US Justice Department files 'misconduct complaint' against prominent judge
Boasberg said in April that the Trump administration appeared to have acted "in bad faith" when it hurriedly assembled three deportation flights on March 15 at the same time that he was conducting emergency court proceedings to assess the legality of the effort.
"Today at my direction, @TheJusticeDept filed a misconduct complaint against U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg for making improper public comments about President Trump and his Administration," Bondi said, without specifying which comments was she referring to.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Sun
Diddy's ex Gina Huynh makes surprise plea for his release after dropping out of trial despite claim he ‘stomped on her'
SEAN 'Diddy' Combs' ex-girlfriend has bizarrely pleaded with a judge to release him despite once claiming he had 'stomped' on her. Virginia - 'Gina' - Huynh had initially been anonymously referred to as 'Victim-3' in the disgraced music mogul's sex trafficking trial. 6 6 She was supposed to testify against Combs in his criminal case, reported CNN. But, Gina "mysteriously dropped out" days before the rapper's trial began, it added. It has now transpired that she has asked - via Combs' defense team - for Judge Arun Subramanian to show her ex leniency during the star's sentencing. This is despite her once claiming he had stomped on her stomach, and dragged her by the hair. In a surprise letter to the judge, Gina has pleaded for Combs to be set free from jail. She also stated that she does not believe Combs is a danger to the community. It's the first time "Victim-3" has identified herself by name. According to court documents cited by Page Six, Gina described her ex as a committed family man 'who has not been violent in many years.' She claimed, 'To my knowledge, [Combs] has not been violent for many years, and he has been committed to being a father first. 'Our relationship, like many, was not always perfect, we experienced ups and downs, and mistakes were made. Diddy trial witness 'The Punisher' reveals battle against 'storm of negativity' after taking part in freak-offs "But he was willing to acknowledge his mistakes and make better decisions in the future.' Gina's letter also claimed her ex, 'embodied an energy of love, patience and gentleness that was markedly different from his past behavior' by the time their troubled relationship ended. 'I am writing because I do not view Mr. Combs as a danger to me or to the community,' she said, while stressing that it was his "first criminal case." 'He has substantial ties to his family and community, including children who depend on him for emotional and financial support,' she added. 'I want to assure the Court that if released, I believe Mr. Combs will adhere to all conditions imposed and will not jeopardize his freedom or the well-being of his family.' Her plea was included as an exhibit in the defense's latest filing ahead of the singer 's sentencing in his federal criminal case on October 3. VIOLENCE However, her endorsement has come as a surprise as she had previously claimed Combs had punched her in the head during their five-year relationship. Her allegations were aired during a bombshell 2019 interview with controversial celebrity gossip blogger LaTasha Kebe, known as Tasha K - who was once involved in a defamation lawsuit with Cardi B. Gina alleged during her interview with the blogger, "He stomped on my stomach really hard — like, took the wind out of my breath. 'I couldn't breathe. He kept hitting me. I was pleading to him, 'Can you just stop? I can't breathe.'' She also alleged the rapper then grabbed her by the hair and was 'punching' the back of her head. Gina claimed she defended herself by fighting back as she had had 'enough of his s**t.' She alleged, "He was mentally, emotionally and physically abusing me." DROPPED OUT OF TRIAL Diddy's ex was initially part of the prosecution's case against Combs, and was to have been a key witness. She was expected to testify alongside his other ex-girlfriends, Cassie - the R&B singer whose real name is Casandra Ventura - and Jane Doe, who testified under a pseudonym. However, prosecutors had to tell the jury in New York that 'Victim-3 may not show up' after they lost contact with Gina and her attorney. Gina had claimed to Tasha K that Combs, "would always compare me to Cassie and tell me that I'm the bad one, she's a good one." Cassie and Jane told the court during the star's trial that he forced them into drug-fueled sex marathons they called 'freak-offs' and 'hotel nights." The jury deliberating at his sex trafficking trial heard testimony from 34 witnesses over seven weeks at Manhattan's Federal Court. APPLES THROWN This included testimony from Combs' ex-employees, such as his former assistant, George Kaplan, who testified that he witnessed at least three alleged instances of violence. He alleged that his saw his former boss throw apples at a woman named Gina in 2015. Kaplan said it was "the last straw for me." ABC News reported during the trial that Kaplan told the court that in the fall of 2015 he saw a "very angry" Combs. He alleged that he saw the singer "throwing these green apples that lived in a decorative vessel" in the entryway of his Miami home. 6 6 The apples were allegedly aimed "at another girlfriend" of Combs' who, Kaplan told the court, was "trying to shield herself with her arms." In 2016, security cameras captured Combs hitting, kicking and dragging Cassie as she left his room at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles. The horrific video was shown repeatedly throughout his trial. VERDICT In early July, Combs, 55, was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges carrying potential life prison terms. But, he was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for arranging for girlfriends and male sex workers to travel to engage in sexual encounters that he filmed. Each prostitution-related charge carries a potential maximum 10 years in prison. After hearing the verdict, Combs held his hands up in a prayer motion, looking at the jury and hugging his defense lawyer Teny Geragos. Prosecutors had alleged the Bad Boy Records founder used physical violence, threats, and the resources of his business empire to coerce two former girlfriends to participate in days-long, drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers sometimes called "freak-offs." Combs pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers argued his two girlfriends took part willingly in the encounters. SENTENCING The Associated Press reported that prosecutors said they now expect Combs could face a prison sentence 'substantially higher' than the four to five years they once thought he was likely to face. In a submission to the Manhattan federal court last Thursday, they also opposed his request to be released on $50 million bail while he awaits sentencing. Combs' lawyers have said they believe the guidelines, if properly calculated, will call for 21 to 27 months in prison. 6
Reuters
28 minutes ago
- Reuters
Trump: will 'substantially' raise tariffs on goods from India over Russian oil purchases
WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he will substantially raise tariffs on goods from India over its purchases of Russian oil. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA." He did not elaborate on what the tariff would be. India's trade ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump last week said he would impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from India and added that the world's fifth-largest economy would also face an unspecified penalty but gave no details. Over the weekend, two Indian government sources told Reuters that India will keep purchasing oil from Russia despite Trump's threats. The sources did not wish to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Reuters
28 minutes ago
- Reuters
US could require up to $15,000 bonds for some tourist visas under pilot program
WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. could require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot program launching in two weeks, a government notice said on Monday, an effort that aims to crack down on visitors who overstay their visas. The program gives U.S. consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays, according to a Federal Register notice. Bonds could also be applied to people coming from countries where screening and vetting information is deemed insufficient, the notice said. President Donald Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a focus of his presidency, boosting resources to secure the border and arresting people in the U.S. illegally. He issued a travel ban in June that fully or partially blocks citizens of 19 nations from entering the U.S. on national security grounds. Trump's immigration policies have led some visitors to skip travel to the United States. Transatlantic airfares dropped to rates last seen before the COVID-19 pandemic in May and travel from Canada and Mexico to the U.S. fell by 20% year-over-year. Effective August 20, the new visa program will last for approximately a year, the government notice said. Consular officers will have three options for visa applicants subjected to the bonds: $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, but will generally be expected to require at least $10,000, it said. A similar pilot program was launched in November 2020 during the last months of Trump's first term in office, but it was not fully implemented due to the drop in global travel associated with the pandemic, the notice said. The State Department was unable to estimate the number of visa applicants who could be affected by the change. Many of the countries targeted by Trump's travel ban also have high rates of visa overstays, including Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar and Yemen. Numerous countries in Africa, including Burundi, Djibouti and Togo also had high overstay rates, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data from fiscal year 2023.
