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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. Former FBI Director James Comey is asking a judge to throw out the Justice Department's case against him. As NPR's Kerry Johnson reports, Comey says he's only being prosecuted because President Trump targeted him.
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President Trump fired Comey as the FBI director in 2017, and Comey went on to become a fierce critic. The Justice Department won an indictment against Comey for allegedly misleading and obstructing Congress under pressure from Trump, who's called him a dirty cop and a slime ball. Now Comey's moving to dismiss the case because he says it's a vindictive or selective prosecution. He says at least four top officials during President Trump's first term allegedly lied to Congress and none of them was charged with any crimes. The president's animus against Comey's so intense that the Justice Department recently fired Comey's daughter without any clear reason. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.
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U.S. capitol Police officers are among the federal employees working without pay during the government shutdown. As NPR Sam Greenglass reports, they've already missed a paycheck.
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Most shutdown impacts are far from the halls of Congress, but the situation facing members of the Capitol Police is difficult for lawmakers to overlook. Says former chief Terry Gaynor, there has.
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To be everything to everybody. You need to be ready at the drop of a hat, but you also need to be a person who welcomed the visitors and be a tour guide.
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The Capitol Police union has called for an end to the shutdown. The Trump administration has said it'll repurpose other funds to pay federal law enforcement. But until then, the missing paychecks come as the force deals with growing threats against public officials and lingering tensions after Trump pardoned the January 6 rioters who attacked officers at the Capitol. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington.
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The Supreme Court will consider whether marijuana users can be gun owners. As Keras Tiwanil OSI Bamowo reports, the court review centers on the case of a Texas man's felony gun charge.
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The Justice Department charged Ali Daniel Hamani with illegally owning a gun as a user of illegal drugs after the FBI found a gun, cocaine and marijuana in his home. But a district court dismissed the indictment after finding it was unconstitutional to put a blanket ban on drug users owning guns. The fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed. The DOJ appealed, arguing Himani and other regular drug users pose a serious firearm safety risk. Himani's attorneys argue the federal statute puts millions of people at risk of breaking the law because at least 20% of Americans have tried pot. For NPR News, I'm Toluwani Osi Bamowo in Dallas.
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The federal appeals court is giving the Trump administration the green light to send 200 Oregon National Guard troops into Portland. The court state another court order that prevented President Trump from federalizing those troops. The administration wants that order thrown out. You're listening to npr. A jury has been seated in the murder trial of a former Illinois sheriff's deputy who's charged in the shooting death of Sonia Massie at her home in Springfield. 31 year old Shawn Grayson is charged with killing Massie while answering her 911 call for help. A video of the July 2024 incident is posted online. Brazil's oil giant has received permission to start drilling off the country's northern coast. The move is being celebrated by government, but as Julia Canaro reports, a recent survey shows that environmentalists and more than a half of Brazilians oppose it.
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Petro Brais is to start drilling immediately to explore the area for oil and gas on a commercial scale. The deep waters off the northern coast are Brazil's most promising oil frontier, near the huge oil fields found in Guyana, but also near the delicate ecosystems of the Amazon river basin. The government's drive to drill in the region has sparked protests from environmental and indigenous groups. The go ahead comes three weeks before Brazil hosts the UN climate talks COP30 in the Amazon rainforest, contrasting with its call to action to combat climate change. In a statement, PetroBreil said it had fully met the requirements set by environmental agency ibama, which took five years to grant the license. For NPR News, I'm Julia Carneiro.
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In Rio, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun serving a five year prison sentence. 70 year old Sarkozy was convicted of criminal conspiracy charges stemming from his acceptance of Libyan funds to finance his 2007 campaign. He's been ordered to stay behind bars while appealing his conviction. This is NPR News.
This episode of NPR News Now delivers succinct updates on major national and international news events as of late October 2025. Topics include developments in high-profile legal cases linked to the Trump administration, fallout from the ongoing government shutdown, a key Supreme Court case blending gun rights and drug use, environmental controversies in Brazil, and a former French president’s prison sentence.
[00:02–00:59]
Context: Former FBI Director James Comey, fired by President Trump in 2017, is moving to dismiss the Justice Department’s case against him.
Allegations: Indicted for allegedly misleading and obstructing Congress, Comey claims the prosecution is politically motivated due to Trump’s personal animus.
Comey's Argument: Points out selective prosecution, citing at least four top Trump officials who allegedly lied to Congress but faced no charges.
Retaliation Claim: Notes the abrupt firing of his daughter by the DOJ as a sign of vindictive action.
"He says it's a vindictive or selective prosecution. He says at least four top officials during President Trump's first term allegedly lied to Congress and none of them was charged with any crimes." — Kerry Johnson, NPR ([00:18])
Memorable Moment: The explicit mention of Comey’s daughter’s firing and use of terms like “dirty cop” and “slime ball,” attributed to Trump.
[00:59–01:49]
Situation: Amid the ongoing government shutdown, U.S. Capitol Police are working without pay, having already missed a paycheck.
Personal Toll: Highlights the dual responsibility of Capitol Police officers and pressures faced since the January 6 riots and subsequent Trump pardons.
Quote from Former Chief:
"You need to be ready at the drop of a hat, but you also need to be a person who welcomed the visitors and be a tour guide." — Terry Gaynor ([01:20])
Union Response: The Capitol Police union has called for an urgent end to the shutdown.
Administration Response: The Trump administration claims it will repurpose other funds to pay federal law enforcement, but uncertainty remains, especially amid increased threats to public officials.
[01:49–02:40]
Core Issue: The Supreme Court will review whether a blanket ban on gun ownership for marijuana users is constitutional.
Case Spotlight: Ali Daniel Himani, a Texas man, was charged with illegal gun possession due to marijuana (and cocaine) found in his home.
Lower Court Decisions: District court and Fifth Circuit ruled the ban unconstitutional; DOJ is appealing, citing public safety.
Wider Implications: Himani’s attorneys argue that the law criminalizes millions, given that about 20% of Americans have tried marijuana.
“The federal statute puts millions of people at risk of breaking the law because at least 20% of Americans have tried pot.” — Toluwani Osi Bamowo ([02:02])
[02:40–02:53]
[02:53–03:07]
[03:07–04:19]
Approval: Petrobras, Brazil’s oil giant, has received permission to drill off the northern coast.
Public Response: Despite government celebration, more than half of Brazilians and many environmental groups oppose the move due to proximity to sensitive Amazon ecosystems.
Timing: The approval comes just weeks before Brazil is set to host the UN climate talks (COP30) in the Amazon, creating a stark contrast between environmental commitments and oil aspirations.
Official Statement: Petrobras claims full compliance with environmental regulations after a five-year review.
Reporter Note:
“The government’s drive to drill in the region has sparked protests from environmental and indigenous groups.” — Julia Carneiro ([03:36])
[04:19–end]
This issue-packed update distilled the most compelling legal, political, and international stories as of late October 2025, conveying both urgency and the broad impact of these ongoing events.