Menu Close

Articles on US Attorney General

Displaying all articles

Merrick Garland, center, announcing on Nov. 18, 2022, that he will appoint a special counsel for the Department of Justice investigation into former President Donald Trump. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Special counsels, like the one leading the Department of Justice’s investigation of Trump, are intended to be independent – but they aren’t entirely

Special counsels are not entirely independent, but they do still help administrations avoid the perception of bias.
From 2001 to 2020, female donors accounted for 23% of all general election contributions in statewide races while men accounted for 77%. Mykola Sosiukin / EyeEm via GettyImages

Women make fewer political donations and risk being ignored by elected officials

Men give more money than women to candidates in high-level statewide elections. Money can equal political influence, so that may lead candidates to be less interested in women’s issues once elected.
Unaccompanied immigrant minors wait on July 2, 2019 in Los Ebanos, Texas to be transported to a U.S. Border Patrol processing center after entering the U.S. to seek political asylum. John Moore/Getty Images

US immigration judges considering asylum for unaccompanied minors are ‘significantly influenced’ by politics

Immigration judges must base their decisions to grant asylum to immigrant children on whether these children have realistic fears of persecution. But other factors influence those decisions.
William Barr walks through Lafayette Park before demonstrators were cleared by federal police on June 1, 2020. Joshua Roberts/Getty Images

Should the president pick the attorney general?

Do US attorneys general act in the public’s interest, or the interest of the president who appointed them?
Kamala Harris’ campaign fizzled as her past as a prosecutor haunted her candidacy. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

How being ‘tough on crime’ became a political liability

More and more district attorney candidates are running on reversing the government’s traditional approach to crime and punishment. And they’re winning.
Attorney General William Barr at an April 18 press conference about the public release of the special counsel’s report on Donald Trump. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

What happens next with the Mueller report? 3 essential reads

The full report on the special counsel’s Trump investigation has now been made public. As people, Congress and prosecutors nationwide dig into Mueller’s findings, here are three key issues to watch.
Attorney General William Barr at an April 18 press conference about the public release of the special counsel’s report on Donald Trump. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

What you need to know about the Mueller report: 4 essential reads

As the special counsel’s investigation of Trump turns into a partisan battle in Congress, here are four key issues to follow.

Top contributors

More