U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer put off any additional rulings and instead asked for briefings by noon Monday on whether the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits troops from conducting civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil, is being violated.
The hearing — Hegseth’s fourth and final appearance before Congress in a week — came as Israel and Iran have been exchanging missile fire in a conflict that is raising fears of an all-out war in the Middle East.
The swaggering con man known as “Fat Leonard” because of his size was sentenced in November in San Diego federal court on charges of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to defraud the United States out of at least $35 million.
The Air Force had to reduce its target recruiting goal by several thousand airmen due to ongoing congressional budget delays, but is still on pace to hit its newly revised benchmark by the end of this month, according to the service.
Lauder studied at Columbia University’s graduate school of business. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and as a Navy reservist, for which the U.S. Navy Supply Corps Foundation later recognized him with its Distinguished Alumni Award.