A 36-year veteran of the Justice Department this week accused Attorney General William Barr of abusing his power to sway the election for President Donald Trump and said he was quitting, making him the third sitting prosecutor to issue a rare public rebuke of the attorney general.

“Barr’s resentment toward rule-of-law prosecutors became increasingly difficult to ignore, as did his slavish obedience to Donald Trump’s will,” Phillip Halpern, a federal prosecutor in San Diego, said in a letter published Wednesday in The San Diego Union-Tribune. “This career bureaucrat seems determined to turn our democracy into an autocracy.”

Halpern said he chose to retire as well, calling Barr “a well-trained bureaucrat” without prosecutorial experience and alleging that he scorned honest apolitical prosecutors and selectively meddled in the criminal justice system to help Trump’s allies.

He said he would have quit earlier but stayed on because he worried that the department under Barr would have interfered in his prosecution of former Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to steal campaign funds.

The condemnations by Halpern and the two other prosecutors, one in Seattle and one in Boston, broke with a long-standing practice by Justice Department lawyers not to publicly discuss internal affairs.

“I have never seen sitting prosecutors go on the record with concerns about the attorney general,” said Paul Butler, a professor at Georgetown Law who served as a federal prosecutor during Barr’s earlier tour as attorney general in the George Bush administration. “This is unprecedented.”

He said that during Barr’s first stint as attorney general, line prosecutors did not feel the sense of crisis that they feel now. “Trump is the difference,” Butler said. “Barr was attorney general, but he was still beholden to the president, and he didn’t put the pressure on the attorney general that Trump has.”

Kerri Kupec, a Justice Department spokeswoman, did not respond to a request for comment on the letters or to a question about whether the two prosecutors still at the department who spoke out would face disciplinary action.

More than 110,000 people work at the Justice Department, and internal disagreement is common, as at any large organization; the disputes sometimes spill into view through news reports. The department and its prosecutors have come under tremendous scrutiny under Trump, as he has publicly criticized prosecutors for charging his allies and said that he wanted them to put his political enemies in jail.

Butler pointed to a recent book by Andrew Weissmann, a prosecutor on the Russia investigation, as an example of how the norm of the department’s rank and file remaining quiet had softened. Weissmann’s book gives an inside looking into some of the deliberations that took place during the investigation and criticized the special counsel, Robert Mueller, for being overly cautious.

Mueller publicly pushed back on some of Weissmann’s claims in a rare public statement.

“Even five years ago, that would have been shocking,” Butler said of the back-and-forth.

But he argued that the three prosecutors’ critiques of Barr were particularly unusual. “Most people in the past would have been afraid that they would be tainted or blackballed from future jobs for publicly criticizing the attorney general,” Butler said. “But I don’t think that these letter writers will suffer consequences outside of the department.”

Halpern, who worked under six presidents of both parties, said that he observed colleagues quitting and that highly qualified lawyers seemed unwilling to apply to be federal prosecutors because of how Barr helmed the department.

“I always believed the department’s past leaders were dedicated to the rule of law and the guiding principle that justice is blind,” Halpern said. “That is a bygone era, but it should not be forgotten.” 
&nbsp;

A 36-year veteran of the Justice Department this week accused Attorney General William Barr of abusing his power to sway the election for President Donald Trump and said he was quitting, making him the third sitting prosecutor to issue a rare public rebuke of the attorney general.

A 36-year veteran of the Justice Department this week accused Attorney General William Barr of abusing his power to sway the election for President Donald Trump and said he was quitting, making him the third sitting prosecutor to issue a rare public rebuke of the attorney general. “Barr’s resentment toward rule-of-law prosecutors became increasingly difficult to ignore, as did his slavish obedience to Donald Trump’s will,” Phillip Halpern, a federal prosecutor in San Diego, said in a letter published Wednesday in The San Diego Union-Tribune. “This career bureaucrat seems determined to turn our democracy into an autocracy.” Halpern said he chose to retire as well, calling Barr “a well-trained bureaucrat” without prosecutorial experience and alleging that he scorned honest apolitical prosecutors and selectively meddled in the criminal justice system to help Trump’s allies. He said he would have quit earlier but stayed on because he worried that the department under Barr would have interfered in his prosecution of former Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to steal campaign funds. The condemnations by Halpern and the two other prosecutors, one in Seattle and one in Boston, broke with a long-standing practice by Justice Department lawyers not to publicly discuss internal affairs. “I have never seen sitting prosecutors go on the record with concerns about the attorney general,” said Paul Butler, a professor at Georgetown Law who served as a federal prosecutor during Barr’s earlier tour as attorney general in the George Bush administration. “This is unprecedented.” He said that during Barr’s first stint as attorney general, line prosecutors did not feel the sense of crisis that they feel now. “Trump is the difference,” Butler said. “Barr was attorney general, but he was still beholden to the president, and he didn’t put the pressure on the attorney general that Trump has.” Kerri Kupec, a Justice Department spokeswoman, did not respond to a request for comment on the letters or to a question about whether the two prosecutors still at the department who spoke out would face disciplinary action. More than 110,000 people work at the Justice Department, and internal disagreement is common, as at any large organization; the disputes sometimes spill into view through news reports. The department and its prosecutors have come under tremendous scrutiny under Trump, as he has publicly criticized prosecutors for charging his allies and said that he wanted them to put his political enemies in jail. Butler pointed to a recent book by Andrew Weissmann, a prosecutor on the Russia investigation, as an example of how the norm of the department’s rank and file remaining quiet had softened. Weissmann’s book gives an inside looking into some of the deliberations that took place during the investigation and criticized the special counsel, Robert Mueller, for being overly cautious. Mueller publicly pushed back on some of Weissmann’s claims in a rare public statement. “Even five years ago, that would have been shocking,” Butler said of the back-and-forth. But he argued that the three prosecutors’ critiques of Barr were particularly unusual. “Most people in the past would have been afraid that they would be tainted or blackballed from future jobs for publicly criticizing the attorney general,” Butler said. “But I don’t think that these letter writers will suffer consequences outside of the department.” Halpern, who worked under six presidents of both parties, said that he observed colleagues quitting and that highly qualified lawyers seemed unwilling to apply to be federal prosecutors because of how Barr helmed the department. “I always believed the department’s past leaders were dedicated to the rule of law and the guiding principle that justice is blind,” Halpern said. “That is a bygone era, but it should not be forgotten.”

Third Justice Department prosecutor publicly denounces William Barr

The U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal probe into whether NASA`s former head of human spaceflight gave Boeing Co improper guidance during a lucrative lunar-lander contract competition, two people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The Justice Department has sent subpoenas to NASA, Boeing and Doug Loverro, who led the agency`s marquee space travel program until he resigned abruptly in May, as part of a grand-jury investigation into the possible violation of federal procurement laws, the sources said.

In the probe, opened in June, prosecutors are focusing on communication between Loverro and Boeing space executive Jim Chilton in late January, during a blackout period for the Human Landing System competition, one of the sources said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasas-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-recharges-its-batteries-in-flight-320348">Also read:&nbsp;NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter recharges its batteries in flight</a>

Representatives for Boeing and Loverro declined to comment. NASA declined to comment on personnel matters and the status of any investigation, but said the agency was confident in its procurement processes.

The probe was earlier reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The investigation, and an earlier probe by a NASA watchdog, has cast a shadow over one of NASA`s most ambitious endeavors: sending humans back to the moon from U.S. soil for the first time in nearly half a century.

In April, NASA bypassed Boeing — an industry juggernaut with deep ties to space travel — and awarded contracts worth a combined $1 billion to Elon Musk`s SpaceX, Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos` Blue Origin, and Leidos Inc affiliate Dynetics to build lunar landing vehicles that can carry astronauts to the moon by 2024.

Boeing was removed from the competition, NASA said in April, without explaining why.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-drops-racially-charged-nicknames-of-celestial-bodies-319130">Also read:&nbsp;NASA drops racially charged nicknames of celestial bodies</a>

Two people briefed on a NASA watchdog investigation told Reuters Boeing`s removal was over its contact with Loverro.

The sources said NASA`s Office of Inspector General found that Loverro told Boeing during a blackout period the company`s proposal was incomplete and discussed aspects of the bid that were missing.

After discussions with Loverro, Boeing officials submitted another version during the blackout period, raising legal concerns among agency procurement staff, one of the people said.

Loverro abruptly resigned in May after less than a year on the job, telling employees in an email seen by Reuters that he took certain "risks" to meet NASA`s 2024 moon deadline.

"It is clear that I made a mistake in that choice for which I alone must bear the consequences," Loverro said, without explaining the mistake he was referring to.

The U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal probe into whether NASA`s former head of human spaceflight gave Boeing Co improper guidance during a lucrative lunar-lander contract competition, two people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal probe into whether NASA`s former head of human spaceflight gave Boeing Co improper guidance during a lucrative lunar-lander contract competition, two people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The Justice Department has sent subpoenas to NASA, Boeing and Doug Loverro, who led the agency`s marquee space travel program until he resigned abruptly in May, as part of a grand-jury investigation into the possible violation of federal procurement laws, the sources said. In the probe, opened in June, prosecutors are focusing on communication between Loverro and Boeing space executive Jim Chilton in late January, during a blackout period for the Human Landing System competition, one of the sources said. Also read: NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter recharges its batteries in flight Representatives for Boeing and Loverro declined to comment. NASA declined to comment on personnel matters and the status of any investigation, but said the agency was confident in its procurement processes. The probe was earlier reported by the Wall Street Journal. The investigation, and an earlier probe by a NASA watchdog, has cast a shadow over one of NASA`s most ambitious endeavors: sending humans back to the moon from U.S. soil for the first time in nearly half a century. In April, NASA bypassed Boeing — an industry juggernaut with deep ties to space travel — and awarded contracts worth a combined $1 billion to Elon Musk`s SpaceX, Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos` Blue Origin, and Leidos Inc affiliate Dynetics to build lunar landing vehicles that can carry astronauts to the moon by 2024. Boeing was removed from the competition, NASA said in April, without explaining why. Also read: NASA drops racially charged nicknames of celestial bodies Two people briefed on a NASA watchdog investigation told Reuters Boeing`s removal was over its contact with Loverro. The sources said NASA`s Office of Inspector General found that Loverro told Boeing during a blackout period the company`s proposal was incomplete and discussed aspects of the bid that were missing. After discussions with Loverro, Boeing officials submitted another version during the blackout period, raising legal concerns among agency procurement staff, one of the people said. Loverro abruptly resigned in May after less than a year on the job, telling employees in an email seen by Reuters that he took certain "risks" to meet NASA`s 2024 moon deadline. "It is clear that I made a mistake in that choice for which I alone must bear the consequences," Loverro said, without explaining the mistake he was referring to.

US prosecutors probe ex-NASA official, Boeing over space contract: sources

US Attorney General William Barr is mulling resignation over President Donald Trump's tweets about Justice Department investigations, according to a report in Washington Post.

US Attorney General William Barr is mulling resignation over President Donald Trump's tweets about Justice Department investigations, according to a report in Washington Post. Barr has told people close to Trump about his concerns, but it was not immediately clear if Barr had told Trump directly, the Post added in a report. "He has his limits," the newspaper quoted one person familiar with Barr's thinking as saying. Barr may be sharing his position with people close to Trump in hopes the president gets the message and stops tweeting about the Justice Department’s criminal investigations, the Post said. Meanwhile, Trump said on Tuesday he had total confidence in Barr, who last week said in an interview that Trump's tweeting habit had made it impossible for him to do his job. "I do make his job harder ... I do agree with that," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One. "The attorney general is a man with great integrity." Last week senior Justice Department officials withdrew an earlier sentencing recommendation for longtime Trump friend Roger Stone, who was found guilty in November of seven counts of lying to Congress, prompting upheaval within the department. More than 1,000 former department officials have now called for Barr to resign.

US Attorney General Barr mulling resignation over Trump tweets: Report

The US Justice Department will open an antitrust investigation of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-exempts-political-speech-from-fact-checking-251925">Facebook Inc,</a> a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, marking the fourth recent antitrust probe of the social media company.

Facebook also faces probes by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a group of state attorneys general led by New York and the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.

Large tech companies, including Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google, have increasingly been on the defensive in the recent years over lapses such as privacy breaches and outsized market influence.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-takes-down-pro-trump-pages-with-reported-ukraine-links-251827">Facebook has faced extra scrutiny</a> tied to how it allowed its platforms to be used during the 2016 US presidential election.

The company, which owns one-time rivals Instagram and WhatsApp and has 2.4 billion monthly users, recently paid a $5 billion settlement for sharing 87 million users' data with defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

Facebook declined to comment on Wednesday.

The two federal agencies had divided up responsibility for the companies being investigated, with the Justice Department taking Google and Apple while the FTC looked at Facebook and Amazon.

The Justice Department later said it was opening a probe of online platforms. It did not specify which ones, but said it would consider concerns raised about "search, social media and some retail services online".

Neither agency has revealed the focus of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-suspends-tens-of-thousands-of-apps-in-privacy-review-251009">investigations into Facebook</a>, though the Wall Street Journal has reported that the FTC's probe is focused on the company's acquisitions.

The world's largest social network has purchased nearly 90 companies since 2003, showed data from S&amp;P Global.

The Justice Department's Antitrust Chief likewise told a tech conference in August that the government is looking at previously approved acquisitions as part of its broad review.

This led some industry observers to question whether the two federal investigations would overlap.

Lawmakers, in particular, Senator&nbsp;Mike Lee, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust panel, criticized the appearance of overlap in a hearing last week.

The agencies generally have a practice of meeting to decide who will investigate which matter but the FTC cannot probe certain areas, for example, price-fixing.

The probe into Facebook by the state attorneys general, announced earlier this month, is being led by New York and also includes Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and the District of Columbia.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said that investigation would look into whether Facebook's actions had endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices or increased the price of advertising.

The US Justice Department will open an antitrust investigation of Facebook Inc, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, marking the fourth recent antitrust probe of the social media company.

The US Justice Department will open an antitrust investigation of Facebook Inc, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, marking the fourth recent antitrust probe of the social media company. Facebook also faces probes by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a group of state attorneys general led by New York and the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Large tech companies, including Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google, have increasingly been on the defensive in the recent years over lapses such as privacy breaches and outsized market influence. Facebook has faced extra scrutiny tied to how it allowed its platforms to be used during the 2016 US presidential election. The company, which owns one-time rivals Instagram and WhatsApp and has 2.4 billion monthly users, recently paid a $5 billion settlement for sharing 87 million users' data with defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. Facebook declined to comment on Wednesday. The two federal agencies had divided up responsibility for the companies being investigated, with the Justice Department taking Google and Apple while the FTC looked at Facebook and Amazon. The Justice Department later said it was opening a probe of online platforms. It did not specify which ones, but said it would consider concerns raised about "search, social media and some retail services online". Neither agency has revealed the focus of investigations into Facebook, though the Wall Street Journal has reported that the FTC's probe is focused on the company's acquisitions. The world's largest social network has purchased nearly 90 companies since 2003, showed data from S&P Global. The Justice Department's Antitrust Chief likewise told a tech conference in August that the government is looking at previously approved acquisitions as part of its broad review. This led some industry observers to question whether the two federal investigations would overlap. Lawmakers, in particular, Senator Mike Lee, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust panel, criticized the appearance of overlap in a hearing last week. The agencies generally have a practice of meeting to decide who will investigate which matter but the FTC cannot probe certain areas, for example, price-fixing. The probe into Facebook by the state attorneys general, announced earlier this month, is being led by New York and also includes Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and the District of Columbia. New York Attorney General Letitia James said that investigation would look into whether Facebook's actions had endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices or increased the price of advertising.

United States Justice Department to open antitrust investigation against Facebook

The US Justice Department said on Tuesday it was opening a broad investigation of major digital technology firms into whether they engage in anti-competitive practices, the strongest sign the Trump administration is stepping up its scrutiny of Big Tech.

The review will look into "whether and how market-leading online platforms have achieved market power and are engaging in practices that have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers," the Justice Department said in a statement.

The Justice Department did not identify specific companies but said the review would consider concerns raised about "search, social media, and some retail services online" -- an apparent reference to Alphabet Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Facebook Inc, and potentially Apple Inc.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to provide a list of companies that would be scrutinized.

Google and Apple declined to comment, referring to prior statements by executives, while Facebook and Amazon did not immediately comment.

Facebook fell 1.7% in after-hours trading, while Alphabet fell 1%, Amazon was down 1.2% and Apple was 0.4% lower.

The announcement comes a day before the Federal Trade Commission is set to announce a $5 billion penalty to Facebook for failing to properly protect user privacy.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, said the Justice Department "must now be bold and fearless in stopping Big Tech’s misuse of its monopolistic power. Too long absent and apathetic, enforcers now must prevent privacy abuse, anti-competitive tactics, innovation roadblocks, and other hallmarks of excessive market power."

In June, Reuters reported the Trump administration was gearing up to investigate whether Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Alphabet's Google misuse their massive market power, setting up what could be an unprecedented, wide-ranging probe of some of the world’s largest companies.

A person briefed on the matter said the Justice review may also include some state attorneys general.

The Justice Department said the review "is to assess the competitive conditions in the online marketplace in an objective and fair-minded manner and to ensure Americans have access to free markets in which companies compete on the merits to provide services that users want."

Reuters reported on May 31 that the Justice Department was preparing an investigation of Google to determine whether the tech giant broke antitrust law.

Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill alike are expressing growing concerns about the size of the largest tech firms and their market power. Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has called for breaking up companies like Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook and unwinding prior acquisitions.

Last week, the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust panel pressed executives from the four firms about their competitive practices and noted that Google, Facebook, Amazon had a rising share of key markets.

The US Justice Department said on Tuesday it was opening a broad investigation of major digital technology firms into whether they engage in anti-competitive practices, the strongest sign the Trump administration is stepping up its scrutiny of Big Tech.

The US Justice Department said on Tuesday it was opening a broad investigation of major digital technology firms into whether they engage in anti-competitive practices, the strongest sign the Trump administration is stepping up its scrutiny of Big Tech. The review will look into "whether and how market-leading online platforms have achieved market power and are engaging in practices that have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers," the Justice Department said in a statement. The Justice Department did not identify specific companies but said the review would consider concerns raised about "search, social media, and some retail services online" -- an apparent reference to Alphabet Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Facebook Inc, and potentially Apple Inc. A Justice Department spokesman declined to provide a list of companies that would be scrutinized. Google and Apple declined to comment, referring to prior statements by executives, while Facebook and Amazon did not immediately comment. Facebook fell 1.7% in after-hours trading, while Alphabet fell 1%, Amazon was down 1.2% and Apple was 0.4% lower. The announcement comes a day before the Federal Trade Commission is set to announce a $5 billion penalty to Facebook for failing to properly protect user privacy. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, said the Justice Department "must now be bold and fearless in stopping Big Tech’s misuse of its monopolistic power. Too long absent and apathetic, enforcers now must prevent privacy abuse, anti-competitive tactics, innovation roadblocks, and other hallmarks of excessive market power." In June, Reuters reported the Trump administration was gearing up to investigate whether Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Alphabet's Google misuse their massive market power, setting up what could be an unprecedented, wide-ranging probe of some of the world’s largest companies. A person briefed on the matter said the Justice review may also include some state attorneys general. The Justice Department said the review "is to assess the competitive conditions in the online marketplace in an objective and fair-minded manner and to ensure Americans have access to free markets in which companies compete on the merits to provide services that users want." Reuters reported on May 31 that the Justice Department was preparing an investigation of Google to determine whether the tech giant broke antitrust law. Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill alike are expressing growing concerns about the size of the largest tech firms and their market power. Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has called for breaking up companies like Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook and unwinding prior acquisitions. Last week, the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust panel pressed executives from the four firms about their competitive practices and noted that Google, Facebook, Amazon had a rising share of key markets.

Big Tech faces broad US Justice Department antitrust probe

A naturalized American who was a sniper for the Islamic State group has been charged in New York with material support for a terror group after being captured in Syria and repatriated to the United States, the Justice Department announced Friday.

Kazakhstan-born Ruslan Maratovich Asainov fought for the Islamic State in Syria for five years before he was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces and handed over to US custody, the department said.

Asainov, 43, was brought back to the United States on Thursday and was to be arraigned Friday afternoon in federal court in Brooklyn.

He fought for IS in Syria from 2013 to 2018 as a sniper and a weapons trainer for other combatants.

Over time, he rose up through the ranks of the organization, and was named an "emir," or chief, in charge of weapons training.

He stayed in contact with some people in the United States, sending messages and photographs of himself from the battlefield.

"We are the worst terrorist organization in the world that has ever existed," one of his messages from 2015 said, according to court documents.

Asainov also tried to recruit another individual in the United States to join the group, who, he did not know, was an informant for the New York Police Department.

"The United States is committed to holding accountable those who have left this country in order to fight for ISIS," Assistant Attorney General John Demers said in a statement.

"We hope countries around the world, including our European allies and partners, will likewise repatriate and prosecute their own citizens for traveling to support ISIS," he said.

A naturalized American who was a sniper for the Islamic State group has been charged in New York with material support for a terror group after being captured in Syria and repatriated to the United States, the Justice Department announced Friday.

A naturalized American who was a sniper for the Islamic State group has been charged in New York with material support for a terror group after being captured in Syria and repatriated to the United States, the Justice Department announced Friday. Kazakhstan-born Ruslan Maratovich Asainov fought for the Islamic State in Syria for five years before he was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces and handed over to US custody, the department said. Asainov, 43, was brought back to the United States on Thursday and was to be arraigned Friday afternoon in federal court in Brooklyn. He fought for IS in Syria from 2013 to 2018 as a sniper and a weapons trainer for other combatants. Over time, he rose up through the ranks of the organization, and was named an "emir," or chief, in charge of weapons training. He stayed in contact with some people in the United States, sending messages and photographs of himself from the battlefield. "We are the worst terrorist organization in the world that has ever existed," one of his messages from 2015 said, according to court documents. Asainov also tried to recruit another individual in the United States to join the group, who, he did not know, was an informant for the New York Police Department. "The United States is committed to holding accountable those who have left this country in order to fight for ISIS," Assistant Attorney General John Demers said in a statement. "We hope countries around the world, including our European allies and partners, will likewise repatriate and prosecute their own citizens for traveling to support ISIS," he said.

American Islamic State 'sniper' charged in New York: Justice Department

President Donald Trump said Friday he was weighing an executive order to overcome a Supreme Court ruling blocking his administration from adding a question about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-abandons-controversial-census-change-232627">citizenship to the 2020 US census</a>, which opponents say is politically motivated.

A week after the high court blocked the question and the administration announced it would accept the decision, the Justice Department also indicated Friday that it was seeking a new legal justification to add the citizenship question to the decennial national survey.

Trump appeared determined to find a way around the court's June 27 ruling, in which Chief Justice John Roberts said the administration had "contrived" a bogus reason to add the question, claiming it would help enforce minority rights.

Plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the government however provided documents to the court showing that the proposal by Commerce Department Secretary Wilbur Ross originally arose from Republican efforts to dilute voter support for Democrats in immigrant-heavy districts.

Trump himself appeared to confirm that Friday, saying the question is important "for districting," the process of outlining congressional districts.

Asked if he would resort to an executive order to override the Supreme Court's narrow 5-4 decision, Trump replied: "We're thinking about doing that. We have four or five ways we can do it."

Printing of census forms underway

On Tuesday, Ross accepted the high court ruling and announced that the US Census Bureau would immediately begin printing census questionnaires without a question on whether respondent households had any non-citizens in them.

But on Wednesday Trump stunned his own Commerce and Justice Departments, announcing via Twitter that he would continue fighting to add the question.

"The News Reports about the Department of Commerce dropping its quest to put the Citizenship Question on the Census is incorrect or, to state it differently, FAKE!" he said.

Watch:&nbsp;US is 'stronger than it ever was before', says Trump

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-us-is-stronger-than-it-ever-was-before-233358/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are absolutely moving forward, as we must, because of the importance of the answer to this question."

Hours later Justice Department lawyers told a lower court judge that they were blindsided by Trump's tweet.

On Friday, they indicated in a fresh court filing that they were looking for new legal rationales for adding the citizenship question that might be accepted by the Supreme Court.

They gave no date as to when that could happen.

But it was virtually certain that any new justification, or any Trump order on the issue, would be challenged immediately in lawsuits, forcing the case back to the high court.

That could risk delaying the crucial census, already on a tight timeline due to the delay from earlier litigation.

The Justice Department declined to answer questions on what rationale they could use to justify adding the question or whether an executive order -- which could spark a constitutional crisis -- is forthcoming.

Democrats said the rational remains clear -- to weaken their electoral districts.

"This is a partisan attempt to rig the census and electoral districts for years to come," said Democratic Representative Carolyn Maloney.

President Donald Trump said Friday he was weighing an executive order to overcome a Supreme Court ruling blocking his administration from adding a question about citizenship to the 2020 US census, which opponents say is politically motivated.

President Donald Trump said Friday he was weighing an executive order to overcome a Supreme Court ruling blocking his administration from adding a question about citizenship to the 2020 US census, which opponents say is politically motivated. A week after the high court blocked the question and the administration announced it would accept the decision, the Justice Department also indicated Friday that it was seeking a new legal justification to add the citizenship question to the decennial national survey. Trump appeared determined to find a way around the court's June 27 ruling, in which Chief Justice John Roberts said the administration had "contrived" a bogus reason to add the question, claiming it would help enforce minority rights. Plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the government however provided documents to the court showing that the proposal by Commerce Department Secretary Wilbur Ross originally arose from Republican efforts to dilute voter support for Democrats in immigrant-heavy districts. Trump himself appeared to confirm that Friday, saying the question is important "for districting," the process of outlining congressional districts. Asked if he would resort to an executive order to override the Supreme Court's narrow 5-4 decision, Trump replied: "We're thinking about doing that. We have four or five ways we can do it." Printing of census forms underway On Tuesday, Ross accepted the high court ruling and announced that the US Census Bureau would immediately begin printing census questionnaires without a question on whether respondent households had any non-citizens in them. But on Wednesday Trump stunned his own Commerce and Justice Departments, announcing via Twitter that he would continue fighting to add the question. "The News Reports about the Department of Commerce dropping its quest to put the Citizenship Question on the Census is incorrect or, to state it differently, FAKE!" he said. Watch: US is 'stronger than it ever was before', says Trump "We are absolutely moving forward, as we must, because of the importance of the answer to this question." Hours later Justice Department lawyers told a lower court judge that they were blindsided by Trump's tweet. On Friday, they indicated in a fresh court filing that they were looking for new legal rationales for adding the citizenship question that might be accepted by the Supreme Court. They gave no date as to when that could happen. But it was virtually certain that any new justification, or any Trump order on the issue, would be challenged immediately in lawsuits, forcing the case back to the high court. That could risk delaying the crucial census, already on a tight timeline due to the delay from earlier litigation. The Justice Department declined to answer questions on what rationale they could use to justify adding the question or whether an executive order -- which could spark a constitutional crisis -- is forthcoming. Democrats said the rational remains clear -- to weaken their electoral districts. "This is a partisan attempt to rig the census and electoral districts for years to come," said Democratic Representative Carolyn Maloney.

US President Donald Trump seeks to override Supreme Court ruling on census

A former CIA officer could spend the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty on Wednesday to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-diplomat-pleads-guilty-in-china-spying-case-213309">spying for China</a>, the Justice Department said.

Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 54, was arrested in January 2018, suspected of having provided information on a CIA network of informants that was brought down by China between 2010 and 2012.

Lee pleaded guilty before a US District Court judge in the Eastern District of Virginia to conspiring to provide national defence information to China, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Lee, a former CIA case officer, left the Central Intelligence Agency in 2007 and moved to Hong Kong.

According to the Justice Department, he was approached by two Chinese intelligence officers in April 2010.

They offered to pay Lee $100,000 for information and to take care of him "for life" in exchange for his cooperation, it said.

The Justice Department said that in May 2010, Lee created a document on his laptop that described where the CIA assigns officers and the "particular location and timeframe of a sensitive CIA operation."

It said the FBI had also recovered handwritten notes made by Lee related to his work for the CIA.

"These notes included, among other things, intelligence provided by CIA assets, true names of assets, operational meeting locations and phone numbers and information about covert facilities," the Justice Department said.

John Brown, the FBI's assistant director for counterintelligence, said that Lee's actions had "dangerous ramifications."

"By knowingly aiding a foreign government, Mr Lee put our country's national security at serious risk and also threatened the safety and personal security of innocent people, namely his former intelligence colleagues," Brown said.

Ron Rockwell Hansen, 58, a former Defence Intelligence Agency official, faces 15 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year under a guilty plea to a charge of attempting to sell classified information to China.

Former State Department official Kevin Mallory was arrested in 2017 for spying for China.

And another US diplomat, Candace Marie Claiborne, was also arrested recently for taking money from Chinese intelligence officials, though she was not directly accused of supplying information in exchange.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said last week that China poses the most serious intelligence threat to the United States.

Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, Wray said China poses a "multi-layered" threat to US interests.

"They're doing it through Chinese intelligence services, through state-owned enterprises, through ostensibly private companies, through graduate students and researchers, through a variety of actors all working on behalf of China," he said.

Lee is to be sentenced on August 23. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

A former CIA officer could spend the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty on Wednesday to spying for China, the Justice Department said. Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 54, was arrested in January 2018, suspected of having provided information on a CIA network of informants that was brought down by China between 2010 and 2012.

A former CIA officer could spend the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty on Wednesday to spying for China, the Justice Department said. Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 54, was arrested in January 2018, suspected of having provided information on a CIA network of informants that was brought down by China between 2010 and 2012. Lee pleaded guilty before a US District Court judge in the Eastern District of Virginia to conspiring to provide national defence information to China, the Justice Department said in a statement. Lee, a former CIA case officer, left the Central Intelligence Agency in 2007 and moved to Hong Kong. According to the Justice Department, he was approached by two Chinese intelligence officers in April 2010. They offered to pay Lee $100,000 for information and to take care of him "for life" in exchange for his cooperation, it said. The Justice Department said that in May 2010, Lee created a document on his laptop that described where the CIA assigns officers and the "particular location and timeframe of a sensitive CIA operation." It said the FBI had also recovered handwritten notes made by Lee related to his work for the CIA. "These notes included, among other things, intelligence provided by CIA assets, true names of assets, operational meeting locations and phone numbers and information about covert facilities," the Justice Department said. John Brown, the FBI's assistant director for counterintelligence, said that Lee's actions had "dangerous ramifications." "By knowingly aiding a foreign government, Mr Lee put our country's national security at serious risk and also threatened the safety and personal security of innocent people, namely his former intelligence colleagues," Brown said. Ron Rockwell Hansen, 58, a former Defence Intelligence Agency official, faces 15 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year under a guilty plea to a charge of attempting to sell classified information to China. Former State Department official Kevin Mallory was arrested in 2017 for spying for China. And another US diplomat, Candace Marie Claiborne, was also arrested recently for taking money from Chinese intelligence officials, though she was not directly accused of supplying information in exchange. FBI Director Christopher Wray said last week that China poses the most serious intelligence threat to the United States. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, Wray said China poses a "multi-layered" threat to US interests. "They're doing it through Chinese intelligence services, through state-owned enterprises, through ostensibly private companies, through graduate students and researchers, through a variety of actors all working on behalf of China," he said. Lee is to be sentenced on August 23. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Former CIA officer Jerry Chun Shing Lee pleads guilty to spying for China

Nebraska's Justice Department said Tuesday that it has subpoenaed records on sexual abuse of children from over 400 Catholic churches and institutions in the US state.

"The subpoenas request all records or information related to any child sexual assault or abuse that has occurred by those employed or associated with each church or institution, whether previously reported or not," spokeswoman Suzanne Gage said in a statement.

The Justice Department "believes that subpoenas are necessary in order to ensure all reports of impropriety have been submitted to the appropriate authorities," Gage said.

"It is our goal that all reports of abuse are subject to complete law enforcement review and investigation as warranted."

The move comes amid a series of Catholic Church child abuse scandals in the US and other countries in recent years that have been marked by widespread allegations of cover-ups.

In December, the Illinois attorney general said that almost 700 clergymen in the state have been accused of child sexual assault -- a far greater number than the Catholic Church had previously disclosed.

The same month, authorities of the Jesuit order overseeing at least 40 US states released the names of more than 240 members who have been credibly accused of abuse -- including dozens of priests with multiple allegations.

And in August, a devastating US report on child sex abuse claimed more than 300 "predator" priests abused more than 1,000 minors over seven decades in the state of Pennsylvania.

Nebraska's Justice Department said Tuesday that it has subpoenaed records on sexual abuse of children from over 400 Catholic churches and institutions in the US state.

Nebraska's Justice Department said Tuesday that it has subpoenaed records on sexual abuse of children from over 400 Catholic churches and institutions in the US state. "The subpoenas request all records or information related to any child sexual assault or abuse that has occurred by those employed or associated with each church or institution, whether previously reported or not," spokeswoman Suzanne Gage said in a statement. The Justice Department "believes that subpoenas are necessary in order to ensure all reports of impropriety have been submitted to the appropriate authorities," Gage said. "It is our goal that all reports of abuse are subject to complete law enforcement review and investigation as warranted." The move comes amid a series of Catholic Church child abuse scandals in the US and other countries in recent years that have been marked by widespread allegations of cover-ups. In December, the Illinois attorney general said that almost 700 clergymen in the state have been accused of child sexual assault -- a far greater number than the Catholic Church had previously disclosed. The same month, authorities of the Jesuit order overseeing at least 40 US states released the names of more than 240 members who have been credibly accused of abuse -- including dozens of priests with multiple allegations. And in August, a devastating US report on child sex abuse claimed more than 300 "predator" priests abused more than 1,000 minors over seven decades in the state of Pennsylvania.

US state seeks abuse records from over 400 Catholic churches, institutions

Human rights groups took to the streets in cities across the United States&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;to protest the Trump administration's policy to separate asylum-seeking Central American immigrant children from their parents.

Hundreds of people chanted "families belong together" in front of the Justice Department in Washington, accusing the government of violating human rights and traumatizing children for political reasons.

"This is indeed an emergency -- every single day children are ripped apart from their parents and the Trump administration must immediately cease this policy," said Jessica Morales, chairwoman of We Belong Together, an immigrant advocacy group.

The protests came after President Donald Trump's administration confirmed that it had split hundreds of families who crossed the southern border without immigration documents since October.

Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced an official policy of arresting and separating all parents from their children if they cross the border illegally.

The government sees the policy as a necessary deterrent to illegal immigration, but the critics say it is cruel to refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America.

"This attorney general made a decision to separate our kids from their parents. This is immoral, it's a crime, and we are not going to accept that," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of the immigrant advocacy group CASA.

The backlash has placed Trump, who has promised to halt illegal immigration, on the defensive, ironically blaming Democrats for a policy choice his administration has made.

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging the policy, calling it a violation of human rights.

"Separating families is more than cruel and unnecessary -- it's torture," the ACLU said.

The policy aims to stem a surge of poor families mostly from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras pouring into the United States.

Citing the daily violence in their home countries, thousands each week cross the US-Mexico border and immediately turn themselves into authorities asking for asylum.

They are part of a broader rebound in illegal immigration that has deeply angered Trump.

In April alone, 50,924 people were detained after crossing the border without papers, including 4,314 unaccompanied children and 9,647 family units, according to US Customs and Border Patrol.

Late last year, the Trump administration quietly began separating some illegal border crossers from their children, sending the youngsters to holding facilities for several weeks before either transferring them back to parents or to relatives already living in the United States.

From October to April, about 700 children were separated from their parents.

With illegal border crossings and asylum requests undeterred, Sessions announced last month a "zero tolerance" policy that will see every unauthorized border-crosser charged with a crime even before they can request asylum.

"Today, we are here to send a message to the world: we are not going to let this country be overwhelmed... If you cross this border unlawfully, then we will prosecute you," Sessions said.

"If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you as required by law," he said, adding: "If you don't like that, then don't smuggle children over our border."

The administration says the families who send or bring their children across the border are working with organized human smugglers who teach them exactly what to say to be placed into the asylum processing. That gives an incentive for people to head to the United States, they argue.

The immigrants say they are fleeing real dangers in their home countries.

In the two weeks that followed Sessions' announcement, authorities arrested 658 children together with 638 adults, US Border Patrol deputy chief of operations Richard Hudson told lawmakers last week.

The children are believed to have been taken away from their parents, but Hudson would not confirm that.

At the Washington protest, Guatemala native Exel Estrada, who came to the United States at 15 and just finished his first year in a US college, said the Trump administration is "against all immigrants."

"I too was an unaccompanied minor, I too was in a detention center," Estrada said.

"If there were policies like these four years ago, I would not be standing here today."

Hundreds of people chanted 'families belong together' in front of the Justice Department in Washington

Human rights groups took to the streets in cities across the United States on Friday to protest the Trump administration's policy to separate asylum-seeking Central American immigrant children from their parents. Hundreds of people chanted "families belong together" in front of the Justice Department in Washington, accusing the government of violating human rights and traumatizing children for political reasons. "This is indeed an emergency -- every single day children are ripped apart from their parents and the Trump administration must immediately cease this policy," said Jessica Morales, chairwoman of We Belong Together, an immigrant advocacy group. The protests came after President Donald Trump's administration confirmed that it had split hundreds of families who crossed the southern border without immigration documents since October. Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced an official policy of arresting and separating all parents from their children if they cross the border illegally. The government sees the policy as a necessary deterrent to illegal immigration, but the critics say it is cruel to refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America. "This attorney general made a decision to separate our kids from their parents. This is immoral, it's a crime, and we are not going to accept that," said Gustavo Torres, executive director of the immigrant advocacy group CASA. The backlash has placed Trump, who has promised to halt illegal immigration, on the defensive, ironically blaming Democrats for a policy choice his administration has made. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging the policy, calling it a violation of human rights. "Separating families is more than cruel and unnecessary -- it's torture," the ACLU said. The policy aims to stem a surge of poor families mostly from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras pouring into the United States. Citing the daily violence in their home countries, thousands each week cross the US-Mexico border and immediately turn themselves into authorities asking for asylum. They are part of a broader rebound in illegal immigration that has deeply angered Trump. In April alone, 50,924 people were detained after crossing the border without papers, including 4,314 unaccompanied children and 9,647 family units, according to US Customs and Border Patrol. Late last year, the Trump administration quietly began separating some illegal border crossers from their children, sending the youngsters to holding facilities for several weeks before either transferring them back to parents or to relatives already living in the United States. From October to April, about 700 children were separated from their parents. With illegal border crossings and asylum requests undeterred, Sessions announced last month a "zero tolerance" policy that will see every unauthorized border-crosser charged with a crime even before they can request asylum. "Today, we are here to send a message to the world: we are not going to let this country be overwhelmed... If you cross this border unlawfully, then we will prosecute you," Sessions said. "If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you as required by law," he said, adding: "If you don't like that, then don't smuggle children over our border." The administration says the families who send or bring their children across the border are working with organized human smugglers who teach them exactly what to say to be placed into the asylum processing. That gives an incentive for people to head to the United States, they argue. The immigrants say they are fleeing real dangers in their home countries. In the two weeks that followed Sessions' announcement, authorities arrested 658 children together with 638 adults, US Border Patrol deputy chief of operations Richard Hudson told lawmakers last week. The children are believed to have been taken away from their parents, but Hudson would not confirm that. At the Washington protest, Guatemala native Exel Estrada, who came to the United States at 15 and just finished his first year in a US college, said the Trump administration is "against all immigrants." "I too was an unaccompanied minor, I too was in a detention center," Estrada said. "If there were policies like these four years ago, I would not be standing here today."

Protesters attack 'immoral' Trump policy on immigrant families

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is seeking a temporary restraining order regarding searches of Cohen's home and office by FBI agents on Monday, a Justice Department spokesman said on Friday.

Such an order would be sought to stop the government from using seized materials, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

A hearing on the searches has been set for 10:30 a.m. (1430 GMT) in a Manhattan federal court, the courthouse said.

The raids followed a referral by US&nbspSpecial Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections, a probe that has expanded to include looking into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow.

Monday's raid infuriated Trump, who has called the special counsel investigation a "witch hunt." After the searches, he stepped up attacks against Mueller's probe before saying on Thursday that he was cooperating with the authorities.

Both Trump and Moscow deny any wrongdoing.

When reached by phone, a lawyer for Cohen was not immediately available for a request to comment.

A hearing on the searches has been set for 10:30 a.m. (1430 GMT) in a Manhattan federal court, the courthouse said.

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is seeking a temporary restraining order regarding searches of Cohen's home and office by FBI agents on Monday, a Justice Department spokesman said on Friday. Such an order would be sought to stop the government from using seized materials, according to a person familiar with the investigation. A hearing on the searches has been set for 10:30 a.m. (1430 GMT) in a Manhattan federal court, the courthouse said. The raids followed a referral by US&nbspSpecial Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections, a probe that has expanded to include looking into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow. Monday's raid infuriated Trump, who has called the special counsel investigation a "witch hunt." After the searches, he stepped up attacks against Mueller's probe before saying on Thursday that he was cooperating with the authorities. Both Trump and Moscow deny any wrongdoing. When reached by phone, a lawyer for Cohen was not immediately available for a request to comment.

Trump lawyer tries to prevent use of materials found in FBI raid

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip.

Trump&#39;s first trip to California as president, on Tuesday, comes at a time of high tensions between his Republican administration and the Democratic-leaning most populous US state, especially on immigration issues.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has accused the state of deliberately obstructing enforcement of federal law by offering undocumented immigrants sanctuary protections.

Governor Jerry Brown said the Trump administration &quot;is basically going to war against the state of California,&quot; after the Justice Department sued to block its sanctuary laws.

&quot;Sanctuary jurisdictions are the best friend of smugglers, gang members, drug dealers, human traffickers, killers and other violent offenders,&quot; the president said in his weekly address.

&quot;The state of California is sheltering dangerous criminals in a brazen and lawless attack on our constitutional system of government .&quot;

The president will land at the Miramar air base in southern California and then go see prototypes of the wall he wants to build on America&#39;s southern border.

California was among the plaintiffs that launched an unsuccessful court challenge to waivers to environmental regulations that were granted so the construction of the prototypes and the replacement of existing border fencing could proceed.

&quot;We&#39;re going for what we hope to be an incredibly positive trip,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Friday, while also taking aim at California for &quot;refusing to follow federal law,&quot; a reference to the state&#39;s efforts to shelter illegal immigrants from deportation.

Trump will also meet with members of the US military, Sanders said.

And he is expected to wrap up the visit with an evening of fundraising in Beverly Hills to raise money for his 2020 re-election campaign.

&#39;War&#39; against California

The &quot;Golden State&quot; and the president are at odds over issues ranging from immigration and the environment to marijuana and guns.

Trump&#39;s visit is &quot;part of a bigger concerted effort to push back on liberal efforts on immigration in California,&quot; said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University.

&quot;He&#39;s trying to shore up the California GOP (Republican Party) for the mid-terms and 2020,&quot; Zelizer said, referring to 2018 Congressional elections and the presidential race two years later.

Despite its generally liberal leanings, &quot;California is a place with money,&quot; and the president has had success with people such as Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur known for his conservative positions, as well as in wealthy Orange County, Zelizer said.

The Los Angeles Times reported that donors will contribute up to $250,000 a person to Trump&#39;s re-election campaign and the Republican party at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills, citing an invitation obtained by the newspaper.

Focus on Republican areas

Trump has taken longer to visit California following his election than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, according to US media.

&quot;His whole focus till now has been... on Republican areas,&quot; Zelizer said. &quot;He&#39;s not someone who wants to see the whole country, not a traveler interested in sensing the pulse of the nation.&quot;

Trump&#39;s visit to California will be marked by protests, both for and against the president and his policies.

Alliance San Diego, which namely advocates on behalf of immigrants, is planning a news conference and a protest the day before the president&#39;s arrival &quot;to set the tone for Trump&#39;s visit,&quot; said executive director Andrea Guerrero.

Events and demonstrations could last until after his departure, she said.

Jeff Schwilk, the founder of San Diegans for Secure borders, told the Los Angeles Times that he is planning an event to support Trump&#39;s visit to inspect border wall prototypes.

In another sign of the tensions at play as Trump readies for his trip, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in San Diego federal court challenging the Trump administration&#39;s practice of &quot;forcibly separating&quot; asylum-seeking parents and young children.

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip. Trump's first trip to California as president, on Tuesday, comes at a time of high tensions between his Republican administration and the Democratic-leaning most populous US state, especially on immigration issues. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has accused the state of deliberately obstructing enforcement of federal law by offering undocumented immigrants sanctuary protections. Governor Jerry Brown said the Trump administration "is basically going to war against the state of California," after the Justice Department sued to block its sanctuary laws. "Sanctuary jurisdictions are the best friend of smugglers, gang members, drug dealers, human traffickers, killers and other violent offenders," the president said in his weekly address. "The state of California is sheltering dangerous criminals in a brazen and lawless attack on our constitutional system of government ." The president will land at the Miramar air base in southern California and then go see prototypes of the wall he wants to build on America's southern border. California was among the plaintiffs that launched an unsuccessful court challenge to waivers to environmental regulations that were granted so the construction of the prototypes and the replacement of existing border fencing could proceed. "We're going for what we hope to be an incredibly positive trip," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Friday, while also taking aim at California for "refusing to follow federal law," a reference to the state's efforts to shelter illegal immigrants from deportation. Trump will also meet with members of the US military, Sanders said. And he is expected to wrap up the visit with an evening of fundraising in Beverly Hills to raise money for his 2020 re-election campaign. 'War' against California The "Golden State" and the president are at odds over issues ranging from immigration and the environment to marijuana and guns. Trump's visit is "part of a bigger concerted effort to push back on liberal efforts on immigration in California," said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. "He's trying to shore up the California GOP (Republican Party) for the mid-terms and 2020," Zelizer said, referring to 2018 Congressional elections and the presidential race two years later. Despite its generally liberal leanings, "California is a place with money," and the president has had success with people such as Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur known for his conservative positions, as well as in wealthy Orange County, Zelizer said. The Los Angeles Times reported that donors will contribute up to $250,000 a person to Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican party at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills, citing an invitation obtained by the newspaper. Focus on Republican areas Trump has taken longer to visit California following his election than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, according to US media. "His whole focus till now has been... on Republican areas," Zelizer said. "He's not someone who wants to see the whole country, not a traveler interested in sensing the pulse of the nation." Trump's visit to California will be marked by protests, both for and against the president and his policies. Alliance San Diego, which namely advocates on behalf of immigrants, is planning a news conference and a protest the day before the president's arrival "to set the tone for Trump's visit," said executive director Andrea Guerrero. Events and demonstrations could last until after his departure, she said. Jeff Schwilk, the founder of San Diegans for Secure borders, told the Los Angeles Times that he is planning an event to support Trump's visit to inspect border wall prototypes. In another sign of the tensions at play as Trump readies for his trip, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in San Diego federal court challenging the Trump administration's practice of "forcibly separating" asylum-seeking parents and young children.

Trump to make first trip as president to defiant California

The Democratic minority on the US&nbsp;House of Representatives Intelligence Committee on Saturday released a response to Republican charges that the FBI and Justice Department have abused the law in their investigation of possible ties between Russia and Donald Trump&#39;s 2016 presidential campaign.

The Democrats&#39; 10-page memo, released on Saturday in partially-redacted form, calls an earlier Republican version &quot;a transparent effort to undermine&quot; the FBI, the Justice Department, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and congressional probes into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The Republican memo, the Democrats allege, &quot;also risks public exposure of sensitive sources and methods for no legitimate purpose.&quot;

The Democratic memo and a Republican counterattack that included a point-by-point refutation of the minority Democrats&#39; conclusions are an escalation of the partisan feuding that Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, and other members of his party have said is sabotaging the House committee&#39;s investigation.

The latest duel on Capitol Hill comes as Mueller&#39;s investigation gathers steam, including a guilty plea on Friday from Richard Gates, Trump&#39;s deputy campaign manager.

Trump, calling into the Fox News program &quot;Justice with Judge Jeanine&quot; on Saturday evening, said the Democrats&#39; memo was &quot;a nothing.&quot;

&quot;A lot of bad things happened on the other side,&quot; Trump told host Jeanine Pirro. &quot;Somebody should look into it because what they did is really fraudulent.&quot;

The Republican memo, the Democrats allege, "also risks public exposure of sensitive sources and methods for no legitimate purpose."

The Democratic minority on the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee on Saturday released a response to Republican charges that the FBI and Justice Department have abused the law in their investigation of possible ties between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. The Democrats' 10-page memo, released on Saturday in partially-redacted form, calls an earlier Republican version "a transparent effort to undermine" the FBI, the Justice Department, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and congressional probes into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. The Republican memo, the Democrats allege, "also risks public exposure of sensitive sources and methods for no legitimate purpose." The Democratic memo and a Republican counterattack that included a point-by-point refutation of the minority Democrats' conclusions are an escalation of the partisan feuding that Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, and other members of his party have said is sabotaging the House committee's investigation. The latest duel on Capitol Hill comes as Mueller's investigation gathers steam, including a guilty plea on Friday from Richard Gates, Trump's deputy campaign manager. Trump, calling into the Fox News program "Justice with Judge Jeanine" on Saturday evening, said the Democrats' memo was "a nothing." "A lot of bad things happened on the other side," Trump told host Jeanine Pirro. "Somebody should look into it because what they did is really fraudulent."

Trump calls Democrats' memo 'a nothing'

President Donald Trump said on Thursday he believes he will be fairly treated in a special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election, but said he did not know how long the probe would last.

The federal investigation has hung over Trump&#39;s White House since he took office almost a year ago, and some Trump allies have in recent weeks accused the team of Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller of being biased against the Republican president.

But in an interview with the New York Times, Trump appeared to shrug off concerns about the investigation, which was prompted by U.S. intelligence agencies&#39; conclusion that Russia tried to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton by hacking and releasing embarrassing emails and disseminating propaganda.

&quot;There&#39;s been no collusion. But I think he&#39;s going to be fair,&quot; Trump said in what the Times described as a 30-minute impromptu interview at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Mueller has charged four Trump associates in his investigation. Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election.

U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said this month that he was not aware of any impropriety by Mueller&#39;s team.

Trump&#39;s lawyers have been saying for weeks that they had expected the Mueller investigation to wrap up quickly, possibly by the end of 2017. Mueller has not commented on how long it will last.

Trump told the Times that he did not know how long the investigation would take. &quot;Timing-wise, I can&#39;t tell you. I just don&#39;t know,&quot; he said.

Trump said he thought a prolonged probe &quot;makes the country look bad&quot; but said it has energized his core supporters.

&quot;What it&#39;s done is, it&#39;s really angered the base and made the base stronger. My base is strong than it&#39;s ever been,&quot; he said.

Break from Golf

 
The interview was a rare break in Trump&#39;s Christmas vacation in Florida. He has golfed each day aside from Christmas Day, and mainly kept a low profile, apart from the occasional flurry of tweets.

He spent one day golfing with Republican Senator David Perdue from Georgia, who has pushed legislation to cap immigration numbers, and had dinner on Thursday with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, an international trade hawk.

Trump told the Times he hoped to work with Democrats in the U.S. Congress on a spending plan to fix roads and other infrastructure, and on protections for a group of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.

Trump spoke about trade issues, saying he had backed off his hard line on Chinese trade practices in the hope that Beijing would do more to pressure North Korea to end its nuclear and missile testing program. He said he had been disappointed in the results.

He also complained about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which his administration is attempting to renegotiate in talks with Mexico and Canada.

Trump said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had played down the importance of Canadian oil and lumber exports to the United States when looking at the balance of trade between the two countries.

&quot;If I don&rsquo;t make the right deal, I&rsquo;ll terminate NAFTA in two seconds. But we&rsquo;re doing pretty good,&quot; Trump said.

Mueller has charged four Trump associates in his investigation. Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday he believes he will be fairly treated in a special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election, but said he did not know how long the probe would last. The federal investigation has hung over Trump's White House since he took office almost a year ago, and some Trump allies have in recent weeks accused the team of Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller of being biased against the Republican president. But in an interview with the New York Times, Trump appeared to shrug off concerns about the investigation, which was prompted by U.S. intelligence agencies' conclusion that Russia tried to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton by hacking and releasing embarrassing emails and disseminating propaganda. "There's been no collusion. But I think he's going to be fair," Trump said in what the Times described as a 30-minute impromptu interview at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Mueller has charged four Trump associates in his investigation. Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said this month that he was not aware of any impropriety by Mueller's team. Trump's lawyers have been saying for weeks that they had expected the Mueller investigation to wrap up quickly, possibly by the end of 2017. Mueller has not commented on how long it will last. Trump told the Times that he did not know how long the investigation would take. "Timing-wise, I can't tell you. I just don't know," he said. Trump said he thought a prolonged probe "makes the country look bad" but said it has energized his core supporters. "What it's done is, it's really angered the base and made the base stronger. My base is strong than it's ever been," he said. Break from Golf The interview was a rare break in Trump's Christmas vacation in Florida. He has golfed each day aside from Christmas Day, and mainly kept a low profile, apart from the occasional flurry of tweets. He spent one day golfing with Republican Senator David Perdue from Georgia, who has pushed legislation to cap immigration numbers, and had dinner on Thursday with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, an international trade hawk. Trump told the Times he hoped to work with Democrats in the U.S. Congress on a spending plan to fix roads and other infrastructure, and on protections for a group of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Trump spoke about trade issues, saying he had backed off his hard line on Chinese trade practices in the hope that Beijing would do more to pressure North Korea to end its nuclear and missile testing program. He said he had been disappointed in the results. He also complained about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which his administration is attempting to renegotiate in talks with Mexico and Canada. Trump said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had played down the importance of Canadian oil and lumber exports to the United States when looking at the balance of trade between the two countries. "If I don’t make the right deal, I’ll terminate NAFTA in two seconds. But we’re doing pretty good," Trump said.

Trump says Russia probe will be fair, but timeline unclear: Report

The US Justice Department says it has asked prosecutors to examine alleged misconduct at the Clinton Foundation and the controversial Obama-era sale of a uranium firm to Russia, and whether a special counsel might be needed to investigate.

The move, disclosed in a letter to lawmakers, came as Attorney General Jeff Sessions was poised to testify today about election year contacts between members of the Trump campaign and Russia.

As the former head of the Trump campaign&#39;s foreign policy advisory team, sessions can expect a tough grilling from Democrats about what he knew about the contacts.

Sessions have previously testified under oath that he had no knowledge of any collusion with the Russians, but a probe by special counsel Robert Mueller has uncovered contacts by lower level campaign advisers.

As the Russia election meddling probe has heated up, US President Donald Trump, as well as Republican lawmakers, have called for a probe into Hillary Clinton and the sale of a uranium company to Russia under former president Barack Obama.

Yesterday, the Justice Department responded to the Republican demands in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert Goodlatte, who also will preside over Tuesday&#39;s hearing with sessions.

Sessions, it said, has directed senior federal prosecutors to evaluate Goodlatte&#39;s request for a special counsel to investigate the uranium sale and &quot;alleged unlawful dealings related to the Clinton Foundation and other matters.&quot;

The prosecutors &quot;will make recommendations as to whether any matters not currently under investigation should be opened, whether any matters currently under investigation require further resources, and whether any matters merit the appointment of a Special Counsel,&quot; it said.

The letter, first obtained by broadcaster NBC News, was signed by Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd.

Republican lawmakers in late October announced they were investigating the 2013 sale of Canadian mining company Uranium One to Russian state-owned company Rosatom, which was approved by former president Barack Obama.

The move gave Rosatom control of 20 percent of US uranium stockpiles and was decided after Uranium One made several donations to the Clinton Foundation of former president Bill Clinton.

They are also demanding more clarity on how the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice decided during the height of last year&#39;s White House race to not pursue charges against Clinton over her misuse of a personal email server.

The Justice Department letter said the handling of the Clinton email case was under review by the department&#39;s inspector general, and an assessment would be made of what steps should be taken, if any, once it is completed.

The move was disclosed in a letter to lawmakers

The US Justice Department says it has asked prosecutors to examine alleged misconduct at the Clinton Foundation and the controversial Obama-era sale of a uranium firm to Russia, and whether a special counsel might be needed to investigate. The move, disclosed in a letter to lawmakers, came as Attorney General Jeff Sessions was poised to testify today about election year contacts between members of the Trump campaign and Russia. As the former head of the Trump campaign's foreign policy advisory team, sessions can expect a tough grilling from Democrats about what he knew about the contacts. Sessions have previously testified under oath that he had no knowledge of any collusion with the Russians, but a probe by special counsel Robert Mueller has uncovered contacts by lower level campaign advisers. As the Russia election meddling probe has heated up, US President Donald Trump, as well as Republican lawmakers, have called for a probe into Hillary Clinton and the sale of a uranium company to Russia under former president Barack Obama. Yesterday, the Justice Department responded to the Republican demands in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert Goodlatte, who also will preside over Tuesday's hearing with sessions. Sessions, it said, has directed senior federal prosecutors to evaluate Goodlatte's request for a special counsel to investigate the uranium sale and "alleged unlawful dealings related to the Clinton Foundation and other matters." The prosecutors "will make recommendations as to whether any matters not currently under investigation should be opened, whether any matters currently under investigation require further resources, and whether any matters merit the appointment of a Special Counsel," it said. The letter, first obtained by broadcaster NBC News, was signed by Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd. Republican lawmakers in late October announced they were investigating the 2013 sale of Canadian mining company Uranium One to Russian state-owned company Rosatom, which was approved by former president Barack Obama. The move gave Rosatom control of 20 percent of US uranium stockpiles and was decided after Uranium One made several donations to the Clinton Foundation of former president Bill Clinton. They are also demanding more clarity on how the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice decided during the height of last year's White House race to not pursue charges against Clinton over her misuse of a personal email server. The Justice Department letter said the handling of the Clinton email case was under review by the department's inspector general, and an assessment would be made of what steps should be taken, if any, once it is completed.

US Justice Department mulls special prosecutor to probe Clinton Foundation