Free Republic

A top Department of Justice prosecutor who authored the letter informing former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe’s legal team that it would not file criminal charges against McCabe for lying to federal investigators, was the latest prosecutor added to DOJ’s prosecution against Roger Stone.  J.P. Cooney, the head of Fraud & Public Corruption, became part of the new prosecution team against Stone after the former prosecutors resigned in protest.Cooney, head of the DOJ’s Fraud and Public Corruption, and John Crabb, who also handles public corruption cases for the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., replaced the previous prosecution team last week after they...

A federal judge has found unconstitutional a law that lets clergy members avoid paying income taxes on compensation that is designated part of a housing allowance. The decision Friday by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb could have far-reaching financial ramifications for pastors, who currently can use the untaxed income to pay rental housing costs or the costs of home ownership, including mortgage payments and property taxes.

'Midnight map' Raymond takes action against redistricting plan BY TRICIA CORTEZ Times staff writer Charging the Texas House Redistricting Committee and its Republican chairman Joe Crabb with "blatant hostility to Hispanic voters," Laredo state Rep. Richard Raymond filed a formal complaint Wednesday with the U.S. Department of Justice. At midnight Wednesday, the House committee passed a "midnight map," which would remove seven to eight Democratic congressional districts, Raymond said. Democrats currently hold 17 of 32 Texas seats in Congress. The map now moves to the House floor before going to the Texas Senate. Taking action on behalf of himself and...

Panel ready to send redistricting plan to House Times staff reports and the Associated Press AUSTIN - After days of impassioned public testimony on one plan to redraw congressional districts, the House Redistricting Committee seemed ready to send the House another plan that some members of the panel had not seen until it was introduced and accepted Monday. But, after a short recess, the committee withdrew the substitute by Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, and planned to take it up again on Tuesday. King spent the weekend polishing his map while at the same time listening to testimony against another map...

Raymond claims discrimination in House redistricting hearings Times staff reports State Rep. Richard Raymond is accusing Texas House Redistricting Committee Chairman Joe Crabb (R-Houston) of discriminating against Hispanics during his "blatantly partisan hearings on congressional redistricting." Raymond released a written statement Monday claiming he is furious at the way he personally has been treated by Crabb during hearings over the past four days. He is also unhappy about how Hispanic communities of interest have been disregarded and how, he said, the latest congressional map being considered by the redistricting committee violates the Voting Rights Act by weakening minority voting strength...