Latest news with #Judges
CBS News
7 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Trump lashes out at Leonard Leo, legal activist who helped him pick Supreme Court justices: "Probably hates America"
President Trump attacked the powerful conservative legal activist Leonard Leo late Thursday, calling the former Federalist Society leader who once advised the president on Supreme Court picks a "bad person" who "probably hates America." Mr. Trump lashed out at Leo a day after a panel of judges — including a Trump appointee — called most of his tariffs illegal. The ruling, which was paused by an appellate court, put Mr. Trump at odds with some conservative lawyers: Two of the three judges who decided the case were appointed by Republicans, and the decision came in response to a lawsuit that cited right-leaning legal theories. The president attacked the three judges behind that ruling in a Truth Social post late Thursday, calling it a "horrible, Country threatening decision" and suggesting it was made because the judges hate him. He then turned his attention to Leo and the Federalist Society, two longstanding pillars of the conservative legal movement widely credited with helping Mr. Trump pick hundreds of federal judges — some of whom have ruled against his administration. "I was new to Washington, and it was suggested that I use The Federalist Society as a recommending source on Judges," Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social late Thursday. "I did so, openly and freely, but then realized that they were under the thumb of a real "sleazebag" named Leonard Leo, a bad person who, in his own way, probably hates America, and obviously has his own separate ambitions." In a statement to Politico, Leo said: "I'm very grateful for President Trump transforming the Federal Courts, and it was a privilege being involved," Leo said. "There's more work to be done, for sure, but the Federal Judiciary is better than it's ever been in modern history, and that will be President Trump's most important legacy." CBS News has reached out to Leo and the Federalist Society for comment. Mr. Trump's attacks on Leo and the Federalist Society are striking because of their years-long alliance with the president. During his 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump promised to listen to the right-leaning legal organization when making judicial picks, saying in an interview: "We're going to have great judges, conservative, all picked by the Federalist Society." During Mr. Trump's first term, Leo advised the president on his Supreme Court picks, who form a key part of the high court's 6-3 conservative majority. Leo spoke with Mr. Trump shortly after Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement in 2018, opening up a vacancy on the court that was filled by Brett Kavanaugh, Leo told CBS News at the time. When asked how Mr. Trump decided to create a list of possible high court nominees, Leo said the president "called and asked to meet and suggested the idea of doing a list." Mr. Trump spoke positively about Leo in his first term. "We had a list that you worked on very hard, and others," the president said in a 2019 event. But on Thursday, Mr. Trump said he's "disappointed in The Federalist Society because of the bad advice they gave me on numerous Judicial Nominations." Mr. Trump also noted Leo has "left The Federalist Society to do his own 'thing,'" possibly referring to Leo's work with the Teneo Network, a group intended to — in Leo's words — "crush liberal dominance" in fields other than law, from entertainment to finance. The president has clashed with judges repeatedly in recent months, as parts of his agenda — including tariffs and immigration policy — face pushback from the federal judiciary. In particular, tariffs could pit one of Mr. Trump's signature economic policies against some of the legal theories championed by the conservative judicial movement. Lawsuits arguing Mr. Trump doesn't have the power to levy sweeping global tariffs have cited the nondelegation doctrine and the major questions doctrine, two legal concepts that right-leaning members of the Supreme Court — including ones chosen by Mr. Trump — have embraced for years.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Judges & Police honor 20 with Lawman of the Year Awards
Their acts of heroism range from rescuing a driver trapped in a car upside down in a creek to stopping an incident of elder abuse that could have turned deadly. Others were recognized for saving a suicidal person from jumping off a bridge and for solving some of Niagara County's most complex homicide cases. Collectively, the board of directors of Judges, Police & Executives of Niagara County honored 20 individuals for their 'Lawman of the Year Awards' for 2025. The award recipients represent seven law enforcement agencies that operate across Niagara County. Those agencies range from city and town police departments to county, state-wide and federal law enforcement. The Judges and Police describe their honorees as those 'who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.' Among those honored was New York State Trooper Eric Braunscheidel was also honored for saving the life of a volunteer firefighter who had responded to a traffic accident on Saunders Settlement Road in Lockport. The firefighter had collapsed on the road and showed signs of cardiac arrest. Braunscheidel immediately began performing CPR on the firefighter and was able to regain his pulse and breathing. The firefighter has since made a full recovery. Niagara County Sheriff's Deputies Shagundeep Virk and Keith Kennedy were recognized for their life-saving actions in jumping into the freezing waters of Bergholz Creek on December 29 to rescue a driver from his sinking vehicle. The vehicle had veered into the water and overturned, causing it to fill with water. The deputies were able to get the vehicle door open and pull the driver to safety. Also honored was Falls Police Criminal Investigation Division Detective Steve Kerfoot. In a letter of nomination from Falls Police Superintendent Nicholas Ligammari, the city's top cop, wrote that Kerfoot's 'unwavering dedication to justice, exceptional leadership and profound impact on (the) community' made him 'an exemplary candidate.' An eight-year member of the department with the last four as a detective, Ligammari stressed that Kerfoot showed 'sharp investigative skills' in solving two complex 2024 homicides in the city. In one case, that involved identifying a suspect, tracing him to Alabama and working with law enforcement agencies there to make an arrest. The Judges and Police recognized the 29-year career of Niagara County Sheriff's Corrections Officer Paul Curcione for his work as his agency's field intelligence officer. Curcione, who is also a member of the corrections emergency response team, teaches at the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy and is a veteran of the unit at the Niagara Air Reserve Station. Life-saving honors were also given out to New York State Courts Officers Jack Carson Jr. and Benjamin Farley, along with Lockport Police Lt. Toby Trowbridge, for their quick action in keeping a suicidal person from jumping off a bridge over the Erie Canal. Farley spotted the individual and called for help. Carson and Trowbridge, along with Farley, were able to get the individual off the railing and out of harm's way, before having him taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Lewiston Police Officer Cody Bruyere and New York State Trooper Adam Moen saved the life of a fellow officer when LPD Patrolman Joshua Belin hit the rear of a tractor-trailer and his patrol car burst into flames. Belin was left unconscious from the impact and the truck driver called 911. Bruyere and Moen arrived at the scene and were able to pull Belin from his vehicle before the car was 'fully consumed by flames.' And a combination of Town of Niagara Police officers and Niagara County Sheriff's Office deputies were honored for their work to rescue a man, in his 70s, who had been kidnapped and 'viciously' attacked by a man and woman seeking to rob him. Town Police Chief Craig Guiliani, Officers James Bissell, Kenneth Kostek and Anisa Mahmood, along with Sheriff's Office Captain Tracy Steen, Lt. Eric Gieseler and Investigator Edward Finley were all recognized for what Guiliani called an 'outstanding example' of interdepartmental cooperation/ 'It is my truly held belief (the cooperation) saved the life of (the victim),' Guiliani said. Also honored were U.S. Border Patrol Special Agent Timothy Carroll, Agent Scott Kozina and Information Specialist Jessica Matuszak.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Missouri Supreme Court has opened the door to abortions being halted again
The Missouri Supreme Court has opened the door to abortions being halted again by sending the case back to a judge for reconsideration.
LBCI
23-05-2025
- LBCI
Judge Tarek Bitar questions udges Jad Maalouf and Carla Chawah in Beirut Port explosion case
The judicial investigator in the Beirut Port explosion case, Judge Tarek Bitar, questioned Judges Jad Maalouf and Carla Chawah on Friday as defendants in the case, in the presence of their defense attorneys and representatives of the personal plaintiffs, according to the National News Agency.
Reuters
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
World Court backs Equatorial Guinea in islands dispute with Gabon
AMSTERDAM, May 19 (Reuters) - Judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Monday that Equatorial Guinea has a legal claim to several small islands in the potentially oil-rich waters in the Gulf of Guinea, settling a decades-long dispute with neighbouring Gabon. In its final and binding ruling the ICJ, also known as the World Court, sided with Equatorial Guinea and said its claim on the islands based on a 1900 convention dividing up French and Spanish colonial assets in West Africa should be honoured.
