Author: rpnadmin

U.S. Magistrate Judge Lindsey Vaala expressed confusion and surprise at some points during the seven-minute court session when a federal grand jury impaneled in Alexandria, Virginia,  returned the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey Thursday night.According to a transcript of the proceedings obtained by CBS News, Judge Vaala asked the newly named interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan — a former Trump personal lawyer — why there were two versions of the indictment.A majority of the grand jury that reviewed the Comey matter voted not to charge him with one of the three counts presented by prosecutors, according to a…

The government is just days away from shutting down if Congress can’t reach a deal. President Trump upped the stakes, threatening large-scale layoffs if Democrats don’t provide the necessary votes. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: We are four days away from a government shutdown.A MARTÍNEZ, HOST: And a memo from the White House promises to punish federal workers if that happens. The Trump administration is threatening large-scale layoffs if Democrats don’t provide the necessary votes to avoid a shutdown. We don’t know exactly which jobs would be targeted or how many federal workers could lose their jobs, but the deadline to come…

Attorney General Pam Bondi said late Friday she has ordered Justice Department agents to guard Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities — and directed counterterrorism task forces to look into attacks against federal authorities.The move by Bondi came after one detainee was killed and two others were injured in a shooting at an ICE field office in Dallas on Wednesday, the latest shooting or threat targeting an ICE facility or immigration agent in recent months. “At my direction, I am deploying DOJ agents to ICE facilities—and wherever ICE comes under siege—to safeguard federal agents, protect federal property, and immediately arrest all individuals…

Don’t let JD Vance silence our independent journalism On September 15, Vice President JD Vance attacked The Nation while hosting The Charlie Kirk Show. In a clip seen millions of times, Vance singled out The Nation in a dog whistle to his far-right followers. Predictably, a torrent of abuse followed. Throughout our 160 years of publishing fierce, independent journalism, we’ve operated with the belief that dissent is the highest form of patriotism. We’ve been criticized by both Democratic and Republican officeholders—and we’re pleased that the White House is reading The Nation. As long as Vance is free to criticize us…

MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, an ally of President Trump, defamed the election technology company Smartmatic with false statements that its voting machines helped rig the 2020 presidential election, a federal judge in Minnesota ruled Friday.But U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Bryan deferred until future proceedings the question of whether Lindell — one of the country’s most prominent propagators of false claims that the 2020 election was a fraud — acted with the “actual malice” that Smartmatic still needs to prove to collect any damages.The judge said there are “genuine fact disputes” as to whether Lindell’s statements were made “with knowledge that…

The cause of death of Travis Decker, the man accused of killing his three young daughters earlier this year in Washington state before disappearing and sparking a monthslong manhunt, “may never be known,” the local county coroner told CBS News on Friday.  Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris told CBS News that Decker’s “cause and manner” of death, along with the time of death, “may never be known.”Harris said the coroner’s office received only “minimal skeletal remains,” and with so much time since the death, “there is nothing to autopsy.””The only examination done at this point was by a forensic anthropologist,”…

The battle over next year’s federal education budget has begun. Congress and the White House have released not one, not two, but three competing funding visions for the nation’s K-12 schools in fiscal year 2026. And education researchers warn that two of those three proposals — from the White House and House Republicans — would impose steep cuts on some of the United States’ most vulnerable students and disadvantaged school communities. The three proposals on the table First up, President Trump’s proposed budget would cut U.S. Department of Education funding by 15%. It would eliminate all funding ($1.3 billion) for…

Washington — The indictment of former FBI Director James Comey on Thursday marked the culmination of President Trump’s yearslong desire to see one of his political foes punished after the bureau’s investigation into his 2016 presidential campaign and Russian meddling in that election.But the president’s long-held ire toward Comey, coupled with his latest comments cheering the federal charges brought against the former FBI chief, could aid defense lawyers in a potential bid to have the case against Comey tossed.”In this case, the facts before the indictment and even comments Trump made after the indictment provide strong factual evidence that Mr.…

Don’t let JD Vance silence our independent journalism On September 15, Vice President JD Vance attacked The Nation while hosting The Charlie Kirk Show. In a clip seen millions of times, Vance singled out The Nation in a dog whistle to his far-right followers. Predictably, a torrent of abuse followed. Throughout our 160 years of publishing fierce, independent journalism, we’ve operated with the belief that dissent is the highest form of patriotism. We’ve been criticized by both Democratic and Republican officeholders—and we’re pleased that the White House is reading The Nation. As long as Vance is free to criticize us…

Washington — Senate Democrats are escalating their demands for information about White House border czar Tom Homan and any involvement he has had in federal contracts, following allegations that he accepted $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents posing as businessmen last year.In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that was first obtained by CBS News, seven Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee called for the release of Department of Homeland Security contracts, communications and other materials tied to the allegations. The group of lawmakers, which includes ranking member Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan,…