Secretary Mayorkas Announces Reforms to Employee Misconduct Discipline Process
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced last week sweeping reforms to disciplinary processes for handling department employees.
Lawmakers Advance, Introduce Law Enforcement Focused Legislation During Police Week
During National Police Week, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed several law enforcement related bills. The full Senate also passed a resolution recognizing law enforcement and fallen officers introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and cosponsored by all 99 other U.S. Senators. In both the House of Representatives and the Senate, law enforcement legislation was also introduced.
Top DOJ Nominees Say They Will Prioritize the Independence of the Justice Department at Hearing
Two top Department of Justice (DOJ) nominees, deputy attorney general nominee Lisa Monaco and associate attorney general nominee Vanita Gupta, attended a joint confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 9, 2021.
FBI Director Christopher Wray Testifies Before Congress on January 6th Capitol Attack
Christopher Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 2, 2021 to answer questions from lawmakers about events that transpired during the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The hearing focused on what the FBI knew leading up to the attack and its general response to the rising threat from domestic violent extremists.
Merrick Garland’s Attorney General Confirmation Hearing: A Breakdown
From February 22 to February 23, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the position of Attorney General in the Biden administration.
Senator Dianne Feinstein Steps Down From Senate Judiciary Committee
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said she would be stepping down as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. She said, “After serving as the lead Democrat on the Judiciary Committee for four years, I will not seek the chairmanship or ranking member position in the next Congress.”
IG Access Act Seeks to Reform Attorney Misconduct Investigations
Legislation introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) to expand the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to include alleged DOJ attorney misconduct will be taken up next week during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.