Law

Its doubtful that Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton (right) will face legal consequences for the letter he wrote to Iran. The Logan Act hasn't been used to prosecute anyone since it was passed more than 200 years ago.

Why The GOP Iran Letter Is Spurring Debate Over An 18th Century Law

3:00pm March 31, 2015

by Miles Parks

The Logan Act prevents "unauthorized citizens" from meddling in foreign affairs. There's a petition to charge the 47 senators who signed the letter, but no one has ever been prosecuted under the law.

Alabama Judge Says Raising Money To Be Elected Is 'Tawdry'

2:27pm March 31, 2015

Mixing judges with campaign contributions can lead to conflicts of interest. Fresh Air talks to retired Judge Sue Bell Cobb and the Center for American Progress' Billy Corriher.

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Demonstrators gather outside the City County Building in Indianapolis on Monday, calling for the state House to roll back the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which critics say can be used to discriminate against gays and lesbians.

National

Indiana Governor Stands By 'Religious Freedom' Law But Promises Fix

1:21pm March 31, 2015

by Bill Chappell

"We'll fix this and we'll move forward," Gov. Mike Pence says, adding that he was "taken aback" by criticism of a law that's seen as allowing businesses to refuse service to gays and lesbians.

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Indiana GOP To Revisit Controversial Religious Freedom Act

7:58am March 31, 2015

by Brandon Smith

As concerns grow that the law is a license to discriminate, GOP lawmakers are seeking clarification for the measure. Democrats say that doesn't go far enough, calling for full repeal of the law.

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Demonstrators gather outside the City County Building in Indianapolis Monday, calling for the state house to roll back the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which critics say can be used to discriminate against gays and lesbians.

Politics & Government

Indianapolis Mayor Calls On Legislature To Repeal Or Ammend Bill

7:58am March 31, 2015

Steve Inskeep talks to Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, a Republican, about the impact of Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was recently sighed into law by Governor Mike Pence.

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Indiana Senate President Pro Tem David Long (left) and House Speaker Brian C. Bosma, both Republicans, discuss their plans for clarifying the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act during a news conference today at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.

Indiana GOP To Revisit Law; Paper Weighs In With Full Page Editorial

11:19pm March 30, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act stoked controversy almost from the moment it was passed by the state's GOP-dominated Legislature and signed by Gov. Mike Pence on Thursday.

Detective Mark Williams (right) speaks with an officer in Richmond, Va. A decade ago, amid a surge in violent crime, Richmond police were identifying relatively few murder suspects. So the police department refocused its efforts to bring up its "clearance

National

Open Cases: Why One-Third Of Murders In America Go Unresolved

10:22pm March 30, 2015

by Martin Kaste

Police today are identifying fewer murder suspects than they did a generation ago. One criminologist says that may be because departments are more focused on preventing crimes than on making arrests.

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National

Prosecution Rests Case Against Admitted Boston Marathon Bomber

6:23pm March 30, 2015

by Tovia Smith

Federal prosecutors rested their case against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Monday. Medical examiners revealed the autopsy results of an 8-year-old boy who was the youngest person killed in the bombing.

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National

How Many Crimes Do Your Police 'Clear'? Now You Can Find Out

5:22pm March 30, 2015

by Martin Kaste

Police say a crime is "cleared" when they make an arrest or identify a suspect. Clearance rates vary widely by city, but you can use our tool to look up how the police are faring where you live.

Payday Loans — And Endless Cycles Of Debt — Targeted By Federal Watchdog

3:00pm March 30, 2015

by Scott Horsley

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is readying new regulations on payday loans and other high-cost forms of credit. Officials with the agency say the loans can trap borrowers in a cycle of debt.

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