Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Through political action, legal, academic and market research, and grassroots initiatives, TLR fights for common-sense reforms that keep Texas open for business.

  • About TLR
    • Our Mission
    • Our Team
    • Timeline of Reforms
  • Videos
  • Issues
  • Resource Center
    • Special Reports
    • In the News
    • Press Releases
    • The Advocate
    • TLR Blog: For the Record
  • Get Involved
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Donate
  • Stay Informed
In the News

Sessions announces end of DOJ guidance memos

CBS News, November 17, 2017

By: Kathryn Watson

The Department of Justice will no longer issue guidance documents that cement new regulatory requirements or change current law, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Friday at the Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention in Washington, D.C., and in a new memo.

“The Department of Justice is duty-bound to defend laws as they are written,” Sessions said at the Federalist Society event, describing his broad intent to stick only to the laws Congress has passed.

In the past, the DOJ and other federal agencies have “blurred” the distinction between regulations and guidance documents. Sessions hopes to clear that up by no longer issuing any such DOJ documents that could create new rights or obligations, beyond what is prescribed by law. Sessions’ Regulatory Reform Task Force, led by Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, will also review existing DOJ documents to see if they need to be rescinded or modified.

“It has come to my attention that the department has in the past published guidance documents — or similar instruments of future effect by other names, such as letters to regulated entities — that effectively bind private parties without undergoing the rule-making process,” Sessions said in the memo. “The department will no longer engage in this practice. Effective immediately, department components may not issue guidance documents that purport to create rights or obligations binding on persons or entities outside the executive branch (including state, local and tribal governments.) To avoid circumventing the rule-making process, department components should adhere to the following principles when issuing guidance documents.”

But Sessions’ address on Friday as he announced the Justice Department’s new stance and other recent achievements got off to an awkward start.

The attorney general began his speech with a joke.

“Is Ambassador Kislyak in the room? Before I get started here, any Russians? Anybody been to Russia?” a smiling Sessions asked, to some laughter.

Sessions has come under scrutiny lately for his congressional testimony related to Russia and any ties to Trump associates. Sessions testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month that neither he nor anyone else was in contact with Russian operatives during the 2016 election cycle. But, as CBS News’ Jeff Pegues has reported, recently unsealed court documents claim George Papadopoulos, the former Trump campaign aide who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, offered to set up a meeting with then-candidate Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Papadopoulos made the offer during a meeting that both Sessions and Mr. Trump attended in March 2016.

In testimony he gave earlier this week on Capitol Hill, Sessions at first said he had “no recollection” of meetings on the campaign with Papadopoulos and another adviser, Carter Page, until he saw news reports, but that he now does recall a March 2016 meeting that included Papadopoulos.

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

13 hours ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

When 30-year-old Quinnton Allen violated his parole for possession of a firearm, a Houston judge not only allowed him to stay on parole but granted him a PR bond for a felony. Unfortunately, the decision to release him on bond may have cost a man’s life. Read and share: bit.ly/3OvDU5z ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

29-year-old man murdered after judge grants felony PR bond to armed robber recently paroled from prison

bit.ly

HOUSTON – “I’ve never had any of these defendants we’ve profiled on Breaking Bond on parole and on a felony PR bond charged with murder,” said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers. “This is a fi...
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 1
  • Comments: 3

Comment on Facebook

That judge should be held accountable

His family should get a good lawyer & sue the city & the judge…

The judge should be held as an accomplice to the murder before the fact and sued in civil court for his contribution to the death of the citizen.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

1 day ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Texas ports are thriving today, but in the early 2000s, abusive personal injury lawsuits threatened to shut them down. As the Port of Houston begins a long-awaited expansion, read more about the common-sense lawsuit reform in 2007 that saved our state’s shipping industry in this week’s TLR blog, For the Record: bit.ly/3aeTy6n ... See MoreSee Less

Learn More

Play
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 7
  • Shares: 2
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

3 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Wishing everyone a very happy Fourth of July! ... See MoreSee Less

Wishing everyone a very happy Fourth of July!
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 5
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

Happy Independence Day America Today we celebrate our Republic 🇺🇸


Follow us on Twitter

lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
7h 1544803550676615169

Join us in pursuing our mission of creating a fair, balanced, and predictable legal system! #lawsuitreform #stoplawsuitabuse

Get Involved

Texans for Lawsuit Reform has thousands of supporters from across Texas who are committed to a fair and balanced civil justice system.

bit.ly

Reply on Twitter 1544803550676615169Retweet on Twitter 15448035506766151691Like on Twitter 15448035506766151692Twitter 1544803550676615169
lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
13h 1544713193846603777

When 30-year-old Quinnton Allen violated his parole for possession of a firearm, a Houston judge not only allowed him to stay on parole but granted him a PR bond for a felony. The decision to release him on bond may have cost a man’s life. Read & RT:

29-year-old man murdered after judge grants felony PR bond to armed robber recently paroled from prison

HOUSTON – “I’ve never had any of these defendants we’ve profiled on Breaking Bond on parole and on a felony PR bond charged with m...

bit.ly

Reply on Twitter 1544713193846603777Retweet on Twitter 1544713193846603777Like on Twitter 1544713193846603777Twitter 1544713193846603777
lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
5 Jul 1544441042120089600

Sign up for the TLR Weekly News Roundup to receive a daily digest of headlines & news stories about #lawsuitreform from Texas & around the country!

Sign up for the TLR Weekly News Roundup!

Please use the form below to receive a daily digest of TLR Clips - headlines and news stories about lawsuit reform from Texas and around the country.

bit.ly

Reply on Twitter 1544441042120089600Retweet on Twitter 1544441042120089600Like on Twitter 15444410421200896001Twitter 1544441042120089600

Texans for Lawsuit Reform
1701 Brun Street
Houston, Texas 77019

Ph. 713-963-9363
  • About TLR
  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Timeline of Reforms
  • Videos
  • Issues
  • Resource Center
  • For the Record
  • Special Reports
  • In the News
  • Press Releases
  • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Get Involved
  • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Donate
  • Stay Informed
  • Contact TLR

Copyright © 2022 · Texans for Lawsuit Reform. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Texans for Lawsuit Reform.
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy