US NATIONAL NEWS
Justice Department watchdog finds US attorney in Massachusetts tried to influence DA election
Published
3 years agoon
WASHINGTON (AP) — The top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts, who has announced her resignation, tried to influence the outcome of a race for Boston’s district attorney and violated multiple policies, the Justice Department’s internal watchdog said in a report released Wednesday.
The inspector general’s 161-page report alleges a broad array of misconduct by U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins, who previously served as district attorney for Suffolk County, which includes Boston. It accuses her of disclosing to a journalist nonpublic information about a possible Justice Department investigation, soliciting and accepting 30 free tickets to a Boston Celtics game and accepting payment from a sports and entertainment agency for travel and means.
It is the most scathing public condemnation in recent years of a U.S. attorney, a prestigious federal post that has occasionally served as a springboard to higher office. The report alleges not only repeated instances of misconduct and poor judgment by Rollins, but also efforts to mislead Justice Department investigators during interviews in advance of the report.
The watchdog said Rollins used her position to try to influence last year’s race for the Democratic nominee Suffolk County District Attorney by providing potentially damaging information to the media about her successor, District Attorney Kevin Hayden, while supporting his political rival.
The report said that while serving as U.S. attorney, Rollins helped Hayden’s rival, Ricardo Arroyo, by “providing him campaign advice and direction and coordinating with Arroyo on activities to help his campaign.”
Rollins tried to convince her top deputy to release a letter implying that the department was investigating Hayden, according to the report. When that failed, she leaked sensitive department information to The Boston Herald in an effort to tank his candidacy, the report said.
When asked about that under oath in an interview with the inspector general’s office, Rollins falsely denied being the source, the report said. She only admitted to it after being confronted with text messages showing she was the source o the leak.
Rollins’ lawyer told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Rollins will resign by the end of the day on Friday, saying she “understands that her presence has become a distraction.”
The AP was the first to report in November that the inspector general’s office had opened an investigation into Rollins over her appearance last July at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser. The AP reported that the probe had expanded to examine other issues, such as Rollins’ potential use of her personal cellphone for Justice Department business.
It’s an extraordinary rebuke of a top law enforcer who who twice needed Vice President Kamala Harris to cast a tiebreaking vote to be confirmed as U.S. attorney amid stiff Republican opposition.
“I’m deeply concerned by Ms. Rollins’s misconduct, as detailed in the Inspector General’s and Special Counsel’s reports, and support her immediate resignation,” said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
It’s exceedingly rare for a U.S. attorney to resign amid ethics concerns, and Rollins’ move is an embarrassment for the Justice Department under Attorney General Merrick Garland, who pledged to restore its reputation for political independence after tumultuous years under Republican President Donald Trump.
The inspector general’s investigation began last year after Sen. Tom Cotton. R-Ark., who had tried to block her confirmation, urged the watchdog to examine whether Rollins’ appearance at the fundraiser at a home in Andover, Massachusetts, violated the Hatch Act, a law that limits political activity by government workers.
Rollins, who served just 16 months as U.S. attorney, has been under investigation the majority of that time. She acknowledged during a meeting with reporters in December that that her first year as U.S. attorney had been “bumpy” and that she was “still learning the system.”
She was the first woman of color to become a district attorney in Massachusetts and the first Black woman to serve as the U.S. attorney in Massachusetts.
Her lawyer, Michael Bromwich, a former Justice Department inspector general, said in a statement to the AP on Tuesday that Rollins was “profoundly honored” to have served as U.S. attorney and “incredibly proud of all her office has accomplished during that limited time, especially in the areas of gun violence and civil rights.”
He said Rollins was “optimistic that the important work she started will continue but understands that her presence has become a distraction.”
Two people briefed on the inspector general’s investigation told the AP last year that it was also examining Rollins’ use of her personal cellphone and a trip that she took to California that was paid for by an outside group. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
In response to a Boston Herald article from July raising questions about her appearance at the fundraiser, Rollins said in a tweet that she “had approval” to meet first lady Jill Biden and that she left the event early to speak at two community events, adding “nice try though.” One person familiar with discussions before that event, however, told the AP that Rollins was only given limited permission to meet Biden outside the home.
In addition to examining the fundraiser, the inspector general’s office copied the phone contents of some employees in Rollins’ office as part of their examination of Rollins’ possible use of her personal phone for department business, the AP has reported.
Rollins was elected Suffolk County District Attorney in 2018, defeating the candidate backed by the longtime incumbent and by police groups and becoming the Democratic nominee as part of a wave of progressive prosecutors.
As district attorney, she pledged to fight mass incarceration and racial disparities in the justice system and was outspoken about the need for police reform in the wake of high-profile killings of people of color by law enforcement across the United States. She also pushed ambitious criminal justice changes, most notably a policy not to prosecute certain low-level crimes such as shoplifting.
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Politics
State Rep. Angie Nixon Condemns Deadly ICE Shooting, Calls for Independent Investigation
Published
5 days agoon
July 10, 2026JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Following the fatal shooting of 52-year-old father and construction worker Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Houston, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and Florida State Representative Angie Nixon released the following statement:
Statement from Rep. Angie Nixon
“Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was a father who spent decades building homes and providing for his family. He was fatally shot in the street by an ICE agent operating from an unmarked vehicle. My heart breaks for his wife and three sons.
“Our nation faces a moral choice. We must stop investing billions of taxpayer dollars in an agency that, in my view, terrorizes communities, operates with too little accountability, and often conducts enforcement actions without body cameras or clear identification. Those resources should instead be invested in strengthening our communities and helping families meet their basic needs. I believe ICE should be abolished.
“I stand in full solidarity with Lorenzo’s family in calling for a fully independent and transparent investigation into his death. I also call for the immediate release of his brother and the other individuals who were detained during this incident if they are being held without legal justification.”
Key Points
- Rep. Angie Nixon expressed condolences to the family of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.
- She called for a fully independent and transparent investigation into the fatal shooting.
- Nixon criticized ICE’s enforcement practices and renewed her call to abolish the agency.
- She urged the release of Lorenzo’s brother and others detained during the incident if their continued detention is not legally justified.
US NATIONAL NEWS
U.S. Expands Sanctions Targeting Iran’s Financial Networks and Regime Financiers
Published
5 days agoon
July 10, 2026WASHINGTON (FNN NEWS) — The Trump administration announced a new round of sanctions Friday targeting individuals and businesses accused of helping finance Iran’s ruling elite and facilitating international financial transactions on behalf of the Iranian regime.
The sanctions, announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, target a global financial network that U.S. officials say supports Iran’s Supreme Leader and other senior regime officials.
Global Financial Network Targeted
According to the administration, the sanctions focus on Ali Ansari, a Dubai-based Iranian national accused of managing an extensive network of real estate and commercial holdings across multiple countries on behalf of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s Supreme Leader, and other regime insiders.
U.S. officials said the network includes assets and business interests in:
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- Spain
- Cyprus
- United Arab Emirates
- Other international jurisdictions
The administration alleges the network has been used to help Iranian regime officials maintain access to international financial markets.
Currency Exchange Houses Sanctioned
The Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on three Iran-based currency exchange firms and their associated leadership:
- Mohammad Darbani and Partners
- Lavasani and Partners
- Mohsen Khandan and Partners
The sanctions also extend to the firms’ managing partners and affiliated front companies.
According to the administration, these entities allegedly enabled Iran to obtain foreign currency and conduct international financial transactions despite existing U.S. sanctions.
Administration Cites Maximum Pressure Campaign
The White House said the latest designations are part of President Donald Trump’s broader strategy to increase economic pressure on Iran.
Administration officials said they will continue targeting individuals, businesses and financial institutions—including foreign entities—that facilitate illicit Iranian commerce or assist the regime in evading U.S. sanctions.
The administration maintains that the sanctions are intended to pressure Iran to end what it describes as destabilizing activities in the region and to hold accountable those who enable corruption within the Iranian government.
Authorities Used for Sanctions
The sanctions were imposed under multiple executive authorities, including:
- Executive Order 13902, targeting Iran’s financial and petroleum sectors.
- Executive Order 13876, focusing on Iran’s Supreme Leader and affiliated individuals.
- Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886, which provides counterterrorism sanctions authority.
Treasury officials said the latest designations build upon previous actions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeting Iran’s shadow banking system and currency exchange networks.
US NATIONAL NEWS
White House: Trump Administration Deports Convicted Child Sex Offender After Minnesota Pardon
Published
5 days agoon
July 10, 2026WASHINGTON (FNN NEWS) — The White House announced Friday that the Trump administration deported a Laotian national convicted of sexually abusing a child after Minnesota officials granted him a pardon.
Conviction and Deportation
According to the White House, Tou Lue Vang, a Laotian national, was convicted in Minnesota of repeatedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl. An immigration judge ordered his removal from the United States in 2006.
The White House said Secretary of State Marco Rubio terminated Vang’s legal status, allowing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to carry out his deportation.
White House Criticizes Minnesota Leaders
The administration sharply criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, alleging they attempted to prevent Vang’s deportation by granting him a pardon.
In a statement, the White House accused the two Democratic leaders of placing the interests of a convicted child sex offender ahead of public safety and federal immigration enforcement.
The administration argued the deportation demonstrates President Donald Trump’s commitment to removing noncitizens convicted of serious crimes from the United States.
Administration Statement
The White House said the case underscores the administration’s immigration enforcement priorities.
“Under President Trump, criminal illegal aliens who rape children will be found, arrested, and removed,” the White House said.
The administration also asserted that state actions would not prevent federal immigration authorities from enforcing U.S. immigration law.
Political Dispute
The case has become part of the broader national debate over immigration enforcement and the relationship between state criminal justice decisions and federal immigration authority.
Minnesota officials have not been included in the White House announcement, and any response from Gov. Walz, Attorney General Ellison or their offices was not immediately available.