Latest news with #DOJInvestigation
Fox News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Jonathan Turley: Ghislaine Maxwell 'appears to be untapped as to her account'
A 'Fox News Sunday' legal panel weighs in on the Epstein case as Ghislaine Maxwell sits for an interview with the DOJ, the Russia collusion hoax revelations and the investigation into former President Biden's mental acuity.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump-Epstein latest: DOJ to interview Ghislaine Maxwell as White House bans WSJ from president's travel pool and House speaker punts vote
The fallout continues over the administration's handling of its investigation into the late accused sex trafficker. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Tuesday that the Department of Justice wants to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend. Maxwell was convicted in 2020 of helping the disgraced financier sexually abuse underage girls and is currently serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison. "If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say," Blanche said in a statement posted to X, adding that he has reached out to her counsel and anticipates meeting with her "in the coming days." In a statement to the Associated Press, David Oscar Markus, a lawyer for Maxwell, confirmed that they were 'in discussions with the government' and that Maxwell will 'always testify truthfully.' 'We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case,' the statement added. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said that he did not know about Blanche's overture to Maxwell, but added that it 'sounds appropriate.' 'I didn't know that they were going to do it,' Trump said. 'I don't really follow that too much. It's sort of a witch hunt, just a continuation of the witch hunt.' The Epstein fallout The announcement comes amid a fierce backlash from some of Trump's supporters over the administration's handling of its investigation into Epstein, who died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial. Epstein has long been the focus of conspiracy theories that claim Epstein was murdered to conceal the names of powerful people on a secret 'client list.' Trump said he would consider releasing additional government files on Epstein and directed the Justice Department to conduct an exhaustive review of any evidence collected in its investigation. Earlier this month, the DOJ and FBI released a two-page joint memo, concluding that Epstein 'committed suicide in his cell" and had no such 'client list.' The move enraged some Trump loyalists, who accused the president and his administration of breaking their promise to release all of the Epstein files, and put Trump's relationship with Epstein back in the spotlight. White House bans WSJ from travel pool over Epstein report Late last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sent Epstein a racy birthday letter in 2003. According to the Journal, Trump's letter, along with dozens of others, was part of a leather-bound book put together by Maxwell for the since-disgraced financier's 50th birthday. 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,' Trump's letter concluded in a typewritten message to Epstein, per the Journal. The text was 'framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appears to be hand-drawn with heavy marker,' the report stated. 'A pair of small arcs denotes the woman's breasts, and the future president's signature is a squiggly 'Donald' below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.' Trump denied the report, calling it 'false, malicious, and defamatory,' and sued the newspaper and its owner, Rupert Murdoch. Also read: What Trump has said about Epstein through the years, from 'terrific guy' to 'creep' that 'nobody cares about' On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the paper would be excluded from the pool of news organizations covering Trump's upcoming trip to Scotland. 'Thirteen diverse outlets will participate in the press pool to cover the President's trip to Scotland,' Leavitt said in a statement. 'Due to the Wall Street Journal's fake and defamatory conduct, they will not be one of the 13 outlets on board.' The New York Times, a rival newspaper to the Journal, blasted the White House's decision. 'The White House's refusal to let one of the nation's leading news organizations cover the highest office in the country is an attack on core constitutional principles underpinning free speech and free press,' the Times said in a statement. 'Americans regardless of party deserve to know and understand the actions of the president and reporters play a vital role in advancing the public interest. This is simple retribution by a president against a news organization for doing reporting that he doesn't like.' House speaker won't allow Epstein vote before summer recess Late Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not allow any votes related to the Epstein matter before the House takes its weekslong summer recess, which begins on Wednesday afternoon. 'My belief is we need the administration to have the space to do what it is doing, and if further congressional action is necessary or appropriate, then we'll look at that,' Johnson told CNN. 'But I don't think we're at that point right now.' Johnson's decision comes despite intense pressure from some members of his own party who are demanding more transparency from the Trump administration on its Epstein investigation. Last week, at least 10 House Republicans joined an effort launched by Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie and California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna to force a symbolic vote on the release of more Epstein files. Congress does not have the authority to compel the Justice Department to release the files, but any vote would amount to a loyalty test among House Republicans regarding the Epstein case.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Trump admin opens bombshell investigation into aging Biden's final days in office and prolific use of autopen
Donald Trump's Department of Justice has reportedly ordered a shock investigation into whether Joe Biden 'was competent' when he gave out lame duck pardons of family members and death row inmates. In an email to staffers on Monday, DOJ pardon attorney Ed Martin said he has been directed to investigate clemency granted by Biden in the waning days of his presidency, including the December pardon of his troubled son Hunter. Martin, who was recently transferred out as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia for Jeannine Pirro, wrote that the investigation involves whether Biden 'was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means.' An autopen is a device used to automatically affix a signature to a document. Trump and his supporters have made a variety of claims that Biden's use of the device while president invalidated his actions or suggested that he was not fully aware of these actions. It is not known whether Biden used autopen on pardons. In March, Trump declared his predecessor's last-minute pardons 'void, vacant and of no further force or effect' as he warned that members of the House committee investigating the January 6 riots can now face prosecution. The email stated that Martin's investigation is focused on preemptive pardons Biden issued to several members of his family and clemency that spared 37 federal inmates from the death penalty, converting their sentences to life in prison. Just before he relinquished the presidency to Trump on January 20, Biden pardoned five members of his family, saying he wanted to protect them from future politically motivated investigations. The pardons went to Biden's siblings James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Biden on December 1 pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges. Martin's email did not specify which pardons of Biden family members were being investigated. It also did not make clear who directed Martin to launch the investigation. has reached out to the White House and the Department of Justice for comment. The Constitution gives the president broad power to issue pardons to wipe away federal criminal convictions or commutations to modify sentences. Trump himself has made extensive use of executive clemency. For instance, he granted clemency on January 20 to all of the nearly 1,600 of his supporters who faced criminal charges in connection with January 6, 2021, which was a failed attempt to prevent congressional certification of Biden's 2020 election victory over Trump. Martin told reporters last month that he viewed the presidential pardon power as 'plenary,' meaning it is absolute. 'If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don't think that that's necessarily a problem,' Martin said during a May 13 press conference, adding that he still felt the Biden pardons warranted scrutiny. The investigation appears designed to use the Justice Department to amplify questions about Biden's health and mental acuity, a conversation that has intensified in recent weeks following his cancer diagnosis and a new book revealing Democratic concerns last year about Biden's condition. Questions have since arisen about whether Biden actually signed many of the orders under his administration amid his noticeable cognitive decline after it was revealed they were signed with an autopen. The mechanical device signs documents rather than an individual. It has been used by presidents and lawmakers for decades. The Oversight Project in March 'gathered every document we could find with Biden's signature over the course of his presidency'. 'All used the same autopen signature except for the announcement that the former President was dropping out of the race last year.' It went on to share two examples from documents that it claimed showed the use of the autopen including a document from August 2022 as well as one from December 2024 with what appear to be identical signatures. The group also posted an image of Biden's signature as a comparison from when he announced he was dropping out of the race. That image shows a slight variation from the other shared documents. also examined more than 25 Biden executive orders documented on the Federal Register's office between 2021 and 2025. It found the same signature on each. A separate examination of 25 Trump signatures on orders on the Federal Register's website from his first and second administrations also found the signatures were all the same. The Oversight Project now says investigators must determine 'who controlled the autopen and what checks there were in place' to determine whether Biden actually made any of the orders. Still, it questioned if that was something that could be determined in the 'correct legal process.' Biden, who is 82, last year dropped his reelection bid amid questions about his mental acuity after a disastrous presidential debate performance. Biden was the oldest person to serve as U.S. president, and Trump is the second oldest. The former president's closest aides have dismissed those concerns, saying Biden was fully capable of making important decisions. No evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden did not intend to issue the pardons. In addition, a Justice Department memo from 2005 found it was legitimate for a subordinate to use an autopen for the president's signature.
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Biden's senility scandal leads top Republican to demand DOJ probe into ‘representations' to public
EXCLUSIVE: Bombshell developments continue to emerge about former President Joe Biden's declining health along with allegations of a White House cover-up. In response, a top Republican is urging the Justice Department to investigate whether any laws were broken in how Biden's condition was presented to the public. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is expected to write Wednesday afternoon to Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding that the DOJ open a probe into "any potential violations of federal law surrounding the representations made to the American people about the health and wellbeing (sic) of then-President Biden." In the letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Cornyn cited the May 18 report from Biden's camp that he is battling late-stage aggressive prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones. "This announcement follows the publication of news reports calling into question the former president's capacity and awareness during his time in office," Cornyn said as other Biden critics questioned what then-White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor knew while treating the president. In the letter, Cornyn expressed concern that Biden's "associates," including O'Connor, misrepresented or made "material omissions" to the public about his mental and physical fitness. Conservatives beat the drum of Biden's alleged senility for years but were often lambasted by the mainstream media for questioning the White House's line on the matter. "I fear the American people were deliberately misled about President Biden's health. Instead of providing full transparency, which is the obligation of the commander-in-chief, important information was kept secret," Cornyn wrote. "I do not have confidence in the former president's aides and staff, including medical staff, or their ability to be honest and straightforward about President Biden's cancer diagnosis." He noted how President Donald Trump assented to calls that he take a cognitive test to demonstrate fitness for office while contrasting that with Biden's refusal, which famously resulted in a tense exchange with a CBS News correspondent when the then-president asked, "Why the hell should I take a test?" and asked if the Black news anchor was "a junkie" who might want to undergo a test for cocaine in his system. Cornyn contrasted White House claims that Biden was "fit for duty" with revelations, including those in a CNN anchor's new book, that he was only capable of working "four to six good hours" per day. "These positions are in direct conflict," Cornyn will tell Bondi, adding that despite having the world's best medical care at his fingertips, Americans have been asked to "accept coincidence after coincidence" involving his health. He also cited the 25th Amendment, which he noted provides Americans an insurance policy that their government can continue to function if the infirmity or death of a president should occur. "These actions potentially impacted the trust the American people have in their government and weakened us on the world stage." He cited a report from earlier this week that White House staff had secretly discussed the possibility that Biden would be confined to a wheelchair while still putting on a brave face to the public. Former President Franklin Roosevelt, stricken by polio, conducted the nation's business from a wheelchair. "I encourage the Department to conduct a full investigation and ensure that no federal laws were violated during the previous administration," Cornyn concluded. Fox News Digital reached out to a Biden representative for comment.
Globe and Mail
16-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Why UnitedHealth Stock Is Crashing This Week
Shares of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) are plummeting this week. The company's stock is down 27.4% as of 12:29 p.m. ET. The collapse comes as the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) gained 4.7% and the Nasdaq-100 gained 6.4%. It was reported this week that the troubled health insurance giant is facing a criminal investigation from the Department of Justice (DOJ). The report came just days after its CEO stepped down unexpectedly and the company pulled its full-year earnings guidance. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » UnitedHealth is facing another DOJ probe The Wall Street Journal reported late Wednesday that the DOJ's Health Care Fraud Unit is conducting a criminal investigation into the company for possible Medicare fraud. According to the report, the investigation has been ongoing since at least last summer. This isn't the first, however. The DOJ is already investigating the company's Medicare unit in a civil case. UnitedHealth's CEO abruptly exits as the company pulls guidance Earlier in the week, CEO Andrew Witty said he would step down for "personal reasons." On the same day, the company announced it was suspending its annual earnings forecast, citing rising medical costs. In a call for investors, chairman and now CEO Stephen Hemsley apologized: "I'm deeply disappointed in and apologize for the performance setbacks we have encountered from both external and internal challenges." The suspension follows an already lowered forecast and earnings miss revealed in April. All of this has shaken investor confidence in the healthcare giant, and its shares have plummeted 50% in just 23 trading days, marking the most severe drop for an S&P 100 company since Netflix fell 54% in May 2022, according to Dow Jones Market Data. There are just too many issues facing UnitedHealth at the moment, and this once seemingly stable investment looks far from it at the moment. I would stay away from UnitedHealth stock. Should you invest $1,000 in UnitedHealth Group right now? Before you buy stock in UnitedHealth Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and UnitedHealth Group wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $635,275!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $826,385!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is967% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to171%for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 12, 2025
