Topic: Eric Holder

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Focus Drones over America: public safety benefit or 'creepy' privacy threat?

Drones are not just for tracking terrorists abroad. Some 327 are authorized to fly in US airspace – most for military training. But as their numbers grow, so is domestic scrutiny.
Decoder Wire Rand Paul filibuster fallout: Are Democrats his real allies?

By taking on the White House over its drone policy and civil liberties, Rand Paul echoed concerns of liberal Democrats. But only one helped him during his filibuster, showing how tribal D.C. is.
Bin Laden son-in-law's trial in New York reignites Guantánamo debate

Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, a son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, is charged with conspiring to kill US nationals and will be tried in a civilian court in New York. Some say he should be sent to Gitmo.
Decoder Wire Did Rand Paul fear-monger in filibuster? (+video)

The emphasis by Sen. Rand Paul on cafe drone strikes on US soil came across to some critics as a lost opportunity to talk about other actual dangers in the expanding use of unmanned aircraft to target terror suspects.
Rand Paul's drone filibuster shakes up Republicans

Sen. Rand Paul's filibuster got results: The White House acknowledged that killing US citizens suspected of being terrorists must follow the rule of law. But it also shook up the Republican caucus.
Decoder Wire Rand Paul rising: Has filibuster made him US political star? (+video)

Some Republicans saw the filibuster performance by Sen. Rand Paul as a morale boost for the party. He aimed to spark a broader discussion about the possible domestic use of armed drones.
Attorney General Holder promises more openness about drone attacks (+video)

The White House is under pressure about targeting terrorists with drones, including a filibuster by Sen. Rand Paul. Attorney General Eric Holder told a Senate committee, 'I heard you and the president heard you.'
Decoder Wire Brennan CIA nomination clears panel. What did White House have to divulge?

The nomination of John Brennan to head the CIA had languished in the Senate Intelligence Committee. Panel members were keen to know about the legal defense of the secret US drone program.
The Monitor's View Before more states legalize pot, Obama must enforce federal law

Former DEA chiefs and an international anti-drug body advise President Obama and the Justice Dept. to uphold federal anti-marijuana law against legalization by Colorado and Washington states. Why not listen to those on the front lines of the drug wars?
Obama on Prop 8: How sweeping is administration support for gay marriage?

Even if the Supreme Court agrees with President Obama's brief arguing that California's Prop. 8 is unconstitutional, that doesn't mean there will be a nationwide right for gays to marry.
Voting Rights Act: Is major portion outdated? Supreme Court to hear arguments.

Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act requires some state and local governments to obtain federal clearance for changes in voting procedures. In 2008 the Supreme Court said the section needed updating.
LAPD review of Christopher Dorner firing: why black community wants more

Even 20 years after the Rodney King riots, mistrust simmers between the LAPD and the black community. Some leaders say federal authorities need to investigate Christopher Dorner's claims.
Gulf oil spill: BP's record $4 billion criminal plea deal gets judge's OK

Under the plea agreement between BP and the US, the oil giant admits to 11 counts of felony manslaughter for the alleged negligence of its officials in 2010 Gulf oil spill.
Video games next on Joe Biden's quest to stop gun violence (+video)

Vice President Joe Biden meets with video game industry reps on Friday to talk about gun violence. Biden met with execs from the movie and cable TV industries on Thursday.
Gun control: Biden sees early consensus, but NRA cries foul

Vice President Joe Biden met with a number of groups Thursday, but the NRA objected to the focus of the meeting it attended. Universal background checks and limits on high-capacity magazines are two ideas emerging.
Biden meets with gun safety and victims groups, 'critically important' to act

The meeting was part of a series Biden is holding this week to build consensus around proposals to curb gun violence after the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn. Twenty school children were killed.
Transocean agrees to pay $1.4 billion fine for Gulf oil spill

Transocean was a contractor to BP and owned the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that was at the center of the Gulf oil spill. BP has already agreed to $4.5 billion in fines.
Energy Voices Transocean fined $1.4 billion in Gulf oil spill. Is justice served?

Transocean, Ltd., agreed Thursday to a $1.4 billion settlement with the US Department of Justice for its role in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Compared to BP's $4.5 billion fine, Transocean may have avoided the brunt of the blame.
Cover Story Jailed without conviction: Behind bars for lack of money

About 10 million people are jailed each year for crimes large and small. Most – two-thirds of the 750,000 in jail on any given day – stay long periods without conviction at great cost to the public and to themselves because they can't afford bail.
Obama says going after marijuana 'not a top priority' (+video)

Marijuana remains an illegal drug under federal law even though voters in Colorado and Washington State recently approved ballot measures legalizing small amounts of pot for adults.
Supreme Court takes up gay marriage: what the justices have to decide

The main question before the Supreme Court is not whether the Constitution protects gay marriage, but whether Prop. 8 and DOMA discriminate in violation of the 14th Amendment.
From 'no' to 'yes,' how Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana

A day many thought they would never see has come and gone. In November, after years of, 'Just say no,' Colorado and Washington state both voted to legalize small amounts of marijuana for adults over 21.
EPA bans BP from federal contracts, citing 'lack of business integrity'

The action by the Environmental Protection Administration bars BP and its affiliates from new government contracts for an indefinite period, but won't affect existing contracts.
Energy Voices BP fined $4.5 billion in Gulf oil spill. Is it enough?

BP reached a settlement with the US government Thursday to pay $4.5 billion in criminal fines and penalties for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Critics calls the BP settlement a slap on the wrist.
State laws legalizing marijuana put Obama in a bind: What are his options?

Voters in Massachusetts, Washington, and Colorado have multiplied the points of conflict between state and federal marijuana laws, making it harder for Obama to formulate a consistent policy.