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Judge refers Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner for federal prosecution
U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond Jr. also disqualified Krasner and one of his deputies from handling the case, which was related to a man seeking to overturn his second-degree murder conviction.
By Misty Severi
Published: September 15, 2026 7:59pm
A federal judge asked federal prosecutors Tuesday to investigate Philadelphia's Democratic District Attorney Larry Krasner over allegations he may have obstructed justice and possibly committed other crimes in his handling of a post-conviction case.
U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond Jr. disqualified Krasner and one of his deputies from handling the case, which was related to a man seeking to overturn his second-degree murder conviction. Krasner has sided with the man.
Diamond ruled that there is evidence that Krasner and his deputy, Matthew Stiegler, may have sought to obstruct justice by ordering prosecutors to "protect the office," when the court began investigating his handling of the case.
He also claimed there is evidence he may have attempted to persuade four prosecutors in the office to “urge the court to accept a false narrative,” which would “amount to criminal conspiracy.”
“I have thus reluctantly concluded that Philadelphia’s highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law,” Diamond said in the memorandum. “In these circumstances, with the issuance of this Memorandum, I refer the DAO, Mr. Krasner, and Stiegler to this District’s United States Attorney’s Office for investigation and other appropriate action.”
Krasner rejected the judge's claims and vowed to appeal the case to a higher court, according to NBC News.
“I respectfully and vigorously disagree with the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law,” he said. “I look forward to appealing to the higher court as soon as the law allows. This remains a pending matter."
The referral comes as Krasner faces serious criticism for his attempts to overturn murder convictions without proper reviews, despite winning reelection last year. He was first elected as the city's district attorney in 2018.
https://justthenews.com/government/congress/judge-refers-philadelphia-da-larry-krasner-federal-prosecution
New Hampshire Chief Supreme Court Justice resigns over professional misconduct
MacDonald sent his resignation to New Hampshire GOP Gov. Kelly Ayotte, acknowledging his violations and pointed to a stipulation and agreement he reached with the court’s judicial conduct committee.
By Misty Severi
Published: September 15, 2026 10:08pm
New Hampshire Supreme Court Justice Gordon MacDonald resigned his post Tuesday and admitted that he violated the judicial code of conduct in a matter involving a nearly $50,000 payout to one of his senior staffers.
MacDonald sent his resignation to New Hampshire GOP Gov. Kelly Ayotte, acknowledging his violations and pointed to a stipulation and agreement he reached with the court’s judicial conduct committee.
“I believe this is in the best interests of the New Hampshire Judicial Branch,” he wrote in the letter. “I accept responsibility and accountability for my conduct.”
The resignation revolves around his behavior toward longtime aide Dianne Martin, whom he helped collect a nearly $50,000 payout by laying her off last year and then promptly rehiring her for a different job within the judicial branch.
Martin was hired in 2021 as director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, but was laid off from the role in 2025 and rehired a few days later in April 2025 as general counsel for the Office of Bar Admission. Because she was laid off, she was entitled to an additional payout, which represented her unused vacation time and sick leave, plus other benefits.
MacDonald admitted in the agreement that his behavior toward Martin amounted to favoritism. He also acknowledged that his actions meant he failed to promote public confidence in the judiciary’s impartiality, failed to avoid the appearance of impropriety and to perform his administrative duties competently and diligently with regard to her employment.
MacDonald's resignation is effective immediately and marks a sudden end to his five-year tenure leading the state's judicial branch.
https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/new-hampshire-chief-supreme-court-justice-resigns-over-professional
Maduro ally Alex Saab pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering
Saab has been accused of participating in a sprawling international money laundering conspiracy involving the corruption and exploitation of a Venezuelan public welfare program.
By Misty Severi
Published: September 15, 2026 5:39pm
The Justice Department announced Tuesday that former Venezuelan Minister of Industry and National Production Alex Saab, an ally and confidant of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Saab has been accused of participating in a sprawling international money laundering conspiracy involving the corruption and exploitation of a Venezuelan public welfare program.
The plea change comes after Saab pleaded not guilty earlier this year to claims that he was allegedly involved in a scheme to bribe Venezuelan public officials to secure lucrative Comité Local de Abastecimiento y Producción contracts to import food into Venezuela.
The DOJ has accused Saab and his partners of using shell companies, creating fraudulent invoices and falsifying shipping records and other documents to siphon off hundreds of millions of dollars that were intended to be used to purchase food for Venezuelans.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones confirmed the plea change in a post on X and said the Venezuelan also agreed to forfeit $195 million. Saab was previously granted clemency by former President Joe Biden.
It was not immediately clear if Saab was offered a plea deal, but he currently faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the crime.
https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/maduro-ally-alex-saab-pleads-guilty-conspiracy-commit-money-laundering
News helicopter crashes in LA near site of deadly bus accident, three reported dead
NBC Los Angeles reported the chopper was working for its station.
By John Solomon
Published: September 16, 2026 12:19am
A news helicopter flying near the site of a deadly bus accident in Los Angeles crashed itself in a nearby parking lot Tuesday evening, killing at least three people, officials said.
Capt. Branden Silverman, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, told a news conference that authorities were still sorting out the circumstances of the crash but that at least one of the dead was outside in the parking lot.
Authorities were trying to determine how many of the other victims were actually on the chopper, according to The Associated Press.
One survivor was taken to a hospital, officials said.
More than 50 firefighters responded to the helicopter crash, which ignited a fire that damaged four vehicles and two storage containers in the Chatworth neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Silverman said the helicopter was believed to be used for news gathering and was “pretty well destroyed” but he did not immediately identify the company it was working for.
NBC Los Angeles reported the chopper was working for its station.
“We knew it was a news chopper, we knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, and we’ve just received the confirmation that, in fact, News Chopper 4 went down just before 7 o’clock tonight in Chatsworth,” anchor Colleen Williams reported during an interview air newscast.
The chopper crashed near the site of an accident between a Los Angeles Metro bus and a passenger vehicle that killed two people and injured others, NBC reported.
https://justthenews.com/government/local/news-helicopter-crashes-la-near-site-deadly-bus-accident-three-reported-dead