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A federal appeals court will hear arguments Tuesday as it looks to resolve a simmering procedural dispute in the Justice Department’s escalating investigation of former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Days after Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to take over the investigation, Justice Department attorneys are expected to urge the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to end a document-vetting arrangement, instated by a lower court, that prosecutors have argued has slowed the investigation into the material the FBI seized from the Florida resort in August.

☆ Trump encourages GOP to 'fight' special counsel decision as Republicans attack DOJ
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he has been "going through this for six years," referring to various investigations into his actions, including both impeachments and special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe. A Trump campaign spokesman added that, "This is a totally expected political stunt by a feckless, politicized, weaponized Biden Department of Justice." Trump noted that the announcement of a special counsel comes just days after he announced a 2024 White House bid, which Garland said was a factor in his decision to seek an independent prosecutor. Asa Hutchinson, who has sometimes rebuked Trump, said in a statement that Garland's decision was "not good news for our country." Garland named John L. Smith, known as Jack Smith, a prosecutor at The Hague and a former federal prosecutor, to begin serving as special counsel “immediately."

☆ Pence on Trump and January 6: 'No one is above the law'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Isabelle Schmeler | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who huddled in the bowels of the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6, 2021 as angry Trump supporters searched for him, tells “Meet the Press” that “no one is above the law” when asked about former President Donald Trump. But the former vice president, who Trump publicly blamed for not halting a peaceful transfer of power, also warned the Biden administration about over-reaching in their attempts to hold Trump to account. “I don’t know if it is criminal to listen to bad advice from the lawyers,” Pence told “Meet the Press” Moderator Chuck Todd in an interview on Thursday. But I would hope the Justice Department would give careful consideration before they take any additional steps in this matter,” Pence said. Pence says he has not hesitated to criticize the former president when he thinks he was wrong, though stops short of calling him unfit for office.

Garland's decision to appoint a special counsel was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Given that Garland was appointed by President Joe Biden, naming a special counsel would give Garland more distance from the investigation into Trump, who could be Biden’s rival if the president decides to run for re-election. Trump was previously under investigation by former special counsel Robert Mueller, who issued his report in 2019 focusing on Russian interference in the 2020 election and Trump’s efforts to interfere with the Justice Department investigation. Garland said he was confident in the DOJ's ability to investigate Trump, but, "I also believe that appointing a special counsel at this time is the right thing to do. Garland added that he will ensure Smith “receives the resources to conduct this work quickly and completely.”

WASHINGTON — House Republicans' majority will be smaller than expected, but they're eager to use their new oversight powers and pass a spate of bills to draw contrasts with Democrats and give the Biden administration heartburn. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., joined by Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., left, and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in Washington on July 21, 2021. A growing number of Republicans say they have their sights set on impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, bashing his handling of the border surge. LegislationDemocrats still occupy the White House, so any legislation Republicans pass on a partisan basis won’t be signed into law by Biden. But House Republicans say they will waste no time showing the parties’ stark differences as they battle for control of the White House in 2024.

A Chinese intelligence officer convicted of conspiring and attempting to steal sensitive trade secrets from a U.S. company was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in federal prison. The Justice Department had asked that Yanjun Xu, 42, get 25 years behind bars for his "very extensive" yearslong scheme to steal secrets from U.S. aviation companies. Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg via Getty Images fileXu is the first Chinese intelligence officer to be extradited to the U.S. to face criminal charges, Justice Department officials said. "Xu targeted multiple employees at multiple international aviation companies over multiple years. They noted that his scheme to steal secrets from GE wasn’t successful and said he was just following his country's orders.

☆ Taylor Swift meltdown caused by Ticketmaster abusing its market power, Senate antitrust chair says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN Business —Senator Amy Klobuchar criticized Ticketmaster in an open letter to its CEO, saying she has “serious concerns” about the company’s operations following a service meltdown Tuesday that left Taylor Swift fans irate. Ticketmaster and Live Nation, the country’s largest concert promoter, merged about a decade ago. Klobuchar noted that the company at the time pledged to “develop an easy-access, one-stop platform” for ticket delivery. It’s no secret that Live Nation-Ticketmaster is an unchecked monopoly,” Rep. David Cicilline, currently the chairman of the Antitrust Subcommittee, tweeted on Tuesday. The Justice Department and states allowed the Live Nation Ticketmaster merger to go through despite a 2010 court filing in the case raising objections to the merger.

☆ Ticketmaster meltdown for Taylor Swift tickets sparks outrage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Justice Department and many state attorneys general have made similar complaints over the years. The Justice Department and states allowed the Live Nation Ticketmaster merger to go through despite a 2010 court filing in the case raising objections to the merger. In the filing, the Justice Department said that Ticketmaster’s share among major concert venues exceeded 80%. Past efforts to rein in Ticketmaster control over the ticket market have failed. The Justice Department and the states gave approval of to the Live Nation-Ticketmaster combination, but did call for some oversight.

☆ Jan. 6 committee staffers told preliminary plan for final report would focus largely on Trump, not on law enforcement failures, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dilanianmug.Jpg | Ken Dilanian | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

The final report — much like the committee’s hearings — seems to be shaping up to be “all-Trump,” one source said. The “blue team” examined the preparedness and response of law enforcement agencies. Some staffers remain hopeful that members of the Jan. 6 committee might push back on the current plan and incorporate their research into the final report. The committee needs to release its final report before a new Congress is seated in January. Congress has oversight over and controls the funding of federal law enforcement agencies.

The sources say Justice Department officials are looking carefully at a cross section of past cases involving the mishandling of classified material. Though his comments were about the separate Jan. 6 investigation, Justice Department officials said they apply broadly. Experts say the public evidence in the Mar-a-Lago case seems unambiguous. Less clear is whether there are aggravating factors — such as whether the Justice Department can prove Trump obstructed justice by failing to turn over documents despite a grand jury subpoena. Martin’s lawyers said he was a hoarder, and prosecutors concluded that he had not given classified information to anyone.

☆ Insurance Broker Arthur J. Gallagher Subpoenaed by Justice Department’s Foreign Bribery Unit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. said it received a subpoena from the Justice Department’s foreign bribery unit, making it the latest company to become ensnared in a sprawling investigation into corruption at state-owned companies in Ecuador. The information request, which the company said it received in its third quarter, was from the Justice Department’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act unit, Arthur J. Gallagher said. Prosecutors from that unit have asked Arthur J. Gallagher for information related to its insurance business with public entities in Ecuador, the company said in its Nov. 2 report. The law is enforced by the Justice Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. A spokesperson for Arthur J. Gallagher didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the aftermath of the 2020 election, local election officials became frequent targets of supporters of former President Donald Trump who supported his false claims of election fraud. Election officials also said that the courts could inject chaos into the process if results are contested for weeks following the vote. Droves of election workers throughout Georgia quit their positions following the 2020 election. And in Pennsylvania, nearly 50 top election officials have left their post within the past two years. “Election workers and election officials leave or stop coming in, more errors can occur as a result, which in turn can fuel disinformation,” he said.

☆ Leidos Discloses Subpoenas Amid Antitrust, Bribery Probes
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Dylan Tokar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

Leidos Holdings Inc., an information-technology and engineering services firm, received dual subpoenas in recent months in connection with criminal investigations into potential foreign bribery and antitrust violations. The Reston, Va.-based company was served with a grand jury subpoena in August related to an investigation by the Justice Department’s antitrust division, Leidos said Tuesday. The probe is the second ongoing criminal investigation disclosed by Leidos this year. The FCPA probe was first disclosed by the company in a securities filing earlier this year. At the time, Leidos said it was conducting an internal investigation into activities within its international operations that it discovered in late 2021.

☆ Penguin Random House-Simon & Schuster merger is blocked by judge
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Penguin Random House quickly condemned the ruling, which it called “an unfortunate setback for readers and authors.” In its statement Monday, the publisher said it would immediately seek an expedited appeal. The publishing industry has been consolidating for years with little interference from the government, even when Random House and Penguin merged in 2013 and formed what was then the biggest publishing house in memory. The joining of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster would have created a company far exceeding any rival. Penguin Random House’s global CEO, Markus Dohle, had promised that imprints of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster would still be permitted to bid against each other for books. Pan otherwise persistently challenged Penguin Random House’s assurances that the merger would not reduce competition.

☆ Judge blocks Penguin Random House’s purchase of Simon & Schuster
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Cnn Business Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN Business —A federal judge blocked Penguin Random House from buying Simon & Schuster, arguing that the combination of the two book business giants would illegally reduce competition. The ruling, most of which remained confidential, comes nearly a year after the Justice Department sued to block the deal. US District Court Judge Florence Pan agreed with the Biden administration that the deal should not be allowed to go forward. Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster are two members of the “Big Five,” the industry’s term for the five biggest publishers in the United States. Simon & Schuster’s parent, Paramount, and Penguin Random House, a subsidiary of German media giant Bertelsmann, announced the $2.175 billion deal in November 2020.

☆ Tesla faces U.S. criminal probe over self-driving car claims, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Such warnings could complicate any case the Justice Department might wish to bring, the sources said. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. As part of the latest probe, Justice Department prosecutors in Washington and San Francisco are examining whether Tesla misled consumers, investors and regulators by making unsupported claims about its driver assistance technology’s capabilities, the sources said. The Justice Department’s Autopilot probe is far from recommending any action partly because it is competing with two other DOJ investigations involving Tesla, one of the sources said. The Justice Department may also face challenges in building its case, said the sources, because of Tesla’s warnings about overreliance on Autopilot.

☆ Augusta National Golf Club Under Investigation in DOJ Antitrust Probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Louise Radnofsky | Andrew Beaton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Justice Department’s antitrust investigation into professional golf includes the powerhouse bodies Augusta National Golf Club and the United States Golf Association, in addition to the PGA Tour, according to people familiar with the matter. The PGA Tour is battling the upstart, Saudi-backed LIV Golf’s bid to establish a rival golf tour that has already lured away a number of star players. The DOJ antitrust division’s scrutiny of the PGA Tour was first reported by The Wall Street Journal in July. Players’ agents have received inquiries about the Tour’s bylaws as they pertain to players’ participation in non-PGA Tour events, and the Tour’s actions relating to LIV Golf.

Such warnings could complicate any case the Justice Department might wish to bring, the sources said. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. The Justice Department investigation potentially represents a more serious level of scrutiny because of the possibility of criminal charges against the company or individual executives, the people familiar with the inquiry said. As part of the latest probe, Justice Department prosecutors in Washington and San Francisco are examining whether Tesla misled consumers, investors and regulators by making unsupported claims about its driver assistance technology's capabilities, the sources said. The Justice Department’s Autopilot probe is far from recommending any action partly because it is competing with two other DOJ investigations involving Tesla, one of the sources said.

☆ Top Arizona election official refers more cases of potential voter intimidation to law enforcement
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has referred six reports of possible voter intimidation to law enforcement in the past week, as well as an allegation of harassment of an election worker, her office said Monday. The cases were referred to the state attorney general’s office and the U.S. Justice Department for further investigation. Early voting got underway Oct. 12 in the battleground state, where Hobbs is the Democratic nominee for governor. Hobbs’ office said it also referred a report of election worker harassment to law enforcement Saturday. The case is being pursued by the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was launched in June 2021.

☆ DOJ says it needs more money for the Jan. 6 probe. The next spending bill may be its last chance.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Sahil-Kapur-Headshot.Jpg | Sahil Kapur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration says it is in critical need of more money to bring the Jan. 6 rioters to justice. The Justice Department has told Congress that more than $34 million in funding is "critically needed" to fund the investigation. “The cases are unprecedented in scale and is expected to be among the most complex investigations prosecuted by the Department of Justice,” the Justice Department wrote to the legislative branch. Before they broke for recess, lawmakers involved in the talks told NBC News that the fate of the Justice request was still unsettled. I don’t have any problem giving the Justice Department the resources it needs to do that,” he said.

☆ Democrats hit Sen. Ron Johnson on Jan. 6 remarks in new Wisconsin Senate ad
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Democrats are ramping up their attacks on Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin over his remarks downplaying the Jan. 6 riot with a new TV ad in the homestretch of the pivotal Senate race. The ad is paid for by the Senate Majority PAC — the Democrats’ main Senate super PAC — and End Citizens United, another political action committee. It’s also the first time Democrats have run a TV ad in the race highlighting Johnson’s remarks about the attack on the Capitol. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., at a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing in Washington on Sept. 21. And yet you refused to investigate the deadly attack on our Capitol.”A digital ad earlier in the campaign also drew attention to Jan. 6.

☆ U.S. says seven board directors resigned under antitrust pressure
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Seven directors on the boards of five companies have resigned because of the U.S. Justice Department's concerns over the directors holding similar board positions at rival companies, the department said on Wednesday. Two others representing Thoma Bravo on the SolarWinds board also resigned, the department said. SolarWinds said in a legal filing dated Oct. 14 that the three board members had decided to resign after receiving a letter from the Justice Department alleging that their board service broke antitrust law. A spokesperson for Udemy said a director stepped down on Sept. 23 because of U.S. Justice Department concerns. Directors also resigned from the board of Definitive Healthcare (DH.O), Redwire Corp (RDW.N) and CTS Corp (CTS.N) because they were on the boards of competing companies, the department said.

☆ Johnson's campaign is paying the law firm of a Trump attorney allegedly connected to Jan. 6 fake elector plot
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The records show he made regular payments, totaling at least $30,000 in payments this year, to another law firm, Wiley Rein, for legal consulting. Other numbers publicly listed for Troupis Law Office appear disconnected or are inoperable. Phone, email and text messages left with Johnson’s campaign were not immediately returned. On May 11, Chesebro donated $5,800 to Johnson’s campaign, the maximum amount an individual can contribute during the primary, under FEC rules. That lawsuit alleges that Troupis was a link between the Trump campaign and the fake electors.

☆ Price-Fixing Charges Against Chicken-Industry Executives Are Dismissed
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Dave Michaels | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department’s last criminal case against former poultry-industry executives accused of price-fixing has collapsed, bringing an apparent end to a probe that alleged an effort by rival companies to coordinate prices of chickens sold to restaurants, grocery stores and others. A federal judge on Monday dismissed charges against former Pilgrim’s Pride employees Jason McGuire and Timothy Stiller after prosecutors moved to drop them. The Justice Department’s decision came after the judge criticized the case and barred most of the government’s evidence, including hundreds of emails and text messages and the anticipated testimony of the government’s main witness.

☆ FBI Seeks Additional Information From Two Trump Aides About Mar-a-Lago Records
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Sadie Gurman | Alex Leary | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—Federal investigators spoke to at least two aides to former President Donald Trump months before the FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago resort and have sought to talk to them again in recent weeks, people familiar with the matter said, as the Justice Department examines possible obstruction of its efforts to retrieve hundreds of government and classified documents. The aides, Walt Nauta and Will Russell, are witnesses in the Justice Department’s investigation into the handling of presidential and classified records taken from the White House but aren’t formally cooperating with the probe, the people said.

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