Author: Jack-Birle-and-Kaelan-Deese-Washington-Examiner

Cody Balmer, the Pennsylvania man accused of firebombing the residence of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro earlier this year, pleaded guilty to all counts he faced on Tuesday, including attempted homicide, aggravated arson, and terrorism. Balmer, a 38-year-old man from Penbrook, pleaded guilty to all charges during his first appearance in state court related to the…

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia has handed down an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James, bringing one charge of bank fraud, according to sources familiar with the matter. The investigation into James follows allegations that she misrepresented a Virginia residence as her “principal residence” in 2023 in order…

Newly declassified intelligence records show then-Vice President Joe Biden in late 2015 allegedly intervened to suppress a CIA report that raised concerns about his family’s business ties in Ukraine, a revelation that Republicans say confirms a “massive cover-up” involving top intelligence officials and the former Obama administration. The newly revealed documents, declassified Tuesday by CIA Director John Ratcliffe,…

The Supreme Court will hear a challenge on Tuesday to Colorado’s “conversion therapy” ban on free speech grounds, the latest clash between First Amendment rights and laws pushed by LGBT advocates. In Chiles v. Salazar, Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor in the Centennial State, argues that a law aimed at banning “conversion therapy” unconstitutionally restricts…

Fairfax County Public Schools is facing a sweeping lawsuit over policies that allegedly force female students to share bathrooms with biologically male peers and punish students for refusing to use gender-affirming pronouns, in what may become a national test case for Title IX enforcement and free speech in schools. The lawsuit, filed Friday by America…

A federal court this week struck down a controversial Internal Revenue Service “facts and circumstances” test for nonprofit tax-exempt status, calling it unconstitutionally vague and opening the door to major changes in how political speech by advocacy groups is regulated. Judge Jia Cobb of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled Tuesday…

Federal courts are pausing high-profile civil lawsuits against the Trump administration in response to the government shutdown that began early Wednesday, as agencies begin cutting back on non-essential legal work to conserve resources. The Justice Department announced that while criminal prosecutions will continue uninterrupted, the shutdown “effectively eliminated” its ability to handle most civil litigation.…

The Justice Department sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday, accusing the agency and Sheriff Robert Luna of systematically violating the Second Amendment rights of residents by dragging out concealed carry permit approvals for months or even years. In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California,…

The arrest of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts last week has ignited a firestorm in Iowa’s capital, as federal officials allege the longtime educator was living and working in the country illegally, despite holding one of the state’s most prominent and well-compensated public sector jobs. Roberts, 54, was detained Friday by U.S. Immigration…

The Justice Department on Monday filed a civil complaint under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act against pro-Palestinian demonstrators accused of violently disrupting a Jewish memorial service in New Jersey last year, marking what officials say is the first time the statute has been used to protect a house of worship. Assistant Attorney General…