US Domestic News Roundup: U.S. Justice Dept asks appeals court to allow review of classified docs in Trump probe; George Floyd denied posthumous pardon for 2004 Texas drug conviction and more

Yeshiva's announcement came two days after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block New York state judge Lynn Kotler's June ruling that the university is subject to a city anti-discrimination law and must recognize the club called Y.U. Pride Alliance. U.S. appeals court rejects big tech's right to regulate online speech A U.S. appeals court on Friday upheld a Texas law that bars large social media companies from banning or censoring users based on "viewpoint," a setback for technology industry groups that say the measure would turn platforms into bastions of dangerous content.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 17-09-2022 18:33 IST | Created: 17-09-2022 18:28 IST
US Domestic News Roundup: U.S. Justice Dept asks appeals court to allow review of classified docs in Trump probe; George Floyd denied posthumous pardon for 2004 Texas drug conviction and more
George Floyd (Photo Credit: George Floyd Facebook) Image Credit: ANI

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. Justice Dept asks appeals court to allow review of classified docs in Trump probe

The U.S. Justice Department on Friday asked a federal appeals court to let it resume reviewing classified materials seized in an FBI search of former President Donald Trump's Florida estate. In the filing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, the Justice Department said the circuit court should halt part of the lower court decision that prevents prosecutors from relying on the classified documents in their criminal investigation into the retention of government records at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach after his presidency ended.

Special master examining Trump documents to hold first hearing on Tuesday

An independent arbiter, known as a special master, appointed to examine the contents of classified documents seized by the FBI from ex-President Donald Trump's Florida estate last month will hold a first hearing on Tuesday, according to a court filing. Lawyers should submit agenda items by close of business on Monday, Special Master Raymond Dearie- who was appointed this week- said in the document.

George Floyd denied posthumous pardon for 2004 Texas drug conviction

A Texas state agency has decided against recommending that the governor grant a posthumous pardon to George Floyd for a 2004 drug conviction, in a reversal of a decision made last year. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles board, in a letter sent on Thursday to the Harris County Public Defender's office, said it was denying the recommendation but provided no explanation for the decision.

New York's Yeshiva University halts student clubs in dispute over LGBT group

Yeshiva University, ordered by a judge to formally recognize an LGBT student group even as the Jewish school in New York City argues that doing so would violate its religious values, on Friday announced that it has halted the activities of all its undergraduate student clubs as it plans its next steps. Yeshiva's announcement came two days after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block New York state judge Lynn Kotler's June ruling that the university is subject to a city anti-discrimination law and must recognize the club called Y.U. Pride Alliance.

U.S. appeals court rejects big tech's right to regulate online speech

A U.S. appeals court on Friday upheld a Texas law that bars large social media companies from banning or censoring users based on "viewpoint," a setback for technology industry groups that say the measure would turn platforms into bastions of dangerous content. The 3-0 ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New Orleans, sets up the potential for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the law, which conservatives and right-wing commentators have said is necessary to prevent "Big Tech" from suppressing their views.

University of Michigan finalizes $490 million sexual abuse settlement

The University of Michigan said a $490 million settlement with more than 1,000 people who alleged sexual assault by a former sports doctor was finalized on Friday. The doctor, Robert Anderson, was a physician for the football team and other athletic programs at the university, where he worked from 1966 until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2008. Most of the victims were male.

U.S. court skeptical of challenge to elite Virginia school's admissions policy

A U.S. appeals court on Friday appeared skeptical of claims that an admissions policy adopted for a highly selective Virginia public high school discriminates against Asian Americans in a closely watched challenge brought by a conservative parents group. The Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in the Fairfax County School Board's appeal of a judge's ruling that Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology's admissions policy was discriminatory and violates the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law.

Man in plot to kidnap Michigan governor has sentence reduced

A federal judge on Friday reduced the sentence of a man who pleaded guilty to participating in a foiled plot to kidnap Michigan's governor after his testimony helped convict the ringleaders last month. Ty Garbin, 26, was resentenced to 30 months in prison, less than half of the 75 months he was given in August 2021. Garbin's testimony helped the U.S. government win convictions last month of two men for leading the plan to abduct Governor Gretchen Whitmer from her vacation home in northern Michigan in 2020.

Biden meets families of Russian-held detainees Griner, Whelan

President Joe Biden met on Friday with families of two Americans being held by Russia, and personally reassured them he is working to gain freedom for the detainees. Biden sat down in the Oval Office with Cherelle Griner, wife of women's basketball star Brittney Griner, and Elizabeth Whelan, sister of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

Florida governor defends migrant flights to Martha's Vineyard, suggests more to come

Florida's Republican governor on Friday defended his decision to fly dozens of migrants to the wealthy vacation island of Martha's Vineyard from Texas, and said similar actions could follow as a political dispute over border security deepened in the run-up to U.S. elections in November. DeSantis claimed credit for a pair of chartered flights on Wednesday that carried around 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, as part of a broader Republican effort to shift responsibility for border crossers to Democratic leaders.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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