Courts/Rulings & Lawsuits | | |
Ninth Circuit overturns exception to criminal plain error review
A full panel of Ninth Circuit judges overturned Tuesday the court’s decades-long precedent of granting an exception to the federal rule of criminal procedure’s “plain error” review standard when the issue on appeal is a “pure question of law.” The 11-judges, known as an en banc panel, determined that the appeals court should have long ago done away with its “pure question of law” exception after a series of contrary rulings from the US Supreme Court.
Bloomberg Law
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Google missed key deadline in suit alleging Google's AI libeled business, court holds
A federal district court rules that the case should go back to Minnesota state court, rather than being in federal court. Last year, Google was sued in Minnesota state court by a local solar panel installation company that claimed Google's AI Overviews hallucinated false and defamatory statements about the company.
The Volokh Conspiracy
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Judge erred in placing constraint on public records release
Div. Two of the Fourth District Court of Appeal has held that death row inmate who requested, pursuant to public records request, unfettered access to San Bernardino County’s files relating to a 1974 homicide - for which prosecutors say they will not be filing charges despite public assertions that he is the perpetrator - was wrongly given the information under a protective order precluding him from sharing the information.
Metropolitan News-Enterprise
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Court throws out Sept.11-era convictions on First Amendment grounds
A federal appeals court has thrown out all remaining criminal convictions of an Islamic lecturer from northern Virginia who served about 15 years of a life sentence for soliciting treason by encouraging other Muslim men to fight overseas in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Politico
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Parolees may be entitled to resentencing relief after release
Div. One of this district’s Court of Appeal has held that a defendant, who has been identified as eligible for resentencing under a provision that contemplates such reconsideration if the accused’s initial sentence includes a now-defunct prior-prison enhancement, is not foreclosed from securing relief by virtue of having been released on parole before the hearing takes place even though the statute references inmates “currently serving a term.”
Metropolitan News-Enterprise
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Federal court upholds California's new congressional districts in a victory for Democrats
In a major victory for Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democratic Party, a federal court in Los Angeles ruled Wednesday that California can use its newly configured congressional district boundaries for the 2026 midterm elections, increasing Democrats' odds of winning five additional U.S. House seats and seizing control of the chamber.
Los Angeles Times
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Supreme Court axes ‘artificial’ limit blocking relief for federal prisoners
The Supreme Court on Friday threw out a procedural limit preventing a Florida man from challenging a conviction that the justices recently invalidated. In a 5-4 ruling, the justices sided with Michael Bowe, a federal inmate, rejecting the government’s limits on the number of times a federal inmate can challenge the legality of their sentence.
Courthouse News Service
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San Diego street vendor urges appeals court to let him sell outside Padres games
A licensed street vendor who has sold snacks near San Diego Padres games since 2009 asked California appellate panel Monday to revive his lawsuit against the city over multiple citations for violating sidewalk vending regulations. Imhotep Mustaqeem, a veritable fixture outside Petco Park, says he was cited a number of times in the summer of 2024 for violating limits to vending hours in the area around the Padres’ home stadium - three hours before games and one hour after.
Courthouse News Service
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New trial warranted due to defendant ‘dodging’ discovery
Div. One of the Fourth District Court of Appeal has held that a plaintiff asserting violations of California’s “lemon law” among other claims against Kia Motors America Inc. was wrongly denied a new trial after a defense judgment in light of concerns, raised before and during trial, that the automaker had committed discovery abuses by insisting that it had no documents relating to “engine defects” based on an “unduly narrow” reading of the term.
Metropolitan News-Enterprise
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Supreme Court leaves multibillion-dollar Boy Scouts bankruptcy settlement in place
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a $2.4 billion bankruptcy settlement for the Boy Scouts of America, rejecting an appeal from a group of childhood sex-abuse victims who said the deal unlawfully blocked them from suing groups that ran local scouting programs.
CNN
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Federal government has no right to California voters’ sensitive data, judge rules
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Trump administration is not entitled to personal information belonging to California’s 23 million voters. Judge David O. Carter made the ruling. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice sued California, along with 22 other states and Washington, D.C., for access to their full, unredacted voter files. That includes driver’s license, social security numbers and other sensitive data.
LAist
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Five years of litigation over homelessness devolves into a battle of definitions
If a bed in a homeless shelter has been taken, is that bed still “available"? The plaintiffs in a five-year-old lawsuit alleging the city of Los Angeles failed to address homelessness say the answer is an obvious "no." But the city begs to differ. According to the testimony of City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo, a bed created by the city remains "on offer" whether someone is sleeping in it or not.
Los Angeles Times
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Mother charged with killing 17-month-old daughter in luxury Santa Monica building
A 24-year-old Santa Monica woman will be arraigned Friday on charges she beat her 17-month-old daughter to death in a luxury building and then confessed to a stranger on the UCLA campus, who called police, Los Angeles County prosecutors say. Carmen Anita Degregg, 24, is charged in Los Angeles County Superior Court with one count of murder and one count of felony assault on a child under the age of 8, causing death, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Los Angeles Magazine
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Fugitive accused of stabbing ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend in Anaheim is extradited from Mexico
A man accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend to death was extradited to the U.S. from Mexico after spending eight years on the run. Humberto Rodriguez Martinez, 39, of Anaheim, was wanted on a $2 million arrest warrant after he was charged with murdering Daniel Reyes, 32, in 2017, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
KTLA
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LA County woman charged in ‘crash and buy' auto insurance fraud
Prosecutors have charged a Los Angeles woman with insurance fraud after she allegedly bought insurance coverage following a traffic accident, the LA County District Attorney’s Office told NBC Los Angeles exclusively Monday. Priscilla Lozano was arrested last Thursday after authorities suspected that she committed “crash and buy” fraud from September 2025.
NBC4
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CEO of Santa Monica non profit for disabled children started By Paul Newman busted for embezzlement
The Painted Turtle - a camp for seriously disabled children headquartered in Santa Monica - was founded in 1999 with funding by the late Paul Newman, who had long supported organizations dedicated to letting “kids with medical conditions just be kids.” Newman’s vision, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday, turned into an opportunity for its Chief Executive Officer, Christopher L. Butler, to allegedly line his own pockets with $5.2 million he is now accused of embezzling from sick kids.
Los Angeles Magazine
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Los Angeles babysitter and child snowboard instructor charged with child sex crimes; additional victims sought
A 28-year-old man who advertised himself as a babysitter and children’s snowboard instructor in online marketplaces throughout Los Angeles County has been charged with sexually abusing a child under 14 who was in his care between April 2021 and February 2022. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office believes there may be additional victims.
L.A. County District Attorney’s Office News Release
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West Covina man charged with murdering grandmother and injuring grandfather in New Year’s Day attack
A 28-year-old man has been charged with murdering his 74-year-old grandmother and injuring his 77-year-old grandfather in their West Covina home on New Year’s Day. “Priscilla Sesanto lost her life in a senseless and violent crime at the hands of her grandson,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said.
L.A. County District Attorney’s Office New Release
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US Department of Justice and Dr. Oz targeting California over alleged medical fraud
The Department of Justice is investigating what it's calling medical fraud in California. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and Dr. Mehmet Oz held a brief news conference in Los Angeles on Friday to say they're targeting the state of California over the alleged fraud. "Him and his team are auditing California programs, California systems, California doctors," Essayli said.
ABC7
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26 people charged in connection with alleged basketball game fixing
Federal prosecutors secured indictments against 26 people accused of rigging college basketball games in America and pro contests in China, according to court papers unsealed Thursday in Philadelphia. The suspects face charges that include alleged bribery in sports, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and aiding and abetting.
NBC News
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California prosecutors push back on ICE immunity claims
California prosecutors are expressing alarm at the Trump administration’s response to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an immigration agent, pointing to statements that the agent has absolute immunity from prosecution and to the decision to exclude Minnesota investigators from the inquiry into the incident.
KQED
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'It's a blanket of silence': Fire victims' attorneys accuse city of blocking Palisades fire transparency
Attorneys for the city of Los Angeles moved this week to block the release of long-awaited depositions of firefighters that could provide a deeper understanding of their decisions and actions in the days leading up to the deadly Palisades fire.
Los Angeles Times
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Billionaire NFL owner suing over billboards near his LA stadium
Stan Kroenke, the billionaire owner of the National Football League’s Los Angeles Rams, has taken a stand against billboards that he says threaten the prosperity of his $5.5 billion sports and entertainment complex in the nation’s second-largest metropolis.
Insurance Journal
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How Californians can use a new state website to block hundreds of data brokers
The California Privacy Protection Agency kicked off 2026 by launching a tool that state residents can use to make data brokers delete and stop selling their personal information. The system, known as the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, or DROP, has been in the works for years, mandated by a 2023 law known as the Delete Act. Under it and previous laws, data brokers must register with the state and enable consumers to tell brokers to stop tracking them and selling their information.
CalMatters
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Hotel dispute with Trump administration tests rarely cited constitutional rights
Hilton Hotels found itself in a public relations pickle this week as the Department of Homeland Security targeted one of its Minneapolis locations, following reports that its staff had cancelled room reservations booked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents descending on the city. The brief standoff, amplified by right-wing influencers painting the hotel staff as political activists, fizzled after Hilton severed ties with the franchisee operating the Hampton Inn Lakeville.
Courthouse News Service
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Prominent LA eviction lawyer faces disciplinary charges from state bar
Over his nearly 50-year career, Burbank-based attorney Dennis Block has built a reputation as a fierce advocate for Southern California landlords seeking to evict their tenants. But disciplinary charges filed against him last month by the California State Bar raise questions about his treatment of clients. Block faces charges involving a series of clients over a span of years.
LAist
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Judge likely to eviscerate Rebel Wilson's wild cross-complaint against movie producers
A Superior Court judge on Tuesday said he would likely strike nearly all of a cross-complaint filed by actress Rebel Wilson against three movie producers. The judge did not say whether or not he would allow Wilson to amend her complaint a second time. The messy and sprawling legal dispute concerns an Australian musical comedy, “The Deb,” directed by Wilson.
Courthouse News Service
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A federal rule could block compostable packaging from California's system
What we throw away might not seem like a climate issue. But in California, food scraps are now front and center in the fight against climate change. At Agromin, one of the state’s largest composters, CEO Bill Camarillo says a 2016 law is driving that shift, forcing organic waste out of landfills and into compost instead. “As organic waste goes into the landfills, it produces methane for 30 years,” said Camarillo.
Spectrum News1
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Grossman denied cellphone return, challenges conviction again
There are new lawyers and new legal filings in the Rebecca Grossman case as the former Hidden Hills resident and convicted murderer keeps up her court fight from behind bars. An attempt to have authorities return Grossman’s cellphone was rejected on Jan. 12 by the Van Nuys Superior Court judge who presided over her criminal trial two years ago, a trial that ended in guilty verdicts for Grossman, now 62, on charges of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run resulting in death.
The Acorn
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L.A. violated open meeting law with plan to clear homeless encampments, judge rules
The city of Los Angeles violated the state's open meeting law when council members took up a plan to clear 9,800 homeless encampments behind closed doors, a judge ruled this week. In a 10-page decision, L.A. County Superior Court Judge Curtis Kin said the City Council ran afoul of the Ralph M. Brown Act by approving the encampment strategy during a Jan. 31, 2024, closed session.
Los Angeles Times
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LA County deputy given Starbucks coffee cup with drawing of pig at Norwalk store
A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy was allegedly given a cup that had a hand-drawn picture of a pig on it at a Starbucks coffee shop in Norwalk last week, according to department officials. It happened on Friday when the deputy stopped to get coffee, according to a news release from LASD. It says that the deputy was deliberately given the cup with the pig drawing, "which is commonly used to demean law enforcement."
CBS News
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Santos H. Kreimann steps down as Chief Executive Officer of LACERA
The Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) today announced that Santos H. Kreimann, Chief Executive Officer, will step down from his role for health reasons and to spend more time with his family. Mr. Kreimann’s resignation follows a period of medical leave, during which Luis Lugo led the organization as Acting Chief Executive Officer since March 17, 2025.
LACERA News Release
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Playing catch on an L.A. sidewalk? You may (technically) risk jail time.
Planning on playing a casual game of catch with your child on the sidewalk outside your home or on a quiet cul-de-sac? You might want to reconsider if you’re in Los Angeles, because you’d technically be committing a crime. A little-known and rarely enforced provision in the Los Angeles Municipal Code prohibits ball games on most streets or sidewalks. Violators face a fine of up to $1,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.
DNYUZ
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L.A. unions push new tax on companies with ‘overpaid’ CEOs
A group of Los Angeles labor unions is proposing a ballot measure they say would combat income inequality in the city by raising taxes on companies whose chief executive officers make at least 50 times more than their median-paid employee.
Los Angeles Times
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LA recorded the fewest murders in 2025 - since 1966
LA's Police Chief said Tuesday the crime rate declined significantly in 2025, with the fewest murders in decades, and measures of shootings and other violent crime categories showing continued reductions. "In 2025 the City recorded 230 homicides, representing a 19% reduction from 2024," Chief Jim McDonnell said. "This marks the fewest total homicides since 1966, when there were 226," he said.
NBC4
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In-N-Out restaurants targeted by counterfeit $100 bills scam, 2 women arrested, Glendale police say
Glendale police announced Friday that it arrested two women suspected of using counterfeit money at about a dozen In-N-Out locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Auriona Lewis, 24, and 26-year-old Tatiyanna Foster, both of Long Beach, were arrested following an investigation that included surveillance video from the restaurants, according to the Glendale Police Department.
City News Service
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1 dead, 3 injured after shooting at fast-food restaurant in South LA
Police were investigating a shooting Sunday that killed one man and injured at least three others in Manchester Square. The shooting was reported at 6:44 p.m. at a Louisiana Fried Chicken restaurant along Manchester Avenue, according to the LAPD. The four victims were waiting for food at the fast-food restaurant when two men arrived on foot and began shooting, according to police.
NBC4
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Chaos erupts as U-Haul drives into crowd during anti-Iranian regime rally in Westwood
A protest that began peacefully in Westwood on Sunday afternoon turned chaotic after a U-Haul truck drove toward hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the federal building, prompting clashes between the crowd, the driver and police. Video shows the moment the truck moved into the crowd on Veteran Avenue as people screamed and rushed away around 3:30 p.m.
ABC7
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Sexual assault reported near UCLA's fraternity houses
The University of California, Los Angeles sent a notice to its students on Monday of a reported sexual assault that occurred near a row of fraternity houses. In a timely warning email sent to students, UCLA said its police department received a report of a rape that happened around midnight Monday on the 600 block of Landfair Avenue. According to the victim, they were unable to consent at the time of the assault.
NBC4
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Cocaine dealer who was arrested, bailed out the next day gets caught again with more drugs, guns
A man described by authorities as a known cocaine dealer operating in southwest Riverside County was arrested and charged with three felonies as part of an ongoing investigation, but he bailed out the next day and was eventually found with more drugs, guns and stolen property. The Murrieta Police Department said Saturday that their Special Enforcement Team (SET) served a warrant at several locations belonging to the suspect.
KTLA
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SF public defender faces contempt over refusal to take felony cases
The San Francisco public defender faces a contempt hearing after refusing to take on an indigent client, despite a judge’s order that his office resume accepting new felony cases on a full-time basis. Public defenders have been declaring themselves “unavailable” to new clients one a day week since May of last Year.
Daily Journal
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Vulnerability in Flock Condor cameras lets anyone spy on the public
The products of Flock Safety, one of the largest vendors of police surveillance technology, such as automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and gunfire locators, are frequently plagued by security vulnerabilities, either due to inherent flaws or user failure to follow best practices. As detailed in a recent video investigation by technologist Benn Jordan, several Flock Safety’s AI-powered “Condor” cameras were found broadcasting both live and archived footage directly to the open internet.
Independent Institute
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California’s new Senate leader wants Democrats united. A budget shortfall could divide them
As California legislators return to Sacramento and prepare to tackle a budget deficit, all eyes are on new Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón of Santa Barbara and what tone she sets for her chamber. Limón, 46, a progressive backed by labor unions and the first Latina to lead the Senate, will face arguably her greatest legislative challenge yet as she and her diverse caucus grapple with a daunting projected $18 billion state budget deficit and historic federal funding cuts from the Trump administration.
CalMatters
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Proposed legislation in California, New York would allow residents to sue federal agents
Following the shooting death of a Minneapolis woman at the hands of federal agents on Wednesday, lawmakers in New York and other states have moved to introduce legislation that allows federal agents to be sued in state court. Those bills echo the language of a California bill introduced by State Senator Scott Wiener last year.
KTVU
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California leaders project future deficits despite 'roaring' tax revenues
California’s top financial officer on Friday said the governor’s proposed budget has filled a deficit of almost $3 billion, a stark contrast to the legislative analyst’s forecast of an $18 billion shortfall. Governor Gavin Newsom’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget calls for $248.3 billion in general fund expenditures. Constitutionally required spending for public schools and community colleges is much of the reason for a $10 billion increase over last year’s budget.
Courthouse News Service
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Newsom on the backlash to his podcast - and the wealth tax
Gavin Newsom is fully embracing his status as his party’s foremost podcast bro. In an interview with Playbook, ranging from how he juggles his podcast duties to the private heat he got from Democrats about his guests and what reaction to the show taught him about “cancel culture” on the left, Newsom said he’s sticking with the formula that made “This is Gavin Newsom” the rare politician’s podcast that people actually listen to.
Politico
| | Convictions/Pleas/Sentences/Parole | | |
Ex-deputy fire chief for La Habra Heights who posed as officer gets sentenced
The case against a former La Habra Heights deputy fire chief who impersonated an officer when he pulled over a colleague in Whittier in 2021 ended Monday, Jan. 12. Timothy Michael Peel, 38, had pleaded no contest on Jan. 10, 2025, to a misdemeanor count of impersonating an investigator.
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
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Southern California man gets life without parole for gruesome murder of estranged wife
A man who was convicted of murdering his estranged wife just before their divorce was finalized will spend the rest of his life behind bars, authorities announced Tuesday. In a statement, the Simi Valley Police Department confirmed that Zarbab Ali was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his wife in November of 2022.
KTLA
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Northridge man pleads guilty to ‘crime tourism’-related charges
A San Fernando Valley man pleaded guilty today to federal charges involving his role in a "crime tourism" ring that dispatched thieves from Central and South America to various parts of the United States to shoplift, burglarize homes and businesses, and steal credit cards before laundering millions of dollars in illicit proceeds.
KESQ
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Could this mysterious news site influence California’s 2026 election?
Recently, as the political battle over congressional redistricting brought California into the national spotlight, Facebook users were shown a curious series of ads. The ads, from a straightforward-looking news site called the California Courier, often felt a lot like campaign commercials, linking to articles hammering Democrats in the state, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Los Angeles Times
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Many California prisoners get a second chance. A declining parole rate shows that’s no guarantee
Thousands of prisoners in California go before the Board of Parole Hearings each year in hopes of a chance at freedom. It’s a daunting situation that deals in high stakes for all involved. Parole commissioners must follow legal standards while balancing questions of rehabilitation, public safety and the lasting harms caused by the crime.
CalMatters
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Secret Service agent placed on leave, allegedly discussed sensitive information
The Secret Service has placed an agent on administrative leave after an undercover video showed him discussing sensitive parts of his duties, NewsNation’s Kevin Bohn reported Tuesday. The Secret Service also suspended the agent’s security clearance, who served on Vice President Vance’s detail and has worked for the law enforcement agency for five years.
The Hill
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