According to a Department of Justice press release, on February 1, John Ed James, 51, of Katy, Texas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud for his role in an insider trading scheme.

U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was fatally injured during the January 6 insurrection, was honored with a congressional tribute in the Capitol Rotunda.

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security David Pekoske has issued a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin due to security concerns following the inauguration of President Joe Biden. According to the bulletin, there is reason to believe that Domestic Violent Extremists (DVEs) could be ideologically motivated to challenge the presidential transition and exercises of governmental authority.

Last week on the FEDtalk podcast, host Jason Briefel was joined by Jessica Klement, the Staff Vice President, Policy and Programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE); Randy Erwin, the National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE); and Chad Hooper, the Executive Director of the Professional Managers Association (PMA).

Planning for the unexpected may help ease the financial stress of college tuition.

President Biden has issued many executive actions within his first week in office. Several of these actions relate directly to criminal justice reform and immigration policy.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) recently announced that the House Committee on Homeland Security and several other House committees have reached a memorandum of understanding that would help solve jurisdictional issues that have plagued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for years.

On January 25, the Brookings Institution held an event titled, “Is there a path forward for court reform?”. The purpose of the event was to discuss the Biden administration’s creation of a bipartisan commission to study the Supreme Court and federal judiciary.

According to a Department of Justice press release dated January 26, 2021, Wisconsin pharmacist Steven Brandenburg was charged with two counts of attempting to tamper with consumer products with reckless disregard for the risk that another person will be placed in danger of death or bodily injury.

On-camera participation in a password-protected Zoom videoconference may be relied upon as evidence of a conspiracy, the Third Circuit recently held. In that same decision, the Court held Zoom user logs are “classic business records” that may be introduced into evidence.

In 2020, the survivors of law enforcement suicide established the Survivors of Blue Suicide Foundation (SBS), a non-profit 501c(3) dedicated to fostering hope by uniting survivors and honoring our fallen heroes, modeled after and empowered by Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.).

The number of law enforcement professionals nationwide who died in the line of duty in 2020 increased 96% over the previous year, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a nonprofit group that has long tracked officer fatalities.

President Joe Biden has a message for federal employees: One Team, One America. Listen to this message from the president as he thanks feds for all of their hard work and promises to create a stronger America with them.

President Joe Biden began to overhaul the immigration policies of the Trump administration on his first day in office by introducing a plan for far reaching legislation that would allow people who entered the country illegally a path to apply for permanent legal residency. Currently, there are temporary programs in place to shield people who entered the country illegally from deportation, but President Biden’s plan would create more solidified pathways for these immigrants.

On January 18, 2021, then-President Donald Trump issued an executive order (EO) that aims to protect law enforcement officials and their families. The order intends to allow qualified active and retired law enforcement officials to carry concealed firearms.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order on his first day in office that requires anyone on federal property to wear a mask. This mandate includes federal employees and contractors, as well as anyone inside a federal building or on federal land.

The first civil settlement to resolve fraud allegations against the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been entered, according to a January 12, 2021 press release from the Department of Justice. The PPP was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide up to $349 billion to small businesses and corporations to keep them afloat. In December 2020, Congress authorized nearly $285 billion in additional Paycheck Protection Program funding.

Take a look inside the James J. Rowley Training Center in Laurel, Maryland, where new Secret Service recruits are trained to serve the United States. Learn about the steps it takes to become a Secret Service agent and what recruits endure to earn their place.

Floyd Douglas Newton worked as a National Guard dual status technician from 1980 until 2013. A dual status military technician is a federal civilian position supporting the Selected Reserve or armed forces. Though civilians, dual status technicians are required to maintain National Guard membership, hold a particular military grade, and wear appropriate military uniform, among other requirements.

The past few years have been especially hard on the law enforcement community. On average, between 140-160 officers die in the line of duty each year. 2020 had a violent start with the majority of the deaths being from gunfire, then COVID-19 hit and deeply impacted first responders.