The nation in brief

Prison releases Russian secret agent

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A Russian gun-rights activist who admitted being a secret agent for the Kremlin and trying to infiltrate conservative U.S. political groups while Donald Trump rose to power was released from federal prison on Friday, officials said.

Maria Butina left a low-security facility in Tallahassee and was placed in the custody of federal immigration authorities. She is expected to be immediately deported to Russia now that she has finished an 18-month sentence.

Butina pleaded guilty last December to conspiring to act as an unregistered agent. She admitted that she worked with a former Russian lawmaker to leverage contacts in the National Rifle Association to pursue back channels to American conservatives during the 2016 presidential campaign, when Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.

She violated U.S. law because she did not report those efforts to the Justice Department, which requires the registration of lobbyists and others in the U.S. who do the bidding of foreign governments.

A report last month from Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., accused the NRA of acting as a "foreign asset" for Russia in the run-up to the 2016 election, and that NRA insiders provided access to the U.S. political system to advance personal business interests.

Butina has contended that she was not a spy and that her actions took place out in the open.

The case was separate from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. Butina has said she knew nothing about Russia's efforts to interfere in the presidential election.

U.S. eases limits on food sales to Iran

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. is taking steps to ease sales of food and medicine to Iran amid stringent sanctions imposed on the country by the Trump administration.

The Treasury Department said Friday that it has created a way to ensure humanitarian aid can continue despite the administration's effort to isolate the Islamic Republic.

The department said it would allow "permissible trade" to support the Iranian people while maintaining efforts to deprive the Iranian government of the resources it needs to develop missiles and support militant activities around the Middle East.

The move addresses concerns by aid groups and others that sanctions prevented shipments of food and medicine that were traditionally allowed to countries under sanctions.

President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from a nuclear agreement with Iran and reinstated sanctions last year.

Presidential hopeful drops House race

WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard said Friday that she will focus on her White House bid and not run for reelection to her Hawaii congressional seat.

While lagging behind in a crowded Democratic presidential field, Gabbard has gotten renewed attention lately after a heated argument with former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

The Hawaii congresswoman fought back after Clinton said in an interview that she believes Republicans have "got their eye on somebody who's currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate." Clinton, the former senator, U.S. secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, did not name Gabbard directly.

"I believe I can best serve the people of Hawaii and our country as your President and Commander-in-Chief," Gabbard said in her statement. Gabbard, who launched her presidential bid in January, has emphasized her background as a combat veteran.

Gabbard, 38, was facing a serious primary challenge for her safely Democratic House seat from Kai Kahele, a state senator and combat veteran. Kahele has accused Gabbard of neglecting her district as she campaigned for president.

Gabbard is the seventh House Democrat to announce this year that they're not running for reelection, all but one of whom hold safe Democratic seats.

Senate OKs judge despite inexperience

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The U.S. Senate has confirmed a federal judge nominated by President Donald Trump to the Western District of Kentucky despite his being deemed unqualified by the American Bar Association.

Justin Walker, 37, was confirmed Thursday by a party-line vote of 50-41. Both of Arkansas' U.S. senators voted to confirm him.

Walker is a conservative who works as an associate professor of law at the University of Louisville. He's clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and was a vocal champion for Kavanaugh during his nomination.

Walker was nominated by Trump and backed by Republicans, especially Kavanaugh and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, despite the bar association believing Walker wasn't qualified.

The association listed many concerns, including Walker's lack of significant trial experience. He's worked on one trial and one deposition.

Walker succeeds Judge Joseph McKinley, an appointee of then-President Bill Clinton.

A Section on 10/26/2019

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