitimate legislative sphere." A Justice Department attorney urged the judicial panel not to block the congressman's cellphone from investigators. Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The families, comprising more than 10,000 people, had asked U.S. District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan to put his Feb. 21 decision on hold while they appeal. "An important public interest lies in the enforcement of terrorism judgments," Daniels wrote. In ruling against the families, Daniels said awarding them the frozen assets would effectively recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government, which the Biden administration has not done. The president ordered $3.5 billion set aside to benefit the Afghan people, leaving the rest for the families to pursue. The case is In re Terrorist Attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

Strzok and Page factored prominently in Trump's contention that the FBI was politically biased against him. Page, who resigned her position as a senior FBI lawyer, sued over alleged privacy violations stemming from the leak of the messages. The Justice Department has argued that Strzok was fired for violating FBI policies and undermining trust in the bureau. Both Trump and Wray had resisted subpoenas to appear for depositions, arguing that Strzok had not cleared the high bar to depose senior government officials by showing that Trump and Wray had information relevant to the case. Representatives for Trump and the U.S. Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

[1/2] A man is silhouetted near logos of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and Wikipedia in this photo illustration taken in Sarajevo March 11, 2015. REUTERS/Dado RuvicWASHINGTON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a bid by the operator of the popular Wikipedia internet encyclopedia to resurrect its lawsuit against the National Security Agency challenging mass online surveillance. The NSA, part of the Defense Department, is the agency responsible for U.S. cryptographic and communications intelligence and security. The U.S. government has said the NSA's surveillance targeting is authorized by a 2008 amendment to a federal law called the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Wikimedia compared the interception by the NSA of its communications to the "seizing and searching the patron records of the largest library in the world."

The Biden administration rule would protect wetlands and seasonal streams, not just permanent waterways like the rivers and lakes they feed into. Those smaller waterways were largely eliminated from protections by a Trump administration rule. The Biden administration signaled its intent to replace that rule in June 2021. The Trump-era rule had been vacated by an Arizona federal court in August 2021, which restored previous standards while the Biden administration worked on its changes. For the states: West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, Solicitor General Lindsay See and Senior Deputy Solicitor General Michael WilliamsFor the EPA: Counsel not immediately availableOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The 51-year-old Fulton County district attorney will need that kind of tenacity if she decides to bring criminal charges against Trump, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Willis, a Democrat, has taken an aggressive approach in the Trump investigation, subpoenaing some of his allies including Republican U.S. "It doesn't matter if you're rich, poor, Black, white, Democrat or Republican," Willis, who is Black, told CNN last year. Trump, who in November announced another run for the presidency in 2024, has denied wrongdoing and has called Willis a "Radical Left Prosecutor." To assist with the Trump investigation, Willis retained private Atlanta lawyer John Floyd, who wrote a guide on prosecuting state racketeering charges and worked with Willis on the teacher case.

☆ World's oldest Hebrew Bible could fetch up to $50 million at auction
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Aleksandra Michalska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermidNEW YORK, Feb 15 (Reuters) - The world's oldest and most complete Hebrew Bible will go on display in London next week before an auction in May where it could sell for up to $50 million, Sotheby's said on Wednesday. Billionaire investor Kenneth Griffin set the record in 2021 when he paid $43.2 million at a Sotheby's auction for a first-edition copy of the U.S. Constitution. The document offers a critical link bridging Jewish oral tradition to the modern Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible contains 24 separate books organized into three parts — the Pentateuch, the Prophets and the Writings. Starting with the book of Genesis and ending with Chronicles, the Hebrew Bible is foundational to Judaism, as well as Christianity and Islam.

☆ World's oldest Hebrew Bible could fetch $50 million at auction
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Robert Frank | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Images of the Codex Sassoon, which Sotheby's will auction in May. A Hebrew Bible that's more than 1,000 years old could sell for up to $50 million at auction this spring, which would make it the most valuable historical document ever auctioned. The sales estimate for the Bible is between $30 million to $50 million. In 2021, hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin paid $43.2 million for a first edition copy of the U.S. Constitution at a Sotheby's auction. In 1994 Bill Gates paid $30.8 million for the Codex Leicester, a collection of scientific writings that contains drawings by Leonardo da Vinci.

☆ Abortion foes to get National Archives tour, apology after filing suit over clothing ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Anti-abortion protestors demonstrate during the nationwide Women's March, held after Texas rolled out a near-total ban on abortion procedures and access to abortion-inducing medications, in Austin, Texas, U.S., October 2, 2021. The National Archives and the two plaintiffs agreed to the concessions as part of a proposed order filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. It also calls for the women's claims to be referred to a mediator for a possible settlement of the case. Nor does it resolve the pending suit against the archives, which house the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and many other historically significant American documents. Security guards at the museum likewise ordered them to remove or cover up messages opposing abortion on their clothing during visits.

That would be the kind of tenacity Willis, 51, would need if she decides to bring criminal charges against the Republican former president. Willis, a Democrat, has taken an aggressive approach in the Trump investigation, subpoenaing some of his allies including Republican U.S. To assist with the Trump investigation, Willis retained private Atlanta lawyer John Floyd, who wrote a guide on prosecuting state racketeering charges and worked with Willis on the teacher case. Willis told a judge on Jan. 24 that a decision on whether to bring criminal charges was "imminent" after a special grand jury completed its work. Portions of the grand jury's report are expected to be publicly released on Thursday, though any recommendations on criminal charges will remain sealed for now.

☆ Mike Pence Plans to Fight Subpoena From Special Counsel in Jan. 6 Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Jan Wolfe | Sadie Gurman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The issuing of a subpoena to former Vice President Mike Pence came as his legal team was in talks with the Justice Department over classified documents. WASHINGTON—Former Vice President Mike Pence is preparing to challenge a subpoena issued by the special prosecutor investigating former President Donald Trump‘s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, kicking off a novel legal fight that could take months for courts to resolve. Mr. Pence will fight the subpoena on the grounds that the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause shields him from testifying, a person familiar with Mr. Pence’s deliberations said. The Speech or Debate Clause generally protects members of Congress from being questioned in court about their legislative acts. In the U.S. constitutional system, the vice president is also the president of the Senate.

☆ Pence will fight subpoena in special counsel probe of Trump's attempt to overturn 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Former Vice President Mike Pence is planning to challenge a subpoena issued to him by the special counsel investigating ex-President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC on Tuesday. Under the U.S. Constitution, the vice president is also the president of the Senate. A spokesman for the special counsel declined to comment. Smith was appointed special counsel in November to head a criminal investigation into whether Trump unlawfully interfered with the transfer of power after losing to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. After Pence refused, a mob of Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, forcing the vice president and members of Congress to flee their chambers.

☆ Overruling the District of Crazy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in her response to the State of the Union address last week that voters face a choice between common sense and “crazy.” An example of the latter was on display last week when the House of Representatives rejected a pair of laws passed by the District of Columbia City Council. In votes Thursday, the House overturned a rewrite of the criminal code passed by the City Council last year and a new law that granted noncitizens the right to vote in local elections. Congress has oversight over the district under the U.S. Constitution, and the votes were significantly bipartisan.

☆ National Archives sued for telling visitors to remove 'pro-life' clothing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A statue sits covered in snow outside of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.Several abortion opponents sued the National Archives and Records Administration after its security guards ordered them to remove or cover up clothing with "pro-life" messages during a visit to the archives last month while attending the March for Life in Washington. and the other students "to remove all pro-life attire," the suit says. was specifically told to cover her shirt, which said, "Life is a Human Right," and not to unzip the jacket over it until she left the National Archives, according to the suit. The guard told her classmates to remove buttons and hats carrying pro-life messages, the suit alleges. One hat said "LIFE always WINS," and another said, "ProLife," according to the suit.

The states said in their lawsuit, however, that the rule in practice could affect anyone who uses a brace. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a similar, separate lawsuit in federal court in Texas on Thursday. A group of veterans also filed a lawsuit challenging the rule in federal court in Texas earlier this month. Democratic President Joe Biden has championed tougher gun control measures, and last year signed a national gun safety law. Since then, several state gun control measures have been struck down by courts.

☆ Missouri decides not to ban unsupervised minors from carrying guns on public property
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Supporters were disappointed Wednesday when an amendment aimed at restoring the language failed in the state House of Representatives on a vote of 104 opposed and 39 in favor. Last year the legislature passed a state law banning enforcement of federal gun laws that officials believe violate the U.S. Constitution's protection of a citizen's right to bear arms. A state law, for example, allows people of any age to openly carry weapons in many locations, even though federal law prohibits ownership of handguns by minors. The amendment's author, Representative Donna Baringer, a Democrat from St. Louis, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on Thursday. The Associated Press reported that she said she made the proposal to stop "14-year-olds walking down the middle of the street in the city of St. Louis carrying AR-15s."

☆ North Carolina ban on false campaign statements likely unconstitutional, court rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 8 (Reuters) - A federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday that a decades-old North Carolina law making it a crime to publish false derogatory statements about a candidate in an election was likely to be unconstitutional. A local district attorney disagreed, and in 2022, a prosecutor told Stein's campaign office that a grand jury was being convened to bring charges against Stein. Stein sued the district attorney in a federal district court, which denied his request for a preliminary injunction to stop the grand jury proceedings. On Wednesday, a three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for Fourth Circuit granted the preliminary injunction, and ordered the district court to continue the proceedings consistent with the opinion issued on Wednesday. The panel was unanimous in finding the law likely violated the free speech protections of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment in two ways.

☆ Factbox: FACTBOX Possible U.S. debt-ceiling workarounds to avoid default
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Historians say that aimed to ensure the federal government would not repudiate its debts, as some ex-Confederate states had done. Some experts have suggested that Biden could invoke this amendment to raise the debt ceiling on his own if Congress does not act. Analysts say this would leave Treasury on the hook for higher interest payments and unsettle the market for Treasury bonds, which serve as a bedrock for the global financial system. GET RID OF ITCongress could vote to abolish the debt ceiling entirely, which would eliminate the need to vote on the issue periodically but also erode Congress's authority on fiscal matters. Attempts to abolish the debt ceiling have gotten no traction in Congress in recent years.

Companies Hermes International SCA FollowNEW YORK, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Hermes International SCA (HRMS.PA) urged a U.S. jury on Monday to find that a creator of non-fungible tokens violated its trademark for Birkin bags, while lawyers for the "MetaBirkins" maker countered that the images were art. "He never tried to mislead anyone into believing that the MetaBirkins came from Hermes," Millsaps said, arguing that Rothschild wanted credit for the project. Warshavsky said Hermes was working on its own Birkin NFTs at the time, and accused Rothschild of "cybersquatting" by trying to beat the company to the market. He said Hermes would not have brought the lawsuit if Rothschild had complied with a December 2021 cease-and-desist letter demanding he stop selling the NFTs. Jonathan Harris, another lawyer for Rothschild, said his client added a disclaimer stating that Hermes was not associated with the NFTs after he received the letter.

Feb 4 (Reuters) - A federal law prohibiting marijuana users from possessing firearms is unconstitutional, a federal judge in Oklahoma has concluded, citing last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that significantly expanded gun rights. "The mere use of marijuana carries none of the characteristics that the Nation's history and tradition of firearms regulation supports," Wyrick wrote. She called marijuana the most commonly used drug illegal at the federal level. Circuit Court of Appeals cited that decision in declaring unconstitutional a federal law barring people under domestic violence restraining orders from owning firearms. Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Family of Amir Locke files wrongful-death lawsuit in Minneapolis
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The casket of Amir Locke, a Black man who was shot and killed by Minneapolis police, is brought to the hearse at the Shiloh Temple International Ministries in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., February 17, 2022. REUTERS/Ben BrewerFeb 3 (Reuters) - The family of Amir Locke, a Black man who was killed by Minneapolis police during a no-knock raid on an apartment last year, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and the officer who fired the fatal gunshots. The city of Minneapolis said it would review the complaint once it has received the document. When Locke reached under a cover for the gun, Hanneman shot him three times, the suit said. "Hanneman failed to give Amir any such opportunity even though Amir never pointed the handgun at Hanneman or put his finger on the trigger," the suit said.

WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A group of U.S. Senate Democrats will introduce legislation on Thursday directing the Federal Trade Commission to create rules banning the marketing of firearms to children, including the JR-15, which has become a target of gun control advocates. The planned legislation comes roughly a week after Democrats publicly called on the FTC to probe the marketing techniques of gun manufacturer Wee 1 Tactical, maker of the JR-15 .22 Long Rifle. The legislation, known as the Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act, would in practice give the FTC the tools to go after gun manufacturers. Neither the FTC nor Wee 1 Tactical immediately responded to a request for comment. The company has previously said its JR-15 rifle was designed to allow adults to safely introduce shooting and hunting sports to the next generation.

WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Republicans on Thursday ousted Democrat Ilhan Omar from a high-profile committee over remarks widely condemned as antisemitic, two years after Democrats removed two Republicans from committee assignments. The deeply divided House voted 218-211 along party lines to remove Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee with Republicans citing the 2019 remarks for which she later apologized. She was in line to be the top Democrat on the foreign affairs panel's Africa subcommittee. [1/6] U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) walks to her office after being ousted by the Republican-lead House of Representatives to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 2, 2023. McCarthy previously rejected assignments of Democrats Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

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