A day after former US President Donald Trump claimed that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents had 'stolen' his three passports during the August 8 raid, CBS News and NBC News confirmed that the passports had been returned.

A day after former US President Donald Trump claimed that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents had 'stolen' his three passports during the August 8 raid, CBS News and NBC News confirmed that the passports had been returned. Reportedly, the FBI's 'filter team' which screens the contents seized during the raids discovered the three passports. Moreover, FBI justified its stance of taking the passports along with the documents by saying, "When executing search warrants, the bureau follows search and seizure procedures ordered by courts, then returns items that we do not need to be retained for law enforcement purposes." They stole my passport: Trump As reported by WION, Trump on Monday took to his social media platform 'Truth Social' to make the news public. “Wow! In the raid by the FBI of Mar-a-Lago, they stole my three Passports (one expired), along with everything else. This is an assault on a political opponent at a level never seen before in our Country. Third World!,” said the Republican leader. Read more: Donald Trump claims his passports 'stolen' by FBI agents during the August 8 raid However, after a section of media questioned Trump's statement which came a few days after the raid, his spokesman Taylor Budowich tweeted a screenshot where Justice Department's Jay Bratt sent an email to Trump's team, informing them about the FBI, indeed having the passports. "We have learned that the filter agents seized three passports belonging to President Trump, two expired and one being his active diplomatic passport. We are returning them, and they will be ready for pickup at WFO at 2 pm today," wrote Bratt in the email. This is how Fake News works, folks. Biden admin actively feeds half truths & lies that the media willingly amplifies—advancing a partisan narrative to attack Trump.@NorahODonnell, did your “source” read you this email? Did you bother asking if they indeed seized the passports? https://t.co/DlzkagN0ie pic.twitter.com/VwCU7DPCvg — Taylor Budowich (@TayFromCA) August 15, 2022 × Ever since the raid took place, both Trump and the Department of Justice have been trading blows. While the former claims that it is a witch hunt, the latter has refused to reveal the affidavit that led to the issuance of the search warrant. Read More: US Justice Department refuses to reveal the affidavit that led to the issuance of search warrant against Trump (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Trump's passports returned a day after former US prez claimed they were 'stolen' by FBI agents

The back and forth between Donald Trump, the FBI and the Department of Justice (DoJ) appears to be getting intense by the day. Reportedly, the DoJ on Monday stated that it opposed the unsealing of the affidavit which was used to secure the federal&nbsp;judge's permission to obtain a search warrant against the former President.&nbsp;

"If disclosed, the affidavit would serve as a roadmap to the government's ongoing investigation, providing specific details about its direction and likely course, in a manner that is highly likely to compromise future investigative steps," the DoJ lawyers wrote in the filing.

The decision to not unseal the affidavit comes in stark contrast with the confidence shown by Attorney General&nbsp;Merrick Garland who publically announced that he had approved of the search warrant and that his department was willing to go public with it as well.&nbsp;

Even when questioned during his brief presser last week, Garland did not give much regarding the 'evidence' used to obtain the warrant.&nbsp;

“Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations." said&nbsp;Garland.&nbsp;

Read More:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/department-of-justice-to-unseal-trumps-search-warrant-attorney-general-releases-his-statement-506058">&nbsp;Department of Justice to unseal Trump's search warrant, says Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>

Republicans want DoJ to release the affidavit

Ever since the August 8 raid took place at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club cum residence, his allies have been drumming up the issue, asking the Justice Department to reveal the affidavit which will show the evidence that prosecutors used as 'probable cause'&nbsp;to obtain the warrant.

According to the warrant released, the FBI is circling Trump, mainly around the Espionage Act after the former President took several boxes from his White House residence to his current Florida residence after losing the elections.&nbsp;

Return the boxes: Donald Trump&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Trump continues to maintain that there are no classified documents and that some of the boxes taken away by the DoJ should be returned as they are protected under Attorney-Client privilege.&nbsp;

According to Trump's side,&nbsp;boxes labelled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, A-33 and other sets of documents contained information that was protected under&nbsp;attorney-client privilege.

Read More:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-requests-justice-department-to-return-seized-privileged-documents-506882">&nbsp;Trump 'requests' Justice Department to return seized 'privileged' documents</a>

My passports stolen by the FBI: Trump

Furthermore, earlier in the day, Trump claimed that his 'passports' had been 'stolen' by the FBI agents during the raid.&nbsp;

“Wow! In the raid by the FBI of Mar-a-Lago, they stole my three Passports (one expired), along with everything else.&nbsp;This is an assault on a political opponent at a level never seen before in our Country. Third World!” said the Republican leader on his social media platform.

Trump, however, did not&nbsp;make it clear which one of his passports was taken away by the FBI. Reportedly, a&nbsp;blue passport is issued to regular civilians in the USA while a&nbsp;red 'diplomatic' passport is issued for official government travel.&nbsp;

Read more:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-claims-his-passport-stolen-by-fbi-agents-during-the-august-8-raid-507227">&nbsp;Donald Trump claims his passports 'stolen' by FBI agents during the August 8 raid</a>

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

The back and forth between Donald Trump, the FBI and the Department of Justice (DoJ) appears to be getting intense by the day. Reportedly, the DoJ on Monday stated that it opposed the unsealing of the affidavit which was used to secure the federal judge's permission to obtain a search warrant against the former President.

The back and forth between Donald Trump, the FBI and the Department of Justice (DoJ) appears to be getting intense by the day. Reportedly, the DoJ on Monday stated that it opposed the unsealing of the affidavit which was used to secure the federal judge's permission to obtain a search warrant against the former President. "If disclosed, the affidavit would serve as a roadmap to the government's ongoing investigation, providing specific details about its direction and likely course, in a manner that is highly likely to compromise future investigative steps," the DoJ lawyers wrote in the filing. The decision to not unseal the affidavit comes in stark contrast with the confidence shown by Attorney General Merrick Garland who publically announced that he had approved of the search warrant and that his department was willing to go public with it as well. Even when questioned during his brief presser last week, Garland did not give much regarding the 'evidence' used to obtain the warrant. “Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations." said Garland. Read More: Department of Justice to unseal Trump's search warrant, says Attorney General Merrick Garland Republicans want DoJ to release the affidavit Ever since the August 8 raid took place at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club cum residence, his allies have been drumming up the issue, asking the Justice Department to reveal the affidavit which will show the evidence that prosecutors used as 'probable cause' to obtain the warrant. According to the warrant released, the FBI is circling Trump, mainly around the Espionage Act after the former President took several boxes from his White House residence to his current Florida residence after losing the elections. Return the boxes: Donald Trump Meanwhile, Trump continues to maintain that there are no classified documents and that some of the boxes taken away by the DoJ should be returned as they are protected under Attorney-Client privilege. According to Trump's side, boxes labelled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, A-33 and other sets of documents contained information that was protected under attorney-client privilege. Read More: Trump 'requests' Justice Department to return seized 'privileged' documents My passports stolen by the FBI: Trump Furthermore, earlier in the day, Trump claimed that his 'passports' had been 'stolen' by the FBI agents during the raid. “Wow! In the raid by the FBI of Mar-a-Lago, they stole my three Passports (one expired), along with everything else. This is an assault on a political opponent at a level never seen before in our Country. Third World!” said the Republican leader on his social media platform. Trump, however, did not make it clear which one of his passports was taken away by the FBI. Reportedly, a blue passport is issued to regular civilians in the USA while a red 'diplomatic' passport is issued for official government travel. Read more: Donald Trump claims his passports 'stolen' by FBI agents during the August 8 raid (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US Justice Department refuses to reveal the affidavit that led to the issuance of search warrant against Trump

A day after requesting the&nbsp;Department of Justice to return the documents covered under attorney-client privilege, Donald Trump on Monday claimed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)&nbsp;agents “stole” his passports during the raid on August 8.

“Wow! In the raid by the FBI of Mar-a-Lago, they stole my three Passports (one expired), along with everything else,”&nbsp;said Trump on his social media platform.

The Republican leader further added, “This is an assault on a political opponent at a level never seen before in our Country. Third World!”

<img alt="Donald Trump's statement" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f3190281-a612-478d-91f0-747c82c7770c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FaOMTwuXwAAhUxZ.jpg" />

Trump, however, did not&nbsp;make it clear which one of his passports was taken away by the FBI. A blue passport is issued to regular civilians in the USA while a&nbsp;red 'diplomatic' passport is issued for official government travel.&nbsp;

Trump's insistence to compare the incident to World War 3 and an assault on him follows a similar line that he has been following ever since the raid took place.

FBI agents broke into my safe: Donald Trump

After the raid, Trump&nbsp;issued a public statement where he&nbsp;complained that the FBI officers had broken into his safe. He also added that the raid by the FBI on his house was a&nbsp;weaponisation of the Justice System.

"It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponisation of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections." said Trump.&nbsp;

Read More: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-mar-a-lago-home-raided-by-fbi-505000">Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago home raided by FBI, in first such action on an ex-US president</a>

After Trump's statement, the issue gained momentum, forcing Public Attorney General Merrick Garland to announce&nbsp;that his lawyers had moved a motion to unseal&nbsp;portions of the search warrant, observing public's 'clear' and 'powerful' interest in the case.

Return the boxes and documents, Trump pleads&nbsp;

However, on Sunday, trump claimed that&nbsp;Justice Department took boxes which were covered under attorney-client or executive privilege and requested them to return the documents.

According to Trump's side,&nbsp;boxes labelled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, A-33 and other sets of documents contained information that was protected under&nbsp;attorney-client privilege.

Read More:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/department-of-justice-to-unseal-trumps-search-warrant-attorney-general-releases-his-statement-506058">&nbsp;Department of Justice to unseal Trump's search warrant, says Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>

It is pertinent to note that the FBI also carried some document boxes marked as&nbsp;"TS/SCI". These documents come under top-secret and confidential labelling, meaning they could cause 'exceptionally grave' damage to US national security.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

A day after requesting the Department of Justice to return the documents covered under attorney-client privilege, Donald Trump on Monday claimed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents “stole” his passports during the raid on August 8.

A day after requesting the Department of Justice to return the documents covered under attorney-client privilege, Donald Trump on Monday claimed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents “stole” his passports during the raid on August 8. “Wow! In the raid by the FBI of Mar-a-Lago, they stole my three Passports (one expired), along with everything else,” said Trump on his social media platform. The Republican leader further added, “This is an assault on a political opponent at a level never seen before in our Country. Third World!” Trump, however, did not make it clear which one of his passports was taken away by the FBI. A blue passport is issued to regular civilians in the USA while a red 'diplomatic' passport is issued for official government travel. Trump's insistence to compare the incident to World War 3 and an assault on him follows a similar line that he has been following ever since the raid took place. FBI agents broke into my safe: Donald Trump After the raid, Trump issued a public statement where he complained that the FBI officers had broken into his safe. He also added that the raid by the FBI on his house was a weaponisation of the Justice System. "It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponisation of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections." said Trump. Read More: Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago home raided by FBI, in first such action on an ex-US president After Trump's statement, the issue gained momentum, forcing Public Attorney General Merrick Garland to announce that his lawyers had moved a motion to unseal portions of the search warrant, observing public's 'clear' and 'powerful' interest in the case. Return the boxes and documents, Trump pleads However, on Sunday, trump claimed that Justice Department took boxes which were covered under attorney-client or executive privilege and requested them to return the documents. According to Trump's side, boxes labelled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, A-33 and other sets of documents contained information that was protected under attorney-client privilege. Read More: Department of Justice to unseal Trump's search warrant, says Attorney General Merrick Garland It is pertinent to note that the FBI also carried some document boxes marked as "TS/SCI". These documents come under top-secret and confidential labelling, meaning they could cause 'exceptionally grave' damage to US national security. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Donald Trump claims his passports 'stolen' by FBI agents during the August 8 raid

Days after the FBI raid&nbsp;at his&nbsp;Mar-a-Lago club cum residence in Florida, former US President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed that the Justice Department took boxes which were covered under attorney-client or executive privilege and requested them to return the documents.

“Oh great! It has just been learned that the FBI, in its now famous raid of Mar-a-Lago, took boxes of privileged ‘attorney-client’ material, and also ‘executive’ privileged material, which they knowingly should not have taken,” said Trump on his social media platform.
<img alt="Donald Trump's statement" data-caption="Donald Trump's statement" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="02aa1a62-87df-496a-85d8-32a5b4162e63" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FaIi9C_XoAAUMlg.jpg" />
The Republican leader further requested the Justice Department by stating,&nbsp;“By copy of this TRUTH, I respectfully request that these documents be immediately returned to the location from which they were taken. Thank you!”&nbsp;

As reported by WION, after&nbsp;Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that his lawyers had moved a motion to unseal&nbsp;portions of the search warrant, a list of items was made public by a federal judge last week.

According to Trump's side,&nbsp;boxes labelled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, A-33 and other sets of documents contained information that was protected under&nbsp;attorney-client privilege.

<img alt="The documents" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e02fa327-5156-4a77-9a47-e4342dd83304" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Screenshot%202022-08-15%20011505.png" />

It is pertinent to note that the FBI also carried some document boxes marked as&nbsp;"TS/SCI". These documents come under top-secret and confidential labelling, meaning they could cause 'exceptionally grave' damage to US national security.

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/department-of-justice-to-unseal-trumps-search-warrant-attorney-general-releases-his-statement-506058">Department of Justice to unseal Trump's search warrant, says Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>

After the raid, Trump had issued a public statement where he&nbsp;complained that the FBI officers had broken into his safe. He also added that the raid by the FBI on his house was a&nbsp;weaponisation of the Justice System.

"It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponisation of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections." said Trump.&nbsp;

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armed-man-attempts-to-breach-fbi-office-in-cincinnati-fires-shots-at-troops-in-pursuit-506043">Armed man attempts to breach FBI office in Cincinnati; fires shots at troops in pursuit</a>

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

Days after the FBI raid at his Mar-a-Lago club cum residence in Florida, former US President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed that the Justice Department took boxes which were covered under attorney-client or executive privilege and requested them to return the documents.

Days after the FBI raid at his Mar-a-Lago club cum residence in Florida, former US President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed that the Justice Department took boxes which were covered under attorney-client or executive privilege and requested them to return the documents. “Oh great! It has just been learned that the FBI, in its now famous raid of Mar-a-Lago, took boxes of privileged ‘attorney-client’ material, and also ‘executive’ privileged material, which they knowingly should not have taken,” said Trump on his social media platform. The Republican leader further requested the Justice Department by stating, “By copy of this TRUTH, I respectfully request that these documents be immediately returned to the location from which they were taken. Thank you!” As reported by WION, after Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that his lawyers had moved a motion to unseal portions of the search warrant, a list of items was made public by a federal judge last week. According to Trump's side, boxes labelled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, A-33 and other sets of documents contained information that was protected under attorney-client privilege. It is pertinent to note that the FBI also carried some document boxes marked as "TS/SCI". These documents come under top-secret and confidential labelling, meaning they could cause 'exceptionally grave' damage to US national security. Read More: Department of Justice to unseal Trump's search warrant, says Attorney General Merrick Garland After the raid, Trump had issued a public statement where he complained that the FBI officers had broken into his safe. He also added that the raid by the FBI on his house was a weaponisation of the Justice System. "It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponisation of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections." said Trump. Read More: Armed man attempts to breach FBI office in Cincinnati; fires shots at troops in pursuit (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Trump 'requests' Justice Department to return seized 'privileged' documents

US Department of Justice on Thursday moved a motion to unseal&nbsp;portions of the search warrant that was used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to conduct a raid at former President Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago club and residence in Palm Beach, Florida.&nbsp;

Reportedly,&nbsp;Attorney General Merrick Garland, addressing a press briefing for the first time since the&nbsp;raid revealed that he had 'personally approved' of the action and that his lawyers were filing the motion to make the warrant public after observing public's 'clear' and 'powerful' interest in the case.&nbsp;

“The Department filed the motion to make public the warrant and receipt in light of the former president’s public confirmation with the search, the surrounding circumstances, and the substantial public interest in this matter,” said&nbsp;Garland.&nbsp;

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-mar-a-lago-home-raided-by-fbi-505000">Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago home raided by FBI, in first such action on an ex-US president</a>

According to DoJ, the warrant was confirmed by a court in Florida upon finding a 'probable cause'. Moreover, the information about the raid was communicated to Trump's counsel directly and that the department did not make any public announcement while the raid took place.

However, later on the same day, Trump issued a public statement and since then, the matter had become a significant public issue, generating interest from media organisations and other entities.&nbsp;

When questioned about the motive behind the raid and what it attempted to find,&nbsp;Garland did not give much as the issue pertained to classified documents:

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As reported by WION, after the raid, Trump issued a public statement where he&nbsp;complained that the FBI officers had broken into his safe. He also added that the raid by FBI on his house was a&nbsp;weaponisation of the Justice System.

"It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponisation of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections." said Trump.&nbsp;

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/armed-man-attempts-to-breach-fbi-office-in-cincinnati-fires-shots-at-troops-in-pursuit-506043">Armed man attempts to breach FBI office in Cincinnati; fires shots at troops in pursuit</a>

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US Department of Justice on Thursday moved a motion to unseal portions of the search warrant that was used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to conduct a raid at former President Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago club and residence in Palm Beach, Florida.

US Department of Justice on Thursday moved a motion to unseal portions of the search warrant that was used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to conduct a raid at former President Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago club and residence in Palm Beach, Florida. Reportedly, Attorney General Merrick Garland, addressing a press briefing for the first time since the raid revealed that he had 'personally approved' of the action and that his lawyers were filing the motion to make the warrant public after observing public's 'clear' and 'powerful' interest in the case. “The Department filed the motion to make public the warrant and receipt in light of the former president’s public confirmation with the search, the surrounding circumstances, and the substantial public interest in this matter,” said Garland. Read More: Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago home raided by FBI, in first such action on an ex-US president According to DoJ, the warrant was confirmed by a court in Florida upon finding a 'probable cause'. Moreover, the information about the raid was communicated to Trump's counsel directly and that the department did not make any public announcement while the raid took place. However, later on the same day, Trump issued a public statement and since then, the matter had become a significant public issue, generating interest from media organisations and other entities. When questioned about the motive behind the raid and what it attempted to find, Garland did not give much as the issue pertained to classified documents: “Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations." × As reported by WION, after the raid, Trump issued a public statement where he complained that the FBI officers had broken into his safe. He also added that the raid by FBI on his house was a weaponisation of the Justice System. "It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponisation of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections." said Trump. Read More: Armed man attempts to breach FBI office in Cincinnati; fires shots at troops in pursuit (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Department of Justice to unseal Trump's search warrant, says Attorney General Merrick Garland

The Department of Justice is investigating former President Donald Trump and the role he played trying to overturn the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election.

Jan 6 Capitol Riots Probe: Department of Justice investigates Donald Trump's role

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been ordered by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday to hand over Donald Trump’s tax returns to a House committee, saying the panel had 'invoked sufficient reasons' for requesting them.&nbsp;

In a matter of hours, it seems to be a second blow for Trump after leaked DoJ memos revealed that he pressured top officials to falsely label the 2020 election as corrupt as a part of his campaign to overturn the election defeat at the hands of Joe Biden. He also told them, “Leave the rest to me.”&nbsp;

The order to release Trump’s tax returns to the ways and means committee was applauded by House speaker Nancy Pelosi.&nbsp;

In a statement, Pelosi said, “Today, the Biden administration has delivered a victory for the rule of law, as it respects the public interest by complying with Chairman (Richard) Neal’s request for Donald Trump’s tax returns.”&nbsp;

“Access to former President Trump’s tax returns is a matter of national security. The American people deserve to know the facts of his troubling conflicts of interest and undermining of our security and democracy as president.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been ordered by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday to hand over Donald Trump’s tax returns to a House committee, saying the panel had 'invoked sufficient reasons' for requesting them.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been ordered by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday to hand over Donald Trump’s tax returns to a House committee, saying the panel had 'invoked sufficient reasons' for requesting them. In a matter of hours, it seems to be a second blow for Trump after leaked DoJ memos revealed that he pressured top officials to falsely label the 2020 election as corrupt as a part of his campaign to overturn the election defeat at the hands of Joe Biden. He also told them, “Leave the rest to me.” The order to release Trump’s tax returns to the ways and means committee was applauded by House speaker Nancy Pelosi. In a statement, Pelosi said, “Today, the Biden administration has delivered a victory for the rule of law, as it respects the public interest by complying with Chairman (Richard) Neal’s request for Donald Trump’s tax returns.” “Access to former President Trump’s tax returns is a matter of national security. The American people deserve to know the facts of his troubling conflicts of interest and undermining of our security and democracy as president.” (With inputs from agencies)

US DoJ orders IRS to hand over Trump’s tax returns to a House panel 

During the last weeks of his presidency, Donald Trump and his allies pressured the Justice Department to investigate unsubstantiated claims of widespread 2020 election fraud, despite his former attorney general declaring there was no evidence of it, newly released emails show.

The House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee, which obtained the records as part of an investigation, outlined a series of overtures made by the Republican former president, then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and an outside private attorney, Kurt Olsen, pushing the department to act on Trump's claims.

The department ultimately did not join the effort and numerous courts rejected lawsuits seeking to overturn election results in various states.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-tear-gas-explosives-and-gunfire-trump-supporters-storm-capitol-clash-with-police-354961">In pics-Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police</a>

Congress also is investigating the deadly January&nbsp;6 assault on the US&nbsp;Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters trying to stop the formal certification of Democratic President Joe Biden's election victory.

"These documents show that President Trump tried to corrupt our nation's chief law enforcement agency in a brazen attempt to overturn an election that he lost," said Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat.

These overtures were separate from the revelations that the Trump-era Justice Department secretly sought the phone records of at least two Democratic lawmakers, a move that led Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday to vow to strengthen policies aiming to protect the department from political influence.

The department under outgoing Attorney General William Barr, who left his post on December&nbsp;23, and his short-term replacement Jeffrey Rosen decided not to act on the false claims of voting fraud. Biden took office on January&nbsp;21.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/us-election-2020-key-moments-of-donald-trumps-presidential-tenure-335800">US election 2020: Key moments of Donald Trump's presidential tenure</a>

The emails showed that Meadows asked Justice Department officials to investigate an unfounded conspiracy theory called "Italygate" alleging that US&nbsp;electoral data was changed in Italian facilities with the knowledge of the CIA.

On January&nbsp;1, Meadows sent Rosen a link to a YouTube video detailing the theory. Rosen forwarded the email to then-acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue, who replied: "Pure insanity."

The documents also showed that Trump pressured Rosen when he was deputy attorney general to have the Justice Department take up the election fraud claims.

The emails showed Rosen declined to arrange a meeting between Justice Department officials and Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani about his false claims that the November election was stolen from Trump. Meadows had asked Rosen to help arrange the proposed meeting with Giuliani, the emails showed.

"I flatly refused, said I would not be giving any special treatment to Giuliani or any of his 'witnesses,' and re-affirmed yet again that I will not talk to Giuliani about any of this," Rosen wrote to a Justice Department colleague on January&nbsp;1.

Giuliani had played a prominent role in promoting Trump's false election claims.

Trump, through an assistant, sent Rosen a December&nbsp;14 email with documents purporting to show evidence of election fraud in northern Michigan,&nbsp;a debunked allegation that a federal judge had already rejected.

Two weeks later, on December&nbsp;29, Trump's White House assistant emailed Rosen, who by then was the acting attorney general, and other Justice Department lawyers a draft legal brief that they were urged to file at the US&nbsp;Supreme Court.

The department never filed the brief. Emails released by the House committee showed that Olsen, a Maryland lawyer involved in writing Trump's draft brief, repeatedly tried to meet with Rosen but was unsuccessful.

The draft brief backed by Trump argued that changes made by the states of Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania to voting procedures amid the COVID-19 pandemic to expand mail-in voting were unlawful. Biden won all those states

Similar arguments were made in a lawsuit filed by Ken Paxton, the Republican attorney general of Texas and a Trump ally. The US&nbsp;Supreme Court rejected that long-shot lawsuit in December.

The document release comes ahead of the House Oversight committee’s hearing with FBI Director Christopher Wray and General Charles Flynn, brother of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who has also voiced Trump’s election conspiracy theories.

During the last weeks of his presidency, Donald Trump and his allies pressured the Justice Department to investigate unsubstantiated claims of widespread 2020 election fraud, despite his former attorney general declaring there was no evidence of it, newly released emails show.

During the last weeks of his presidency, Donald Trump and his allies pressured the Justice Department to investigate unsubstantiated claims of widespread 2020 election fraud, despite his former attorney general declaring there was no evidence of it, newly released emails show. The House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee, which obtained the records as part of an investigation, outlined a series of overtures made by the Republican former president, then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and an outside private attorney, Kurt Olsen, pushing the department to act on Trump's claims. The department ultimately did not join the effort and numerous courts rejected lawsuits seeking to overturn election results in various states. In pics-Tear gas, explosives and gunfire: Trump supporters storm Capitol, clash with police Congress also is investigating the deadly January 6 assault on the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters trying to stop the formal certification of Democratic President Joe Biden's election victory. "These documents show that President Trump tried to corrupt our nation's chief law enforcement agency in a brazen attempt to overturn an election that he lost," said Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat. These overtures were separate from the revelations that the Trump-era Justice Department secretly sought the phone records of at least two Democratic lawmakers, a move that led Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday to vow to strengthen policies aiming to protect the department from political influence. The department under outgoing Attorney General William Barr, who left his post on December 23, and his short-term replacement Jeffrey Rosen decided not to act on the false claims of voting fraud. Biden took office on January 21. Also see| US election 2020: Key moments of Donald Trump's presidential tenure The emails showed that Meadows asked Justice Department officials to investigate an unfounded conspiracy theory called "Italygate" alleging that US electoral data was changed in Italian facilities with the knowledge of the CIA. On January 1, Meadows sent Rosen a link to a YouTube video detailing the theory. Rosen forwarded the email to then-acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue, who replied: "Pure insanity." The documents also showed that Trump pressured Rosen when he was deputy attorney general to have the Justice Department take up the election fraud claims. The emails showed Rosen declined to arrange a meeting between Justice Department officials and Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani about his false claims that the November election was stolen from Trump. Meadows had asked Rosen to help arrange the proposed meeting with Giuliani, the emails showed. "I flatly refused, said I would not be giving any special treatment to Giuliani or any of his 'witnesses,' and re-affirmed yet again that I will not talk to Giuliani about any of this," Rosen wrote to a Justice Department colleague on January 1. Giuliani had played a prominent role in promoting Trump's false election claims. Trump, through an assistant, sent Rosen a December 14 email with documents purporting to show evidence of election fraud in northern Michigan, a debunked allegation that a federal judge had already rejected. Two weeks later, on December 29, Trump's White House assistant emailed Rosen, who by then was the acting attorney general, and other Justice Department lawyers a draft legal brief that they were urged to file at the US Supreme Court. The department never filed the brief. Emails released by the House committee showed that Olsen, a Maryland lawyer involved in writing Trump's draft brief, repeatedly tried to meet with Rosen but was unsuccessful. The draft brief backed by Trump argued that changes made by the states of Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania to voting procedures amid the COVID-19 pandemic to expand mail-in voting were unlawful. Biden won all those states Similar arguments were made in a lawsuit filed by Ken Paxton, the Republican attorney general of Texas and a Trump ally. The US Supreme Court rejected that long-shot lawsuit in December. The document release comes ahead of the House Oversight committee’s hearing with FBI Director Christopher Wray and General Charles Flynn, brother of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who has also voiced Trump’s election conspiracy theories.

Newly released emails show Trump pressured DOJ to overturn election results

The maker of Purdue pharmaceuticals has pleaded guilty to to three federal criminal charges for production & sales of opioid drugs. The pharma giant has agreed to pay more than $8.3 billion.

Purdue Pharma to plead guilty; Pay $8.3 billion over opioids

There are several aspects of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 US election campaign that was not previously known until the release of his report on Thursday.

Trump's reaction to the appointment of special counsel

US President <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/mueller-report-inconclusive-on-trumps-obstruction-of-justice-charge-211626&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiVwv3dp9vhAhUSjuYKHf6LD4IQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw38GcVkJUl5IJjshefSm85n">Donald Trump </a>believed the appointment of a special counsel to take over an active federal investigation would spell the end of his presidency, according to Mueller's report.

When then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Trump of Mueller's appointment on May 17, 2017, the report said, Trump slumped back in his chair and said: "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I'm fucked."

Trump asked Sessions, whom he had berated for months for recusing himself from the investigation of Russian interference in the election: "How could you let this happen, Jeff?" and told Sessions he had let him down.

Trump told Sessions he should resign, and Sessions agreed to do so. When Sessions delivered his resignation letter to Trump the following day, Trump put the letter in his pocket but said he wanted Sessions to stay on the job.

That alarmed chief of staff Reince Priebus and senior advisor Steve Bannon, who worried Trump would use the letter to control the Department of Justice, and they tried to return it to Sessions.

Trump took the letter with him on a trip to the Middle East, where he showed it to several senior advisers and asked them what he should do about it. On May 30, he finally returned the letter to Sessions with a note saying: "Not accepted."

The Presidential interview that wasn't

Mueller tried for more than a year to interview Trump, but in the end, Trump refused. Trump provided written answers on some<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-big-moments-in-mueller-investigation-of-russian-meddling-in-2016-us-election-211303&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiVwv3dp9vhAhUSjuYKHf6LD4IQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mBeukO7iQiInlWalLhsF8"> Russia</a>-related topics but did not agree to answer questions about possible obstruction of justice or events that took place during the presidential transition.

Mueller said he thought he had the legal authority to order Trump to testify before a grand jury, but he decided not to take that course because of the "substantial delay that such an investigative step would likely produce at a late stage in our investigation."

Trump's efforts to fire Mueller

Trump tried to get Mueller fired in June 2017, shortly after he was appointed, according to the 448-page report. Trump called then-White House counsel Don McGahn twice and directed him to order Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Mueller on the grounds that he had conflicts of interest.

McGahn felt "trapped," but did not carry out the order, deciding that he would rather resign, Mueller said.

Other White House advisers later talked McGahn out of resigning, and Trump did not follow up to ask whether McGahn had fulfilled his directive.

Trump pressured McGahn to deny that these events took place when they surfaced in news accounts in January 2018, but McGahn refused, according to Mueller's report, some of which was blacked out to protect some sensitive information.

Trump's efforts to limit the investigation

Trump also enlisted his former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, to try to narrow the investigation's scope. The report said Trump asked Lewandowski in June 2017 to tell Sessions that he should publicly announce that the Russia probe was "very unfair" to the president, said Trump had done nothing wrong, and limit Mueller's probe into interference in future elections, not the one that had put him in the White House.

A month later, Trump asked Lewandowski about the status of his request and Lewandowski assured Trump he would deliver the message soon. Trump then publicly criticized Sessions in a New York Times interview and a series of Twitter messages.

Mueller says Lewandowski did not want to deliver the message to Sessions, so he asked senior White House official Rick Dearborn to speak to him. Dearborn also did not want to carry out the task. Ultimately, the message never reached Sessions.

Manafort's efforts to monetize the campaign

Mueller found that campaign chairman Paul Manafort's efforts to work with his former business partners in Ukraine were greater than previously known, as he tried to use his insider status on the campaign to collect on debts owed for his past work by Oleg Deripaska, an oligarch who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Shortly after he joined the campaign in the spring of 2016, Manafort directed his deputy Rick Gates to share internal polling data and other campaign materials with Konstantin Kilimnik, a former Ukrainian business partner, with the understanding that it would get passed on to Deripaska, the report said.

During an August 2016 meeting in New York, Manafort told Kilimnik about the campaign's efforts to win the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the report said. Trump ended up winning three of those states in the November election.

Manafort worked with his Ukrainian allies until the spring of 2018, after he had been indicted by Mueller, to promote a peace plan that would have split the country in two. These efforts did not constitute coordination between the campaign and Russian efforts to disrupt the election, Mueller found.

Manafort urged Gates not to plead guilty after they were both indicted by Mueller, apparently believing that they would be pardoned by the president if they did not cooperate with investigators. Trump's numerous sympathetic statements before and during Manafort's criminal trial could be interpreted as an effort to sway the outcome, but they also could be interpreted as a sign that he genuinely felt sorry for Manafort, Mueller said.

A plan for US - Russia reconciliation

Relations between Washington and Moscow had deteriorated under two previous administrations and the United States had imposed sanctions on Russia. Following Trump's election victory, Russian financier Kirill Dmitriev worked on a proposal to improve ties with Rick Gerson, a hedge fund manager who is friends with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. Dmitriev runs Russia's sovereign wealth fund and reports directly to Putin.

Gerson gave the plan to Kushner before Trump was sworn in, Mueller's report said, and Kushner gave copies to Bannon and then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

After Trump took office in January 2017, Dmitriev told Gerson that his "boss" - an apparent reference to Putin - wanted to know if there was a reaction to the proposal, which called for cooperation on terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and economic matters. When Putin and Trump spoke by phone, Dmitriev told Gerson that their plan had "played an important role."

Gerson told Mueller's team that he acted as an intermediary between Trump and Russia on his own initiative, not at the request of Trump's aides.

There are several aspects of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 US election campaign that was not previously known until the release of his report on Thursday.

There are several aspects of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 US election campaign that was not previously known until the release of his report on Thursday. Trump's reaction to the appointment of special counsel US President Donald Trump believed the appointment of a special counsel to take over an active federal investigation would spell the end of his presidency, according to Mueller's report. When then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Trump of Mueller's appointment on May 17, 2017, the report said, Trump slumped back in his chair and said: "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I'm fucked." Trump asked Sessions, whom he had berated for months for recusing himself from the investigation of Russian interference in the election: "How could you let this happen, Jeff?" and told Sessions he had let him down. Trump told Sessions he should resign, and Sessions agreed to do so. When Sessions delivered his resignation letter to Trump the following day, Trump put the letter in his pocket but said he wanted Sessions to stay on the job. That alarmed chief of staff Reince Priebus and senior advisor Steve Bannon, who worried Trump would use the letter to control the Department of Justice, and they tried to return it to Sessions. Trump took the letter with him on a trip to the Middle East, where he showed it to several senior advisers and asked them what he should do about it. On May 30, he finally returned the letter to Sessions with a note saying: "Not accepted." The Presidential interview that wasn't Mueller tried for more than a year to interview Trump, but in the end, Trump refused. Trump provided written answers on some Russia-related topics but did not agree to answer questions about possible obstruction of justice or events that took place during the presidential transition. Mueller said he thought he had the legal authority to order Trump to testify before a grand jury, but he decided not to take that course because of the "substantial delay that such an investigative step would likely produce at a late stage in our investigation." Trump's efforts to fire Mueller Trump tried to get Mueller fired in June 2017, shortly after he was appointed, according to the 448-page report. Trump called then-White House counsel Don McGahn twice and directed him to order Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Mueller on the grounds that he had conflicts of interest. McGahn felt "trapped," but did not carry out the order, deciding that he would rather resign, Mueller said. Other White House advisers later talked McGahn out of resigning, and Trump did not follow up to ask whether McGahn had fulfilled his directive. Trump pressured McGahn to deny that these events took place when they surfaced in news accounts in January 2018, but McGahn refused, according to Mueller's report, some of which was blacked out to protect some sensitive information. Trump's efforts to limit the investigation Trump also enlisted his former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, to try to narrow the investigation's scope. The report said Trump asked Lewandowski in June 2017 to tell Sessions that he should publicly announce that the Russia probe was "very unfair" to the president, said Trump had done nothing wrong, and limit Mueller's probe into interference in future elections, not the one that had put him in the White House. A month later, Trump asked Lewandowski about the status of his request and Lewandowski assured Trump he would deliver the message soon. Trump then publicly criticized Sessions in a New York Times interview and a series of Twitter messages. Mueller says Lewandowski did not want to deliver the message to Sessions, so he asked senior White House official Rick Dearborn to speak to him. Dearborn also did not want to carry out the task. Ultimately, the message never reached Sessions. Manafort's efforts to monetize the campaign Mueller found that campaign chairman Paul Manafort's efforts to work with his former business partners in Ukraine were greater than previously known, as he tried to use his insider status on the campaign to collect on debts owed for his past work by Oleg Deripaska, an oligarch who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Shortly after he joined the campaign in the spring of 2016, Manafort directed his deputy Rick Gates to share internal polling data and other campaign materials with Konstantin Kilimnik, a former Ukrainian business partner, with the understanding that it would get passed on to Deripaska, the report said. During an August 2016 meeting in New York, Manafort told Kilimnik about the campaign's efforts to win the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the report said. Trump ended up winning three of those states in the November election. Manafort worked with his Ukrainian allies until the spring of 2018, after he had been indicted by Mueller, to promote a peace plan that would have split the country in two. These efforts did not constitute coordination between the campaign and Russian efforts to disrupt the election, Mueller found. Manafort urged Gates not to plead guilty after they were both indicted by Mueller, apparently believing that they would be pardoned by the president if they did not cooperate with investigators. Trump's numerous sympathetic statements before and during Manafort's criminal trial could be interpreted as an effort to sway the outcome, but they also could be interpreted as a sign that he genuinely felt sorry for Manafort, Mueller said. A plan for US - Russia reconciliation Relations between Washington and Moscow had deteriorated under two previous administrations and the United States had imposed sanctions on Russia. Following Trump's election victory, Russian financier Kirill Dmitriev worked on a proposal to improve ties with Rick Gerson, a hedge fund manager who is friends with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. Dmitriev runs Russia's sovereign wealth fund and reports directly to Putin. Gerson gave the plan to Kushner before Trump was sworn in, Mueller's report said, and Kushner gave copies to Bannon and then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. After Trump took office in January 2017, Dmitriev told Gerson that his "boss" - an apparent reference to Putin - wanted to know if there was a reaction to the proposal, which called for cooperation on terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and economic matters. When Putin and Trump spoke by phone, Dmitriev told Gerson that their plan had "played an important role." Gerson told Mueller's team that he acted as an intermediary between Trump and Russia on his own initiative, not at the request of Trump's aides.

Factbox: New revelations from the Mueller report

A redacted version of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-questions-why-democrats-should-get-mueller-report-210154">Special Counsel Robert Mueller's final report</a> on the probe into the Russia links of US President Donald Trump's campaign team will be released Thursday, the Department of Justice announced Monday.

The release of the 400-page report will come more than three weeks after Attorney General Bill Barr's controversial summary allowed Trump to declare it "a complete and total exoneration" of him after 22 months of investigation.

Barr said Mueller found no evidence that Trump's 2016 campaign team conspired to collude with Moscow to influence the election, and found not enough evidence to charge Trump with obstruction of justice.

But Mueller himself took no stance on the weight of the evidence of obstruction, Barr noted, raising doubts over whether Trump had truly been exonerated by the report.

A redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's final report on the probe into the Russia links of US President Donald Trump's campaign team will be released Thursday, the Department of Justice announced Monday.

A redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's final report on the probe into the Russia links of US President Donald Trump's campaign team will be released Thursday, the Department of Justice announced Monday. The release of the 400-page report will come more than three weeks after Attorney General Bill Barr's controversial summary allowed Trump to declare it "a complete and total exoneration" of him after 22 months of investigation. Barr said Mueller found no evidence that Trump's 2016 campaign team conspired to collude with Moscow to influence the election, and found not enough evidence to charge Trump with obstruction of justice. But Mueller himself took no stance on the weight of the evidence of obstruction, Barr noted, raising doubts over whether Trump had truly been exonerated by the report.

Redacted Mueller report to be released Thursday: Department of Justice

An Indian-American woman lawyer on Thursday was appointed to a top post in a US organisation, which advocates religious freedom.&nbsp;

Anurima Bhargava, a civil rights lawyer, has been appointed as a Commissioner to the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the US Congress to monitor, analyse and report on threats to religious freedom abroad.

Born and raised in Chicago, Bhargava is currently the founder and president of the Anthem of Us, which describes itself as "a strategic advisory firm that works with educational institutions and corporations to promote dignity and justice for all".

She has an extensive experience in various roles advocating for members of under-represented communities, including at the US Department of Justice and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF).

The USCIRF is currently headed by Tibetan-American Tenzin Dorjee.&nbsp;

Dorjee commended House Leader Nancy Pelosi for appointing Bhargava as a USCIRF Commissioner.

"With an impressive background and a demonstrated commitment to advocating for members of minority communities in the United States and abroad, Anurima Bhargava brings an important new perspective that will enhance the work of the Commission, especially on democratic India, with whom the United States has a long and proud relationship," he said.

In addition to her work at the Department of Justice and the LDF, Bhargava served as a fellow at the Open Society Foundations and at the Harvard University.

Before attending law school, Bhargava worked in India assisting women elected to local government. She has been a member of the Truman National Security Project and the Council on Foreign Relations.

An Indian-American woman lawyer on Thursday was appointed to a top post in a US organisation, which advocates religious freedom. Anurima Bhargava, a civil rights lawyer, has been appointed as a Commissioner to the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the US Congress to monitor, analyse and report on threats to religious freedom abroad.

An Indian-American woman lawyer on Thursday was appointed to a top post in a US organisation, which advocates religious freedom. Anurima Bhargava, a civil rights lawyer, has been appointed as a Commissioner to the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the US Congress to monitor, analyse and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. Born and raised in Chicago, Bhargava is currently the founder and president of the Anthem of Us, which describes itself as "a strategic advisory firm that works with educational institutions and corporations to promote dignity and justice for all". She has an extensive experience in various roles advocating for members of under-represented communities, including at the US Department of Justice and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF). The USCIRF is currently headed by Tibetan-American Tenzin Dorjee. Dorjee commended House Leader Nancy Pelosi for appointing Bhargava as a USCIRF Commissioner. "With an impressive background and a demonstrated commitment to advocating for members of minority communities in the United States and abroad, Anurima Bhargava brings an important new perspective that will enhance the work of the Commission, especially on democratic India, with whom the United States has a long and proud relationship," he said. In addition to her work at the Department of Justice and the LDF, Bhargava served as a fellow at the Open Society Foundations and at the Harvard University. Before attending law school, Bhargava worked in India assisting women elected to local government. She has been a member of the Truman National Security Project and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Indian-American woman appointed to US body advocating religious freedom

The Department of Justice and the FBI have started investigating the data mining firm Cambridge Analytica which had announced its shut down last month due to the Facebook scandal.&nbsp;

As per reports, the investigation is in the primary stages and no details have yet been given out about the firm's involvement in the 2016 presidential elections.&nbsp;

Prosecutors have sought to question former Cambridge Analytica employees and banks that handled its business, the newspaper said, citing an American official and others familiar with the inquiry,&nbsp;

The investigation is also looking into the company’s financial history, in particular, its relationship to certain banks, and how it may have used the data it gathered from Facebook and other online sources, reports say.&nbsp;

Cambridge Analytical announced its shut down amid reports of providing ad targeting expertise for Trump's campaign based on data it got from Cambridge psychology professor Aleksandr Kogan, who gathered the data on as many as 87 million Facebook users using a quiz app.&nbsp;

Kogan thereafter sold the data - violating Facebook's terms and services.&nbsp;

Cambridge Analytica said earlier this month it was shutting down after losing clients and facing mounting legal fees.&nbsp;

Cambridge Analytica was created around 2013, initially with a focus on US&nbsp;elections, with $15 million in backing from billionaire Republican donor Robert Mercer and a name chosen by future Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon, the New York Times has reported. Bannon left the White House on August 2017. 
&nbsp;

As per reports, the investigation is in the primary stages and no details have yet been given out about the firm's involvement in the 2016 presidential elections

The Department of Justice and the FBI have started investigating the data mining firm Cambridge Analytica which had announced its shut down last month due to the Facebook scandal. As per reports, the investigation is in the primary stages and no details have yet been given out about the firm's involvement in the 2016 presidential elections. Prosecutors have sought to question former Cambridge Analytica employees and banks that handled its business, the newspaper said, citing an American official and others familiar with the inquiry, The investigation is also looking into the company’s financial history, in particular, its relationship to certain banks, and how it may have used the data it gathered from Facebook and other online sources, reports say. Cambridge Analytical announced its shut down amid reports of providing ad targeting expertise for Trump's campaign based on data it got from Cambridge psychology professor Aleksandr Kogan, who gathered the data on as many as 87 million Facebook users using a quiz app. Kogan thereafter sold the data - violating Facebook's terms and services. Cambridge Analytica said earlier this month it was shutting down after losing clients and facing mounting legal fees. Cambridge Analytica was created around 2013, initially with a focus on US elections, with $15 million in backing from billionaire Republican donor Robert Mercer and a name chosen by future Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon, the New York Times has reported. Bannon left the White House on August 2017.

US Department of Justice, FBI begin investigating Cambridge Analytica following its shutdown

The United States has filed criminal charges against former Volkswagen AG boss Martin Winterkorn, accusing him of conspiring to cover up the German automaker`s diesel emissions cheating, in a rare attempt to prosecute a CEO for company actions.

The indictment reopens the question of whether other senior Volkswagen (VW) executives knew about the scandal, which has dogged Europe's biggest automaker for more than 2-1/2 years and led to a regulatory crackdown that is threatening thousands of jobs as customers increasingly shun diesel-powered cars.

The indictment, filed by the Department of Justice (DoJ) in secret in March, was unsealed in a US&nbspdistrict court on Thursday as VW held its annual meeting in Berlin.

Winterkorn, 70, is charged with four felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, wire fraud and violating the Clean Air Act from at least May 2006 through November 2015, after VW admitted using illicit software that allowed diesel cars to emit excess pollution without detection.

Winterkorn resigned within days of the scandal becoming public in September 2015, but other senior executives who were on the company`s management board at the time continue to hold senior positions within the group.&nbsp

Hans-Dieter Poetsch, who was finance chief, is now chairman of the supervisory board. Herbert Diess, now group CEO, joined the company on July 1 2015 as head of the VW brand, only weeks before authorities divulged its cheating on Sept. 18, 2015.

Rupert Stadler, who was head of the Audi brand in 2015, has been given additional responsibilities for group sales in a revamp announced by Diess last month. Bernd Osterloh, the company`s powerful labour chief who also sits on the VW supervisory board, is still in place.&nbsp

VW has said the decision to install illegal "defeat device" software was taken in 2006 below the management board level.

"None of the members of the board of management had, at that time and for many years to follow, knowledge of the development and implementation of this software function," VW said in its 2017 annual report.

A lawyer for Winterkorn in Germany did not immediately comment. Winterkorn in January 2017 told German lawmakers he had not been informed of the cheating early, and would have halted it had he been aware.

A VW spokesman in Germany said the company "continues to cooperate with investigations" but does not comment about probes of individuals."

Winterkorn is unlikely to face US&nbspauthorities. Germany`s Federal Justice Ministry said on Friday it does not extradite German nationals to countries outside the European Union.

Winterkorn is currently in Germany is unlikely to travel to a jurisdiction that might extradite him to the United States, a source familiar with his thinking said.

VW shares, which were trading ex-dividend on Friday, were 0.3 percent higher at 172.62 euros at 1204 GMT.

A heavy price

US&nbspAttorney General Jeff Sessions, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) chief Scott Pruitt and other senior Trump administration official issued statements criticizing VW with the indictment.

"If you try to deceive the United States, then you will pay a heavy price," Sessions said.

In contrast with VW, no individuals were charged at Toyota Motor Corp in connection with its sudden unintended acceleration scandal or at General Motors Co for the cover-up of a deadly ignition switch defect.

The federal government`s decisions not to prosecute senior banking industry executives over the 2007-2009 financial crisis has also drawn fire from advocates of tougher measures to deter corporate wrongdoing.

VW has been fighting to move on from the scandal. It settled criminal charges with the US&nbspDoJ in 2017 by agreeing to a $4.3 billion payment, and has pledged to spend billions on new electric vehicles.

In total, it has agreed to spend more than $25 billion in the United States to address claims from owners, environmental regulators, states and dealers.

But prosecutors in Germany and the United States are continuing investigations into what senior executives at VW and its Porsche and Audi brands knew. They have also opened investigations into BMW, Mercedes-Benz and FiatChrysler related to their diesel emissions.

VW has also offered to buy back about 500,000 polluting US&nbspvehicles. Many are now stored in parking lots around the United States.&nbsp

All the way to the top

VW has never commented on when individual management board members learned about the defeat devices.&nbsp

The filing with the US&nbspdistrict court said Winterkorn was briefed about the consequences of being caught using an illegal emissions device on July 27, 2015.&nbsp

VW disclosed to US&nbspauthorities that it had used illegal software in its cars on Sept. 3, 2015, and did not inform investors until the US&nbspEPA alerted the public on Sept. 18.&nbsp

VW chose not to disclose the issue earlier because it felt the matter could be resolved amicably with US&nbspauthorities, its annual report said.&nbsp

Sessions said in a statement that the charges against Winterkorn showed "Volkswagen`s scheme to cheat its legal requirements went all the way to the top of the company."

The indictment describes how VW employees presented PowerPoint slides to Winterkorn and "other senior VW AG management at an in-person meeting at VW`s headquarters in Wolfsburg." The meeting provided a "clear picture" of how the company was deceiving US&nbspregulators about software used to rig emissions tests of VW diesel vehicles, it said.

The indictment also alleges that VW employees recommended the company seek to get approval for 2016 diesel models from US&nbspregulators without revealing the existence of the cheating software. Winterkorn agreed to the plan, the indictment said.

The indictment also states Winterkorn was informed of the emissions cheating by a memo sent in May 2014. Winterkorn has said he did not learn of the cheating until late August 2015.

At its annual meeting, VW`s new CEO Herbert Diess vowed to make the carmaker "more honest", but investors called for outside vetting of steps to restore its reputation.

VW had initially suggested only lower-level executives knew of the cheating. But the indictment alleges Winterkorn agreed with other senior VW executives "to continue to perpetrate the fraud and deceive US&nbspregulators."&nbsp

In total, nine people have been charged and two former VW executives have pleaded guilty in the case and been sentenced to prison terms. One Italian citizen, former Audi manager Giovanni Pamio, is in Germany awaiting extradition.

Six former VW executives charged, including Winterkorn, are believed to be in Germany and have avoided facing US&nbspprosecutors.

The United States has filed criminal charges against former Volkswagen AG boss Martin Winterkorn, accusing him of conspiring to cover up the German automaker`s diesel emissions cheating

The United States has filed criminal charges against former Volkswagen AG boss Martin Winterkorn, accusing him of conspiring to cover up the German automaker`s diesel emissions cheating, in a rare attempt to prosecute a CEO for company actions. The indictment reopens the question of whether other senior Volkswagen (VW) executives knew about the scandal, which has dogged Europe's biggest automaker for more than 2-1/2 years and led to a regulatory crackdown that is threatening thousands of jobs as customers increasingly shun diesel-powered cars. The indictment, filed by the Department of Justice (DoJ) in secret in March, was unsealed in a US&nbspdistrict court on Thursday as VW held its annual meeting in Berlin. Winterkorn, 70, is charged with four felony counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, wire fraud and violating the Clean Air Act from at least May 2006 through November 2015, after VW admitted using illicit software that allowed diesel cars to emit excess pollution without detection. Winterkorn resigned within days of the scandal becoming public in September 2015, but other senior executives who were on the company`s management board at the time continue to hold senior positions within the group. Hans-Dieter Poetsch, who was finance chief, is now chairman of the supervisory board. Herbert Diess, now group CEO, joined the company on July 1 2015 as head of the VW brand, only weeks before authorities divulged its cheating on Sept. 18, 2015. Rupert Stadler, who was head of the Audi brand in 2015, has been given additional responsibilities for group sales in a revamp announced by Diess last month. Bernd Osterloh, the company`s powerful labour chief who also sits on the VW supervisory board, is still in place. VW has said the decision to install illegal "defeat device" software was taken in 2006 below the management board level. "None of the members of the board of management had, at that time and for many years to follow, knowledge of the development and implementation of this software function," VW said in its 2017 annual report. A lawyer for Winterkorn in Germany did not immediately comment. Winterkorn in January 2017 told German lawmakers he had not been informed of the cheating early, and would have halted it had he been aware. A VW spokesman in Germany said the company "continues to cooperate with investigations" but does not comment about probes of individuals." Winterkorn is unlikely to face US&nbspauthorities. Germany`s Federal Justice Ministry said on Friday it does not extradite German nationals to countries outside the European Union. Winterkorn is currently in Germany is unlikely to travel to a jurisdiction that might extradite him to the United States, a source familiar with his thinking said. VW shares, which were trading ex-dividend on Friday, were 0.3 percent higher at 172.62 euros at 1204 GMT. A heavy price US&nbspAttorney General Jeff Sessions, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) chief Scott Pruitt and other senior Trump administration official issued statements criticizing VW with the indictment. "If you try to deceive the United States, then you will pay a heavy price," Sessions said. In contrast with VW, no individuals were charged at Toyota Motor Corp in connection with its sudden unintended acceleration scandal or at General Motors Co for the cover-up of a deadly ignition switch defect. The federal government`s decisions not to prosecute senior banking industry executives over the 2007-2009 financial crisis has also drawn fire from advocates of tougher measures to deter corporate wrongdoing. VW has been fighting to move on from the scandal. It settled criminal charges with the US&nbspDoJ in 2017 by agreeing to a $4.3 billion payment, and has pledged to spend billions on new electric vehicles. In total, it has agreed to spend more than $25 billion in the United States to address claims from owners, environmental regulators, states and dealers. But prosecutors in Germany and the United States are continuing investigations into what senior executives at VW and its Porsche and Audi brands knew. They have also opened investigations into BMW, Mercedes-Benz and FiatChrysler related to their diesel emissions. VW has also offered to buy back about 500,000 polluting US&nbspvehicles. Many are now stored in parking lots around the United States. All the way to the top VW has never commented on when individual management board members learned about the defeat devices. The filing with the US&nbspdistrict court said Winterkorn was briefed about the consequences of being caught using an illegal emissions device on July 27, 2015. VW disclosed to US&nbspauthorities that it had used illegal software in its cars on Sept. 3, 2015, and did not inform investors until the US&nbspEPA alerted the public on Sept. 18. VW chose not to disclose the issue earlier because it felt the matter could be resolved amicably with US&nbspauthorities, its annual report said. Sessions said in a statement that the charges against Winterkorn showed "Volkswagen`s scheme to cheat its legal requirements went all the way to the top of the company." The indictment describes how VW employees presented PowerPoint slides to Winterkorn and "other senior VW AG management at an in-person meeting at VW`s headquarters in Wolfsburg." The meeting provided a "clear picture" of how the company was deceiving US&nbspregulators about software used to rig emissions tests of VW diesel vehicles, it said. The indictment also alleges that VW employees recommended the company seek to get approval for 2016 diesel models from US&nbspregulators without revealing the existence of the cheating software. Winterkorn agreed to the plan, the indictment said. The indictment also states Winterkorn was informed of the emissions cheating by a memo sent in May 2014. Winterkorn has said he did not learn of the cheating until late August 2015. At its annual meeting, VW`s new CEO Herbert Diess vowed to make the carmaker "more honest", but investors called for outside vetting of steps to restore its reputation. VW had initially suggested only lower-level executives knew of the cheating. But the indictment alleges Winterkorn agreed with other senior VW executives "to continue to perpetrate the fraud and deceive US&nbspregulators." In total, nine people have been charged and two former VW executives have pleaded guilty in the case and been sentenced to prison terms. One Italian citizen, former Audi manager Giovanni Pamio, is in Germany awaiting extradition. Six former VW executives charged, including Winterkorn, are believed to be in Germany and have avoided facing US&nbspprosecutors.

Ex-Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn charged in US over diesel scandal

In response to WION's query on Nirav Modi's whereabouts, Hong Kong's Department of Justice said, 'the Department of Justice does not comment on individual cases.'

WION had raised a query to Hong Kong's justice department regarding Nirav Modi's extradition which was met with a reply that no comments will be made on individual cases.&nbsp;

China, earlier this month, said Hong Kong was free to accept India's request to arrest Modi on the basis of the local laws of the region and judicial agreements between the two.&nbsp;

While Hong Kong is part of the People's Republic of China, it is an autonomous region with its own laws.&nbsp;

A provisional arrest has to be made before a formal extradition can be requested.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Nirav Modi's presence in Hong Kong has been confirmed. In a written reply to the Parliament, it was stated that India had approached the Hong Kong authorities on March 23 regarding Nirav Modi's provisional arrest.

Besides this, the Punjab National Bank has approached Hong Kong Court against Nirav Modi after moving the insolvency authority in the US.&nbsp;

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Hong Kong's Department of Justice in a response to ANI about Nirav Modi's whereabouts said, 'the Department of Justice does not comment on individual cases.'
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The bank plans to approach other jurisdictions where Nirav Modi and his associates have assets and properties as part of recovery process, a senior PNB official said.&nbsp;

Hong Kong authorities have been approached and a recovery writ has been filed against companies of Nirav Modi, the official said without disclosing other details.&nbsp;

Billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi figures at the centre of an Rs 13,000-crore fraud.&nbsp;

Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of over Rs13,000 crore through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs).&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

China, earlier this month, said Hong Kong was free to accept India's request to arrest Modi on the basis of the local laws of the region

In response to WION's query on Nirav Modi's whereabouts, Hong Kong's Department of Justice said, 'the Department of Justice does not comment on individual cases.' WION had raised a query to Hong Kong's justice department regarding Nirav Modi's extradition which was met with a reply that no comments will be made on individual cases. China, earlier this month, said Hong Kong was free to accept India's request to arrest Modi on the basis of the local laws of the region and judicial agreements between the two. While Hong Kong is part of the People's Republic of China, it is an autonomous region with its own laws. A provisional arrest has to be made before a formal extradition can be requested. Meanwhile, Nirav Modi's presence in Hong Kong has been confirmed. In a written reply to the Parliament, it was stated that India had approached the Hong Kong authorities on March 23 regarding Nirav Modi's provisional arrest. Besides this, the Punjab National Bank has approached Hong Kong Court against Nirav Modi after moving the insolvency authority in the US. Hong Kong's Department of Justice in a response to ANI about Nirav Modi's whereabouts said, 'the Department of Justice does not comment on individual cases.' — ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2018 × The bank plans to approach other jurisdictions where Nirav Modi and his associates have assets and properties as part of recovery process, a senior PNB official said. Hong Kong authorities have been approached and a recovery writ has been filed against companies of Nirav Modi, the official said without disclosing other details. Billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi figures at the centre of an Rs 13,000-crore fraud. Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of over Rs13,000 crore through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs). (With inputs from PTI)

Watch: Hong Kong refuses to comment on Nirav Modi's whereabouts

The computer network used by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton&rsquo;s campaign was hacked as part of a broad cyber attack on Democratic political organisations, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. 
 
The latest attack, which was disclosed to Reuters yesterday, follows reports of two other hacks on the Democratic National Committee and the party&rsquo;s fundraising committee for candidates for the US House of Representatives. 
 
The US department of justice national security division is investigating whether cyber hacking attacks on Democratic political organisations threatened US security, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. 
 
The involvement of the justice department&rsquo;s national security division is a sign that the Obama administration has concluded that the hacking was state sponsored, individuals with knowledge of the investigation said. 
 
The Clinton campaign, based in Brooklyn, had no immediate comment and referred Reuters to a comment from earlier this week by campaign senior policy adviser Jake Sullivan criticising Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and calling the hacking &quot;a national security issue.&quot; 
 
The department of justice had no comment. 
 
It was not immediately clear what information on the Clinton campaign&rsquo;s computer system hackers would have been able to access. 
 
Hackers, whom US intelligence officials have concluded were Russian, gained access to the entire network of the fundraising Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, of DCCC, said people familiar with the matter, detailing the extent of the breach to Reuters for the first time. 
 
Access to the full DCCC network would have given the hackers access to everything from emails to strategy memos and opposition research prepared to support Democratic candidates in campaigns for the House. 
 
The hack of the DCCC, which is based in Washington, was reported first by Reuters on Thursday, ahead of Clinton&rsquo;s speech in Philadelphia accepting the Democratic party&rsquo;s nomination. 
 
Russian officials could not be immediately reached for comment. 
 
The DCCC said in a statement early on Friday that it has hired cyber security firm CrowdStrike to investigate. 
 
&quot;We have taken and are continuing to take steps to enhance the security of our network,&quot; the DCCC said. &quot;We are cooperating with federal law enforcement with respect to their ongoing investigation.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

It was not clear what information on the Clinton campaign?s computer system hackers would have been able to access

The computer network used by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign was hacked as part of a broad cyber attack on Democratic political organisations, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The latest attack, which was disclosed to Reuters yesterday, follows reports of two other hacks on the Democratic National Committee and the party’s fundraising committee for candidates for the US House of Representatives. The US department of justice national security division is investigating whether cyber hacking attacks on Democratic political organisations threatened US security, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. The involvement of the justice department’s national security division is a sign that the Obama administration has concluded that the hacking was state sponsored, individuals with knowledge of the investigation said. The Clinton campaign, based in Brooklyn, had no immediate comment and referred Reuters to a comment from earlier this week by campaign senior policy adviser Jake Sullivan criticising Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and calling the hacking "a national security issue." The department of justice had no comment. It was not immediately clear what information on the Clinton campaign’s computer system hackers would have been able to access. Hackers, whom US intelligence officials have concluded were Russian, gained access to the entire network of the fundraising Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, of DCCC, said people familiar with the matter, detailing the extent of the breach to Reuters for the first time. Access to the full DCCC network would have given the hackers access to everything from emails to strategy memos and opposition research prepared to support Democratic candidates in campaigns for the House. The hack of the DCCC, which is based in Washington, was reported first by Reuters on Thursday, ahead of Clinton’s speech in Philadelphia accepting the Democratic party’s nomination. Russian officials could not be immediately reached for comment. The DCCC said in a statement early on Friday that it has hired cyber security firm CrowdStrike to investigate. "We have taken and are continuing to take steps to enhance the security of our network," the DCCC said. "We are cooperating with federal law enforcement with respect to their ongoing investigation." (Reuters)

Clinton campaign also hacked in attacks on Democrats

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