Jerry Seper

Justice Dept. pressed to explain Panthers dropped charges

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is expected to approve Friday the sending of a second letter to the Justice Department, asking it to justify its decision in May to drop charges against members of the New Black Panther Party accused of intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place in the November election. Published August 7, 2009

Obama sends stimulus aid to foreign firms

Nearly half of the $2.4 billion in federal grant money awarded Wednesday to stimulate the U.S. economy and boost the production of hybrid and electric vehicles went to six companies with ties to places as far away as Russia, China, South Korea and France. Published August 6, 2009

Panel blasts Panther case dismissal

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is demanding that the Justice Department explain why it recently dismissed a civil complaint against members of the New Black Panther Party who disrupted a Philadelphia polling place during last year's election, saying the department has offered only "weak justifications." Published August 4, 2009

Lawmakers seek refiling in Panther case

Congressional Republicans on Thursday escalated their criticism of the Justice Department for dismissing a controversial voter-intimidation case, demanding that civil charges against the New Black Panther Party be restored. Published July 31, 2009

Senior Republican wants answers on Panther case

The ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee wants a closed-door briefing with the head of the Justice Department's Voting Rights Section on Friday over the department's decision to seek a dismissal in a voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party. Published July 31, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: No. 3 at Justice OK’d Panther reversal

Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli reversed course and dropped a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party of intimidating voters during November's election, according to interviews. Published July 30, 2009

Fed money may benefit Russian-backed firm

Sens. Richard G. Lugar and Evan Bayh are securing federal money for a company that wants to build advanced lithium-ion batteries, but whose major investor is a business associate of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Published July 5, 2009

Sanford says he ‘crossed lines’ with additional women

Embattled South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford acknowledged Tuesday that he "crossed lines" during his marriage, with women in addition to the Argentine girlfriend he disclosed last week, as information surfaced that he had a romantic interlude as early as 1995 on an official congressional trip to Chile. Published July 1, 2009

Two ATF arrests awaken theories of conspiracy

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents arrested two suspected white supremacists Thursday after a raid at a northern Illinois home, during which agents seized assault weapons, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and purportedly racist materials. Published June 26, 2009

Conyers’ wife focus of bribery probe

Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers, the wife of House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr., has been ensnared in a federal bribery investigation and is discussing a possible plea deal, The Washington Times has learned. Published June 18, 2009

After lobbyist boasts, Feinstein cancels event

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, abruptly canceled a campaign fundraising lunch scheduled for Wednesday after the Washington lobbyist helping to organize the event suggested in an invitation that the committee's work would be served as the "first course." Published June 16, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Career lawyers overruled on voting case

Justice Department political appointees overruled career lawyers and ended a civil complaint accusing members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense of intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place last Election Day. Published May 29, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Records violations dog housing nominee

President Obama's choice for the government's No. 2 housing job is embroiled in the largest fine in U.S. history for "blatant violations" of open records laws. Published May 7, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Barton’s foundation not so charitable

The top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee operates a tax-exempt foundation that has raised donations from the industries his committee oversees, while giving less than a quarter of the foundation's money to charitable causes, tax records show. Published April 6, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: AIG chiefs pressed to donate to Dodd

As Democrats prepared to take control of Congress after the 2006 elections, a top boss at the insurance giant American International Group Inc. told colleagues that Sen. Christopher J. Dodd was seeking re-election donations and he implored company executives and their spouses to give. Published March 30, 2009

Texas whistleblower fights uphill battle

For nearly six years, George Green labored anonymously as the sole architect for the Texas Department of Human Services. It was 1989 and life was good. All that changed when he blew the whistle on a lucrative kickback scheme and found himself in a high-profile legal battle with the state. Published March 22, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Commerce pick tied to China cash

Commerce Secretary nominee Gary Locke has performed legal work for firms doing business with Beijing and was forced to refund several political donations received from key figures in a Chinese influence-buying probe. Published March 18, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Big donors dominate Obama panel

EXCLUSIVE: President Obama's newly named Economic Recovery Advisory Board includes a union executive who took the Fifth in a Clinton-era federal investigation. Published March 5, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Hatch’s secret drug firm links

The pharmaceutical industry that long has benefited from Sen. Orrin G. Hatch's legislative efforts has directed large sums of money to a charity he helped found -- and still raises money for -- while also hiring the Republican lawmaker's son as a lobbyist. Published March 2, 2009

2 lobbyists eyed for food-safety post

Under President Obama's pledge to exclude registered lobbyists from the government payroll, two top contenders for an important food-safety post at the Agriculture Department will need waivers to win the job. Published March 1, 2009