Perry Stein

Washington, D.C.

Reporter covering the Justice Department.

Education: Washington University in St. Louis, BA

Perry Stein covers the Justice Department and FBI for The Washington Post. She previously covered D.C. education. Before she joined The Post in 2015, she was a staff writer for Washington City Paper and wrote for the Miami Herald.
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Latest from Perry Stein

Hunter Biden pleads guilty in tax case, avoiding second criminal trial

Judge Mark Scarsi asked Hunter Biden if he understood a guilty plea meant he could face up to 17 years in prison and fines of up to $1.3 million. Biden said yes.

September 5, 2024
Hunter Biden and his wife, Melissa Cohen-Biden, arrive in federal court on Thursday in Los Angeles.

Judge: U.S. can lay out Trump election interference evidence this month

Judge Tanya Chutkan accused Trump’s lawyer of trying to stall action before the Nov. 5 election. The judge said the election wasn’t part of her calculus.

September 5, 2024
The U.S. Capitol.

Jury selection set to begin in Hunter Biden’s second trial, on taxes

After being convicted in June on gun charges, Hunter Biden is accused of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes from 2016 through 2019.

September 5, 2024
President Joe Biden's son Hunter steps off Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Aug. 25.

Georgia school shooting suspect accused of killing 4 with AR-style rifle

The 14-year-old Apalachee High School shooting suspect is in custody after two students and two teachers were killed. The FBI said authorities interviewed him in 2023 over alleged online threats.

September 5, 2024

U.S. charges Hamas leaders with terrorism, citing Oct. 7 attack

In addition to charging Hamas leaders with terrorism, the Justice Department is investigating the killing in Gaza last week of U.S. citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

September 3, 2024
Yehiya Sinwar, head of Hamas in Gaza, greets supporters during a meeting with leaders of Palestinian factions at his office in Gaza City in April 2022.

The Trump Trials: Labor Haze

The latest news in Donald Trump’s four criminal cases, including the revised D.C. indictment, the Florida appeal and efforts to delay the New York sentencing.

September 2, 2024
Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche leaves the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in May.

With Trump indictment, appeal, Jack Smith launches final pre-election moves

Jack Smith’s superseding D.C. indictment and appeal of the dismissal of Donald Trump’s Florida case launched lengthy efforts to resurrect both trials.

August 30, 2024
Special counsel Jack Smith addresses reporters after bringing a second indictment against Donald Trump, in Washington in August 2023.

FBI identifies no motive or foreign links in Trump assassination attempt

Investigators found no consistent political focus for the shooter, who made more than 60 online searches about Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.

August 28, 2024
Former president Donald Trump is assisted offstage after an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13.

New Trump indictment tries to salvage case after Supreme Court ruling

Special counsel Jack Smith stripped out parts of Donald Trump’s Jan. 6 indictment that could conflict with the Supreme Court immunity decision.

August 27, 2024
Special counsel Jack Smith announces the initial D.C. indictment of Donald Trump during a news conference on August 1, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Judge Cannon tossing Trump’s case raises risk for acting prosecutors

Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling in Trump’s case could jeopardize not just future special counsels, but any acting federal prosecutor or senior official, experts say.

August 26, 2024
Special counsel Jack Smith and U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon.