Topic: Eric Holder

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Gas prices and five other liabilities for Obama in 2012

“Yes We Can” was so 2008. Now President Obama is the incumbent, with a record to defend. More than whom the Republicans nominate to run against him in 2012, how voters perceive Mr. Obama’s accomplishments and liabilities – two highly subjective categories, at times overlapping – will determine whether he gets four more years. Here are his top six liabilities, including still-high gas prices:
In Pictures: Obama's West Wing
Waterboarding and other 'Decision Points' in Bush's war on terror

Controversial 'Decisions Points' during George W. Bush's tenure, including his green light to waterboarding, have returned to public scrutiny.
In Pictures: Legalize marijuana?
In Pictures: Graduation 2010

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Patrick Fitzgerald, nemesis of Rod Blagojevich, steps down

US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald on Thursday ruled out two options for his next career move, saying he’s not wired to run for office and quipping, 'Can you see me as a defense attorney?'
World watches as 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and others go on trial

The military trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9/11 defendants could become the most important US war crimes tribunal since Nuremberg. But at their arraignment Saturday, the five men staged a protest.
New York man found guilty in suicide subway bomb plot

Adis Medunjanin, a Bosnian-born US citizen, faces the prospect of life in prison after being convicted on nine counts.
BP engineer arrested in Gulf oil spill

Former BP engineer Kurt Mix is accused of deleting text messages that revealed the true scope of the disaster.
Orrin Hatch close call in Utah: Tea party rising?

Sen. Orrin Hatch is favored to win reelection, but first he faces a primary election against tea party favorite Dan Liljenquist. Can Hatch avoid the fate of former Utah Sen. Bob Bennett, ousted in 2010 by the tea party?
Feds bulk up for retrial of Roger Clemens over steroids

The Justice Department, embarrassed by an error that caused a mistrial of Roger Clemens last year, has added more prosecutors as it seeks to convict the famed pitcher of lying to Congress when he said he never used performance-enhancing drugs.
Decoder Wire
George Zimmerman charged: Will that affect civil rights investigation?

News that George Zimmerman was charged with murder won't sway the ongoing federal civil rights investigation, which is looking for evidence that Zimmerman was motivated by racial hatred.
George Zimmerman charged in Trayvon Martin case: Why now, and what next?

George Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Trayvon Martin. Florida’s Stand Your Ground law could loom large moving forward.
Inside US lawsuit: How Apple, publishers allegedly brought Amazon to heel

US antitrust lawyers filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc. and two publishers, alleging they conspired to inflate the price of e-books, at an estimated cost to readers of $100 million.
Holder answers judge, defending both judiciary and Obama health care remarks

Attorney General Eric Holder affirmed Thursday that the judiciary has power to review laws of the land, in reply to a US judge who had taken umbrage at an Obama comment questioning judicial review of his health care law. Obama's remark was consistent with that principle, Holder added.
Terrorism & Security
9/11 trial to resume at Guantánamo, ending quest for civilian trial

The Pentagon yesterday authorized five 9/11 suspects, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, to be tried in a military commission on the US base in Guantánamo Bay.
Holder: Administration will respond to judge in health care case

The Attorney General said the Texas judge who asked for a letter recognizing the court's authority will receive an appropriate reply.
White House seeks to head off showdown with judges over health-care comments

An appeals court judge has given the Obama administration until Thursday noon to clarify comments made by the president about health-care reform. The judge's question: Does Obama acknowledge that federal courts can strike down federal laws?
Trayvon Martin case: US could bring hate crime charge against George Zimmerman

The Justice Department could bring a hate crime charge against George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin if there is sufficient evidence the slaying was motivated by racial bias.
Obama on Trayvon Martin death: a time of 'soul-searching' for 'all of us' (+video)

President Obama on Friday addressed for the first time the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, saying, 'If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon.' Some decry an 'official national tragedy.'
Trayvon Martin 911 tapes: Who screamed for help before shot rang out?

Police and the parents of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager shot by a neighborhood watch captain, differ in their interpretation of 911 tapes, specifically about who was yelling for help.
Report: NYPD compiled huge, secret dossier on law-abiding Muslims

A report released Friday suggests that, despite claims to the contrary, the NYPD singled out Muslims for surveillance and sometimes even crossed state lines. Critics want a federal probe.
Underwear bomber gets life: He never expressed doubt or remorse, judge says

Underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, sentenced to multiple life sentences, declared in federal court in Detroit: 'Mujahideen are proud to kill in the name of God.'
As violent Puerto Rican drug trade seeps into mainland US, Washington must act

Drug trafficking is at the root of most of the 1,136 homicides perpetrated in Puerto Rico in 2011, the highest number ever recorded, exceeding even Mexico's murder rate. The Puerto Rican government cannot manage this crisis alone. Washington must intervene.
Health-care fraud crackdown nets $4.1b. Is that a lot?

Officials say nearly $4.1b was recovered last year in the health-care fraud crackdown, an Obama priority, but it's unclear if that reflects the success of law enforcement or the magnitude of the problem.
Will $26 billion settlement from big banks repair US housing market? (+video)

In the short term, the deal between 49 states and five big banks may actually boost foreclosures, some say. In the longer term, it should clear the inventory of homes that depresses prices and help the middle class.
US charges 'Reluctant Spy' author with leaking secrets to journalists

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, author of 'The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA’s War on Terror,' faces up to 30 years in prison for allegedly disclosing classified information to reporters.
Partisan feud escalates over voter ID laws in South Carolina, other states

The Obama administration has blocked South Carolina's tough voter ID law, citing possible minority disenfranchisement. The spread of such laws is reviving a Democratic-Republican feud over voting rights.
Bank of America in $335M settlement over lending discrimination case

The settlement with the US Justice Department was filed Wednesday with the Central District court of California and is subject to court approval. The DOJ says it's the largest settlement in history over residential fair lending practices.
Confusion reigns over medical marijuana as states and Feds clash

Sixteen states allow medical marijuana for patients with prescriptions. But the Feds have lately cracked down on what they say are abuses by the burgeoning industry. Will 'pot wars' ensue?