Phillip Swarts

Justice Dept. has done little to curb employees’ embarrassing behavior: IG

Investigators have found the Justice Department has done little to try to fix behavioral problems in the past two decades, and that employees could still be participating in behavior that would reflect badly on the U.S.

January 22, 2015

Darren Wilson: Justice Dept. working to clear Ferguson officer of civil rights charges

The Justice Department will not bring any federal civil rights charges against Darren Wilson, a white police officer involved in the death of a black teenager, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

January 21, 2015

Supreme Court: Feds can’t fire whistleblowers for preserving public safety

Federal employees shouldn't be fired for blowing the whistle on something that could threaten public safety, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

January 21, 2015

Annapolis fire: Search for bodies in the rubble to be underway soon

Fire officials said they are not expecting to find survivors in an Annapolis home that burned down in the early hours of Monday morning.

January 21, 2015

Obama calls for better cybersecurity in State of the Union

President Barack Obama called for better cybersecurity in his State of the Union address Tuesday, urging Congress to pass legislation that will improve computer protection.

January 20, 2015

Obama invokes Michael Brown, Eric Garner in civil rights push

President Barack Obama said that the civil rights and respect for human life are issues that Democrats and Republicans should be able to agree upon.

January 20, 2015

Obama’s cybersecurity proposal may find Republican agreement

President Obama's proposals on fixing the nation's lagging cybersecurity infrastructure were met with widespread support from industry experts and even some Republicans Tuesday, though civil liberties advocates warned it could lead to a dangerous invasion of privacy.

January 20, 2015

Annapolis mansion burning a day later; 6 people still missing

Firefighters are still unable to enter an Annapolis home destroyed by fire, more than a day after the blaze, because they're concerned about a possible structural collapse.

January 20, 2015

Wesam El-Hanafi, convicted of helping al Qaeda, gets 15-year sentence in New York

A New York man who was convicted of aiding al Qaeda received 15 years in prison Tuesday.

January 20, 2015

Fire heavily damages 16,000-square foot Maryland mansion

Fire crews were still working Monday to extinguish a four-alarm blaze that consumed an Annapolis mansion, and officials said it could be Tuesday morning before they're able to ascertain whether there were any fatalities — or the cause of the fire.

January 19, 2015

Eric Holder: Obama admin will support gay marriage in Supreme Court case

The Obama administration will petition the Supreme Court for marriage equality when it hears the case in April, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Friday.

January 16, 2015

Pennsylvania pays feds almost $50 million over wrong services to immigrants

Pennsylvania will pay the federal government $48.8 million over allegations that the state provided services and benefits to ineligible immigrants.

January 16, 2015

Eric Holder: Feds won’t be able to use money, property seized by police

Attempting to change an increasingly controversial program, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Friday that federal law enforcement will no longer be able to use money or property seized by state and local police officers.

January 16, 2015

Tam Minh Le, wanted by U.S. Marshals and in top 15 fugitives list, arrested in Virginia

The U.S. Marshals said Friday they had arrested Tam Minh Le, a "career criminal" and one of the 15 most-wanted fugitives, in a motel in Ashland, Virginia.

January 16, 2015

Federal buildings vulnerable to cyberattack, watchdog says

Not just computers, but government buildings themselves could be the target of cyberterrorism attacks, said a new watchdog report, which found the Homeland Security Department may not be prepared to meet such challenges.

January 16, 2015

Jeh Johnson: Obama should veto anti-amnesty budget bills

Urging that his agency not become "a political volleyball," Homeland Security Department Secretary Jeh Johnson said he would recommend the president veto any budget bill that includes efforts to overturn Mr. Obama's executive actions on immigration.

January 15, 2015

Eric Holder slams ‘unacceptable’ lack of info on police shootings

Attorney General Eric Holder said Thursday the nation needs more data about the number of police shootings and the use of force by law enforcement officers, calling the lack of information about the police "unacceptable."

January 15, 2015

Christopher Cornell’s father insists son is harmless: ‘He’s a big mama’s boy’

The father of a man arrested for plotting an attack against the U.S. Capitol insisted that his son is innocent during an appearance on CNN.

January 15, 2015

Police brutality solutions are training, community relations, presidential task force told

Law enforcement and elected officials told a presidential task force Tuesday that police need better training to improve community relations and defuse the sorts of deadly, racially charged confrontations that have divided the nation for months.

January 13, 2015

Facebook users to get Amber Alerts on missing children as part of Justice Department deal

Facebook users will soon be getting Amber Alerts when they log on, thanks to a new deal between the company and the Justice Department to broaden the warnings for missing children.

January 13, 2015