Crime News
The Daily Signal reports on crime news with analysis and commentary on policies, crime rates, and policing debates.
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- News
Before Lois Lerner Targeted the Tea Party, She Helped the Clinton Foundation
Six years before she became the central figure in the IRS’ illegal targeting of tea party tax-exemption applicants, Lois Lerner cleared the way for the Clinton Foundation’s transformation from building a presidential library to being a $2 billion global political influence peddling machine, according to documents obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group….Mark Tapscott -
- Opinion
How Jeff Sessions Is Getting Tough on Drug Crime
Being a drug dealer in the United States just got more risky. Last Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memorandum directing all federal prosecutors to “charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense.” This means that absent extenuating circumstances, prosecutors must pursue offenses that carry the highest penalties under federal guidelines, including mandatory…Paul Runko -
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Lawmakers Ask Attorney General to Take Second Look at Lerner’s Case
Congressmen are asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions to re-examine the case of IRS division chief Lois Lerner. “We believe that she targeted people based on their political philosophy, which is a crime, and secondly, we believe that she has lied to the inspector general when that was being investigated,” Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., told The…Paul Runko -
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How This Maryland Police Department Is Combating the MS-13 Gang
Two years ago, a suburban Maryland county began to see a dramatic rise in killings attributed to MS-13, an international gang with ties to Central America. In response, the Montgomery County Police Department assigned Capt. Paul Liquorie, a 23-year veteran of the police force, to lead a centralized street gang unit dedicated to stomping out…Josh Siegel -
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Here Are 12 Possible Comey Replacements at FBI
There’s no shortage of familiar names floating to be the next FBI director, after President Donald Trump’s controversial firing of James Comey earlier this week. “The president shouldn’t nominate anyone who has a clearly partisan background,” Ron Hosko says. But it appears former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan could be an early favorite among…Paul Runko -
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Trump Has Vowed to Eradicate MS-13. What You Need to Know About the Gang.
In describing its effort to enforce immigration laws aggressively, the Trump administration repeatedly has invoked the threat of MS-13, a violent international gang with ties to Central America. The Democrats don't want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS 13 gang members. —…Josh Siegel -
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Veteran Justice Department Officials Weigh Need for Special Prosecutor in Russia Probe
President Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey gave more fodder to Democrats, many of whom were already calling for a special prosecutor to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Matthew Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, is unsure this case measures up to past cases involving…Paul Runko -
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Trump Fires FBI Director James Comey
President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening fired FBI Director James Comey, amid rising controversy over what Comey told Congress regarding a top Hillary Clinton aide and an ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election. “Today will mark a new beginning for our crown jewel of law enforcement,” @POTUS says. Numerous Democrats are calling…Fred Lucas -
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Watchdog Group Sues Justice Department for Sally Yates Emails
Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch is suing the Justice Department for emails that could reveal what former acting Attorney General Sally Yates knew about alleged connections between Russia and the Trump administration. Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit Friday under the Freedom of Information Act, Politico reported, when Yates already was scheduled to testify Monday before the Senate on…Thomas Phippen -
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House IT Scandal Figure Threatened Kidnappings of Stepmom’s Pakistani Kin
A former congressional information technology (IT) aide allegedly threatened to have his stepmother’s Pakistani relatives kidnapped if she talked to U.S. law enforcement authorities, according to court documents obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation’s (TheDCNF) Investigative Group. “Imran Awan threatened that he is very powerful and if I ever call the police again, [he] will ……Luke Rosiak -
- Opinion
FDA May Make Too Many Pizza Toppings a Crime
Jenny Craig can’t arrest you if you miscount your calories, but the federal government could if a new calorie-counting rule takes effect. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments” (79 FR 71155) rule was originally scheduled to take effect on May 5. The…David Rosenthal -
- News
Trump, Sessions Target MS-13 Gang in Push Against Illegal Immigration
President Donald Trump’s administration has initiated an effort to target MS-13, an international criminal gang founded by El Salvadorian immigrants in Los Angeles. Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly have all recently mentioned the gang by highlighting its dangers and explaining how they will combat the group. In a Tuesday…Caleb Ecarma -
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Top Tax-Writing Republicans Renew Call for DOJ to Investigate Lois Lerner Over IRS Scandal
Two top tax-writing Republicans in the House are calling on the Department of Justice to reopen its investigation into whether former IRS official Lois Lerner unlawfully targeted conservative organizations applying for tax-exempt status. Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady and tax policy subcommittee Chairman Peter Roskam sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions Wednesday, noting…Juliegrace Brufke -
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What Determines If Susan Rice Committed Crime in ‘Unmasking’ of Trump Officials
Political opponents have been quick to suggest that Susan Rice committed a crime in her waning days as national security adviser to President Barack Obama in the way she handled intelligence reports related to those close to the incoming president, Donald Trump. But to have broken federal law, national security experts told The Daily Signal,…Josh Siegel -
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- Opinion
From the Car Wash to the Butcher Shop, Corruption Permeates Brazil
For the past three years, a massive (and still unfolding) public corruption scandal known as “Operation “Car Wash” has rocked Brazil. The scandal includes allegations of widespread kickbacks and money laundering schemes connected to construction contracts with the state-owned Petrobras oil company. Now, the country is confronting another major embarrassment. According to The Wall Street Journal,…James M. Roberts -
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IRS Policy That Allowed Targeting Is Still in Effect, Watchdog Finds
An obscure bureaucratic policy that allowed IRS officials to target conservative and tea party tax-exemption applicants during the 2010 and 2012 election campaigns is still in place, meaning the same abuses may be continuing, according to a nonprofit government watchdog. The federal tax agency’s policy requires IRS officials to stop processing tax-exempt applications that are “likely…Ethan Barton -
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FBI Director Confirms Investigation of Russia’s Meddling in US Election, Including Any Links to Trump Campaign
For the first time, the director of the FBI publicly revealed Monday that the bureau is conducting a counterintelligence investigation of the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the presidential election and whether there was any coordination between the Trump campaign and Moscow. “I have been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
The Justice Department’s Latest Misbehavior
For the past decade, John Fund, J. Christian Adams, and I have been writing about the misbehavior, unethical conduct, and lack of professionalism exhibited by lawyers inside the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department, including the Voting Section. The situation apparently has not improved, given the serious accusations of unprofessional conduct made by…Hans von Spakovsky