Carrie Johnson http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127410674&ft=1&f=127410674 Carrie Johnson is a Justice Correspondent for the Washington Desk. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Carrie Johnson http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127410674&ft=1&f=127410674 Obama Pledges To Be More Transparent About Drone Program In a major speech on counterterrorism on Thursday, President Obama said the war on terror has changed and U.S. policy must be adjusted. He promised to be more forthcoming about the government's targeted killing program for terrorism suspects, and said he was open to talking to Congress about ways to review the use of weaponized drones. Carrie Johnson talks to Melissa Block about the evolving drone policy. Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=186321761&ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=186321761&ft=1&f=127410674 In a major speech on counterterrorism on Thursday, President Obama said the war on terror has changed and U.S. policy must be adjusted. He promised to be more forthcoming about the government's targeted killing program for terrorism suspects, and said he was open to talking to Congress about ways to review the use of weaponized drones. Carrie Johnson talks to Melissa Block about the evolving drone policy.

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]]> Sick Inmates Dying Behind Bars Despite Release Program Federal prisoners can request compassionate release if they are terminally ill, but a recent investigation found that many die while their requests drift through the system. Now, prison leaders say they will simplify the approval process and start tracking requests electronically. Thu, 23 May 2013 03:05:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/23/185563665/sick-inmates-dying-behind-bars-despite-release-program?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/23/185563665/sick-inmates-dying-behind-bars-despite-release-program?ft=1&f=127410674 Federal prisoners can request compassionate release if they are terminally ill, but a recent investigation found that many die while their requests drift through the system. Now, prison leaders say they will simplify the approval process and start tracking requests electronically.

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]]> Holder Acknowledges U.S. Citizens Killed In Drone Strikes For the first time, the Justice Department admits that it targeted American-born al-Qaida leader Anwar al-Awlaki and that three other U.S. citizens have died in drone strikes. Wed, 22 May 2013 17:44:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/22/186092780/holder-acknowledges-u-s-citizens-killed-in-drone-strikes?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/22/186092780/holder-acknowledges-u-s-citizens-killed-in-drone-strikes?ft=1&f=127410674 For the first time, the Justice Department admits that it targeted American-born al-Qaida leader Anwar al-Awlaki and that three other U.S. citizens have died in drone strikes.

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]]> Key Charge Against Ex-BP Official In Spill Case Dismissed A federal judge ruled that prosecutors failed to prove the executive knew about a pending congressional investigation into oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The decision left in place a second charge against the executive, for allegedly making false statements to investigators about the oil flow rate. Mon, 20 May 2013 19:11:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/20/185618984/key-charge-against-ex-bp-official-in-spill-case-dismissed?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/20/185618984/key-charge-against-ex-bp-official-in-spill-case-dismissed?ft=1&f=127410674 A federal judge ruled that prosecutors failed to prove the executive knew about a pending congressional investigation into oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The decision left in place a second charge against the executive, for allegedly making false statements to investigators about the oil flow rate.

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]]> DOJ Report Details Lapses In Witness Protection Program A new report from the Justice Department's watchdog points to several lapses in the government's witness protection program. The most significant are that U.S. Marshals at one point lost track of two known or suspected terrorists; and that some witnesses inadvertently were not placed on a no-fly list and flew using new identities. The FBI says there are no known current threats from any witnesses. Thu, 16 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=184559289&ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=184559289&ft=1&f=127410674 A new report from the Justice Department's watchdog points to several lapses in the government's witness protection program. The most significant are that U.S. Marshals at one point lost track of two known or suspected terrorists; and that some witnesses inadvertently were not placed on a no-fly list and flew using new identities. The FBI says there are no known current threats from any witnesses.

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]]> Holder Questioned Over Justice Department's IRS Investigation Attorney General Eric Holder faced critics in both parties at Tuesday's House Judiciary Committee hearing because his Justice Department has subpoenaed two months of phone logs from the Associated Press following a security leak in 2012. Wed, 15 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=184261891&ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=184261891&ft=1&f=127410674 Attorney General Eric Holder faced critics in both parties at Tuesday's House Judiciary Committee hearing because his Justice Department has subpoenaed two months of phone logs from the Associated Press following a security leak in 2012.

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]]> Holder Called To Capitol Hill To Testify On Controversies In an NPR interview, Attorney General Eric Holder answers questions about the IRS's processing of tax-exemption applications, the Justice Department's subpoenas for reporters' phone records and other hot issues. Holder faces questions on Capitol Hill Wednesday during an oversight hearing. Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184132954/attorney-general-holder-called-to-capitol-hill-to-answer-questions-on-controvers?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184132954/attorney-general-holder-called-to-capitol-hill-to-answer-questions-on-controvers?ft=1&f=127410674 In an NPR interview, Attorney General Eric Holder answers questions about the IRS's processing of tax-exemption applications, the Justice Department's subpoenas for reporters' phone records and other hot issues. Holder faces questions on Capitol Hill Wednesday during an oversight hearing.

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]]> Justice Department Under Fire For IRS Audits, AP Phone Logs Attorney General Eric Holder met reporters on Tuesday for the first time since reports surfaced of his Justice Department secretly seizing telephone logs from the homes and offices of Associated Press journalists. Holder said he himself had not been involved in that subpoena, but that it had been part of an investigation into a national security breach he called a threat to American lives. Audie Cornish talks to Carrie Johnson about the news conference and about her own interview with the attorney general. Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=183984440&ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=183984440&ft=1&f=127410674 Attorney General Eric Holder met reporters on Tuesday for the first time since reports surfaced of his Justice Department secretly seizing telephone logs from the homes and offices of Associated Press journalists. Holder said he himself had not been involved in that subpoena, but that it had been part of an investigation into a national security breach he called a threat to American lives. Audie Cornish talks to Carrie Johnson about the news conference and about her own interview with the attorney general.

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]]> Justice Department Secretly Obtains AP Phone Records The Associated Press is protesting what it calls a massive and unprecedented intrusion into its news gathering. The target of that wrath is the U.S. Justice Department, which secretly collected phone records for several AP reporters last year. Tue, 14 May 2013 03:25:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183810320/justice-department-secretly-obtains-ap-phone-records?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183810320/justice-department-secretly-obtains-ap-phone-records?ft=1&f=127410674 The Associated Press is protesting what it calls a massive and unprecedented intrusion into its news gathering. The target of that wrath is the U.S. Justice Department, which secretly collected phone records for several AP reporters last year.

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]]> U.S. Obtained AP Journalists' Phone Records The Associated Press says the Justice Department secretly obtained two months of its journalists' telephone records as part of a secret government investigation. Mon, 13 May 2013 20:26:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/13/183756143/u-s-obtained-ap-journalists-phone-records?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/13/183756143/u-s-obtained-ap-journalists-phone-records?ft=1&f=127410674 The Associated Press says the Justice Department secretly obtained two months of its journalists' telephone records as part of a secret government investigation.

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]]> House Questions Terrorism Detection Tools After Boston Attack The House Homeland Security Committee held its first hearing on the Boston Marathon bombing and aftermath on Thursday. Witnesses included the Boston police commissioner and former Sen. Joe Lieberman. Panel Chairman Mike McCaul has been highlighting intelligence failures. Thu, 09 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=182656443&ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=182656443&ft=1&f=127410674 The House Homeland Security Committee held its first hearing on the Boston Marathon bombing and aftermath on Thursday. Witnesses included the Boston police commissioner and former Sen. Joe Lieberman. Panel Chairman Mike McCaul has been highlighting intelligence failures.

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]]> Head Of Environmental Division Is Leaving Justice Dept. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Ignacia Moreno's tenure spanned one of the worst disasters in U.S. history, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in April 2010. She oversaw a record civil penalty in the case. Wed, 08 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/08/182012327/head-of-environmental-crimes-unit-is-leaving-government?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/08/182012327/head-of-environmental-crimes-unit-is-leaving-government?ft=1&f=127410674 Assistant U.S. Attorney General Ignacia Moreno's tenure spanned one of the worst disasters in U.S. history, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in April 2010. She oversaw a record civil penalty in the case.

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]]> Specially Trained FBI Agents Will Help Kidnapped Women Heal Three women rescued in Cleveland after going missing a decade ago have beaten the odds. In most cases, Justice Department statistics say victims don't survive that kind of ordeal. FBI forensic experts and victim specialists will be meeting with the women and their families, to try to start the process of helping them return to the world. Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/08/182175913/specially-trained-fbi-agents-will-help-kidnapped-women-heal?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/08/182175913/specially-trained-fbi-agents-will-help-kidnapped-women-heal?ft=1&f=127410674 Three women rescued in Cleveland after going missing a decade ago have beaten the odds. In most cases, Justice Department statistics say victims don't survive that kind of ordeal. FBI forensic experts and victim specialists will be meeting with the women and their families, to try to start the process of helping them return to the world.

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]]> Study: Release Program For Terminal Inmates 'Poorly Managed' A Justice Department study says some inmates who were approved for the early release program died before Washington bureaucrats signed off on it. Wed, 01 May 2013 10:47:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/01/180287191/study-release-program-for-terminal-inmates-poorly-managed?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/01/180287191/study-release-program-for-terminal-inmates-poorly-managed?ft=1&f=127410674 A Justice Department study says some inmates who were approved for the early release program died before Washington bureaucrats signed off on it.

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]]> ATF Allies Say Agency Handicapped By Lack Of Director While the ATF is a fraction of the size of its sister agency, the FBI, it runs the show when it comes to tracing weapons at crime scenes and investigating bombs and arson. But the agency has been without a permanent director for almost seven years. Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:18:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/06/179865788/atf-allies-say-agency-handicapped-by-lack-of-director?ft=1&f=127410674 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/06/179865788/atf-allies-say-agency-handicapped-by-lack-of-director?ft=1&f=127410674 While the ATF is a fraction of the size of its sister agency, the FBI, it runs the show when it comes to tracing weapons at crime scenes and investigating bombs and arson. But the agency has been without a permanent director for almost seven years.

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