Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US Supreme Court to decide legality of federal ban on gun 'bump stocks'

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday trained its sights once again on gun rights, agreeing to decide the legality of a federal ban imposed under former President Donald Trump on "bump stock" devices that enable semiautomatic weapons to fire like machine guns. The justices agreed to hear an appeal by President Joe Biden's administration of a lower court's ruling in favor of Michael Cargill, a gun shop owner and gun rights advocate from Austin, Texas, who challenged the ban that was put in place under Trump following a 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas.

In NY fraud trial, Eric Trump says he relied on others to verify documents

Eric Trump testified on Friday that he relied on accountants and lawyers to verify the accuracy of financial documents that a judge has ruled to be fraudulent in a trial that threatens to hobble his father Donald Trump's real estate empire. His testimony wrapped up before noon. Up next is the former president, who is scheduled to take the witness stand on Monday.

N.Y. judge widens Trump case gag order; limits in criminal case lifted

A judge on Friday issued an expanded gag order in the New York state civil fraud case against Donald Trump, while a federal appeals court temporarily lifted similar restrictions in a criminal case against the former U.S. president in Washington.

The order issued by Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York state court in Manhattan bars public statements by lawyers in the case about the judge's communications with his staff. The case brought by New York state's attorney general accuses Trump of inflating his assets and net worth to obtain favorable bank loans and lower insurance premiums.

Bidens visit sites of Maine shootings, mourn victims

U.S. President Joe Biden made a solemn trek on Friday to the two sites in Lewiston, Maine, where a gunman killed 18 people last month and said the latest mass shooting had opened painful wounds all across America. “We’re here to grieve with you, so you know you’re not alone," said Biden, who was joined by his wife Jill.

US Supreme Court to hear NRA free speech case against New York official

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide whether a New York state official stifled the ability of the National Rifle Association to exercise free speech rights protected by the Constitution's First Amendment by pressuring banks and insurers to avoid doing business with the influential gun rights group. The justices took up the NRA's appeal of a lower court's decision to throw out the group's lawsuit against Maria Vullo, a former superintendent of New York's Department of Financial Services. It represents the latest case to come before the Supreme Court involving the NRA, a group closely aligned with Republicans that has opposed gun control measures and backed pivotal lawsuits that have widened U.S. gun rights.

Republicans stiffen qualifying requirements for fourth debate in December

Republican presidential primary candidates will need to meet relatively stringent polling requirements to participate in the fourth debate in December, the Republican National Committee said on Friday, which could result in a winnowing of the field. The debate is set to take place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Dec. 6, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

US seeks return of fees from law firm tied to bankruptcy judge resignation

The U.S. Department of Justice's bankruptcy watchdog is seeking to force a law firm to give back millions of dollars in fees it earned in cases presided over by a top Texas bankruptcy judge after he confirmed he had been in an undisclosed romantic relationship with one of its lawyers. The Justice Department's Office of the U.S. Trustee late on Thursday began filing motions in several corporate bankruptcy cases seeking to reverse decisions by Houston-based U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones to award fees to Jackson Walker.

Donald Trump to face anonymous jury in writer E. Jean Carroll's second trial

A federal judge said Donald Trump will face an anonymous jury as it decides how much he should pay E. Jean Carroll for defaming the writer in 2019 by denying that he raped her. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan said he found "strong reason" to provide special protections for jurors at the scheduled Jan. 16, 2024 civil trial.

Alaska Airlines sued over attempt by off-duty pilot to shut down engines

Three passengers sued Alaska Airlines on Thursday after an off-duty pilot in the cockpit "jump seat" on a jet they were riding allegedly tried to disable the plane's engines, accusing the Seattle-based carrier of breaching its duty to ensure flight safety. The lawsuit stems from an in-flight emergency declared by the crew of Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 over the Pacific Northwest while the aircraft was en route from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco, on Oct 22.

Key New York tunnel project wins $3.8 billion in new US support -senators

The Biden administration will award $3.8 billion to help build a long-delayed new railway tunnel between New York City and New Jersey, state officials said Friday. In total, the federal government will fund more than $11 billion of the $17.2 billion Hudson Tunnel Project costs that will repair an existing tunnel and build a new one for passenger railroad Amtrak and state commuter lines between New Jersey and Manhattan, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.