National Security

Doubt about the FBI and Justice Department's practices exploded after Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a report finding 17 omissions or other problems with filings connected to Carter Page, who served as a junior foreign policy aide to Donald T

Secret Surveillance Court Rebukes FBI, DOJ With Order To Re-Validate Their Work

6:18pm December 17, 2019

by Philip Ewing

The presiding judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ordered the government, in so many words, to explain why the court should accept what it submits when it applies for warrants.

FISA Slams FBI Over Surveillance Of Trump Adviser Carter Page

6:09pm December 17, 2019

by Ryan Lucas

The secret court that oversees foreign intelligence work rebuked the FBI and Justice Department, essentially asking for the government to prove why its judges should believe what they submit.

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A courtroom sketch depicts Rick Gates testifying in the bank fraud and tax evasion trial of Paul Manafort on Aug. 7, 2018. Gates was Manafort's protege and a leader on the Trump presidential campaign.

Rick Gates, Key Witness In Mueller Investigation, Sentenced To 45 Days In Jail

2:44pm December 17, 2019

by Ryan Lucas

Donald Trump's former deputy campaign chairman, a protege of Paul Manafort, has provided important evidence to investigators and prosecutors in the Russia investigation and beyond.

"These are really good bills," House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., seen here in June, said last Thursday. Republican lawmakers are also touting wins.

From Border Security To Tobacco Age, Both Parties Tout Key Wins In Spending Deal

10:54pm December 16, 2019

by Claudia Grisales

Congressional leaders unveiled new highlights for a fiscal year 2020 budget agreement. It boosts spending for census, federal workers and the military, election security and border security efforts.

Courtney Parker votes on a new voting machine in Dallas, Ga., last November. Whereas Georgia voters statewide are expected to vote on new machines in 2020, millions of voters across the country are expected to use machines that are more than a decade old.

Congress Allocates $425 Million For Election Security In New Legislation

6:13pm December 16, 2019

by Miles Parks

The bipartisan agreement was completed on Monday. Critics say the money is better than nothing but that more structure — and more consistency — are needed.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., speaks to the media on Friday. His committee has released a report on the articles of impeachment against President Trump, ahead of a vote by the full House.

READ: The House Judiciary Committee's Trump Impeachment Report

2:42pm December 16, 2019

by NPR Staff

Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., completed a rare impeachment report — like ones filed for former Presidents Nixon and Clinton — ahead of a House vote expected this week. It includes Republicans' views.

National

Encore: How One Group Sees Extremism As A Public Health Emergency

8:03am December 15, 2019

by Hannah Allam

The nonprofit Parents For Peace wants Americans to see extremism as a public health emergency — one that cuts across race, religion and politics. The members are former extremists and their families.

Rep. Elaine Luria answers reporters' questions prior to a town hall at a church in Virginia Beach, Va., in October.

On Verge Of Impeachment Vote, First-Term, Moderate Democrats Weigh A Political Risk

9:28pm December 14, 2019

by Claudia Grisales

Moderate Democrats are facing one of the most difficult political decisions in their careers. And the stakes couldn't be higher for their freshman class.

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National

The ACLU On FISA Concerns

9:17am December 14, 2019

NPR's Scott Simon asks Hina Shamsi of the American Civil Liberties Union about the Justice Department inspector general's report on the FBI's Russia investigation.

Michael Horowitz, inspector general for the Justice Department, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday.

4 Unanswered Questions After The Justice Watchdog's Senate Briefing

8:11pm December 11, 2019

by Philip Ewing

Inspector General Michael Horowitz testified for several hours Wednesday on his 476-page report on the Russia investigation. There's still more to learn — and more action may result.