Key House Democrat presses for more details on Trump's pardons, alleging "favors" to supporters
CBSN
The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee is pressing the new U.S. pardon attorney for more details about President Trump's recent pardons, claiming the traditional system of applying for clemency has been replaced with "favors to the President's loyal followers and most generous donors."
In a letter to newly appointed pardon attorney Ed Martin, Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland asked Martin to "explain the criteria and process" he and his office have used to vet recent pardons by Mr. Trump.
Dozens of people were pardoned this week, including a number of convicted fraudsters, adding to a series of pardons for convicted white-collar criminals in his second term. In some cases, the administration has said pardon recipients were unfairly targeted for being Trump supporters.
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President Trump says he will announce his nominee for Federal Reserve chair Friday morning, as he presses the central bank to cut interest rates.
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Federal prosecutors in Minneapolis this week questioned the U.S. attorney over the lack of any civil rights investigations into two fatal shootings by immigration agents, and warned that more people could resign in protest if things don't change, multiple sources told CBS News. In:
Kentucky family battling extreme cold brings newborn calf inside to keep warm: "She was just frozen"
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The Trump administration's deployment of troops to six different U.S. cities last year cost roughly $496 million through the end of December, according to estimates released by the Congressional Budget Office this week.
The founder of First Brands and his brother were indicted on fraud charges Thursday, the latest development in a legal saga involving the beleaguered auto parts company, which filed for bankruptcy in September. Edited by Aimee Picchi In:
Uber wants to capitalize on the emergence of self-driving cars — not by handing the wheel to AI-powered drivers, but rather by tapping the mountain of potentially valuable data the rideshare company could collect in the billions of trips it handles every year. Edited by Alain Sherter
As the Trump administration continues to prepare military options for strikes in Iran, U.S. allies in the Mideast, including Turkey, Oman and Qatar, are attempting to head off that possibility by brokering diplomatic talks, multiple regional officials told CBS News. Camilla Schick and Eleanor Watson contributed to this report.
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Washington — President Trump will sign an executive order Thursday afternoon to coordinate a federal government response to drug addiction and substance abuse. Jennifer Jacobs contributed to this report.
Some American citizens have begun carrying their passports in Minneapolis, fearful that they'll be mistaken for undocumented immigrants and detained amid a surge of federal agents to the city. In:
Another winter storm may be headed toward the East Coast of the United States this weekend, on the heels of a powerful and deadly system that blanketed huge swaths of the country in snow and ice. The effects of that original storm have lingered for many areas in its path, and will likely remain as repeated bouts of Arctic air plunge downward from Canada and drive temperatures below freezing. Nikki Nolan contributed to this report. In: