Justice Department drops criminal probe of Fed chair Powell, likely clearing the way for Warsh

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has ended its investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, clearing a major roadblock to the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as his successor. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro said on X on Friday her office was ending its probe into the Fed’s extensive building renovations because the Fed’s inspector general would scrutinize them instead. The move could lead to a swift confirmation vote by the Senate for Warsh, a former Fed official President Donald Trump nominated in January to replace Powell. The investigation was among several undertaken by the Justice Department into the Republican president’s perceived adversaries. Powell says the investigation was intended to intimidate the Fed.

U.S. soldier charged with using classified intel to win $400K on Maduro raid is being released on bail

RALEIGH, North Carolina — A U.S. soldier involved with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is being released on bond, a day after being charged with using classified information about the operation to win more than $400,000 in an online prediction market. Federal prosecutors say Gannon Ken Van Dyke used his access to classified information about the January raid to win money on Polymarket. Van Dyke is a special operations soldier who is stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. He’s now facing several federal charges and the possibility of years in prison. He said little during Friday’s hearing and was assigned a federal public defender.

Congress keeps holding all-nighters, creating dysfunction after dark

WASHINGTON — Late-night votes are an age-old pressure tactic for congressional leaders in both major political parties. Yet overnight sessions have become increasingly common in Congress as the House and the Senate struggle to govern. Lawmakers say it’s a symptom of a broken Congress that often has to resort to extreme measures to pass major legislation and is often careening from one crisis to the next. In just the last few weeks, Congress has done much of its work in the middle of the night, leading to confusion and chaos in both chambers. Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota says, “The dysfunction is getting worse.”

– The Associated Press