AG Garland directs federal prosecutors to prioritize cases involving violence on flights
CNN
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday directed federal prosecutors to prioritize cases involving violence on flights amid a sharp increase in assaults and disruptions of airline workers.
Garland issued a memo that cites dozens of cases referred by the Federal Aviation Administration to the FBI for investigations of violent air travel incidents. The referrals are the result of an information-sharing system in place between the agencies.
The memo also instructs prosecutors to coordinate with state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies within the next 20 days to ensure incidents are referred to the FBI and US attorneys for possible federal prosecution.
Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the intelligence community, was briefly placed on a Transportation Security Administration list that prompts additional security screening before flights after her overseas travel patterns and foreign connections triggered a government algorithm earlier this year, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN.