W.J. Kennedy News
Michigan voter integrity group sees uptick in support after opposition 'pay to not play' scheme exposed
LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) - A spokesman for a statewide petition drive to enact voter integrity reforms, including voter ID, says supporters are “hitting back” after a complaint was filed earlier this month with the Secretary of State against a group opposed to the reforms.
Conservative Michael Stading leading in key metric in race for NC Court of Appeals – money
RALEIGH, NC (Legal Newsline) - If money-raised decided the race for the North Carolina Court of Appeals, Michael Stading would certainly have the advantage ahead of next week's primary.
Freshwater Smith part of conservative judicial slate with broad appeal
RALEIGH, NC (Legal Newsline) - District Court Judge Beth Freshwater Smith, conservative candidate for the Court of Appeals, has been endorsed by Republican lawmakers, law enforcement, district attorneys, and even some of Chief Judge Donna Stroud’s (Freshwater Smith's opponent in the primary) colleagues on the bench.
Trey Allen positioned to bring North Carolina seismic shift in state’s high court
RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - If the Republicans take one of two seats on the state Supreme Court in the November elections, the make-up of the court will shift from 4-3 Democratic to 4-3 Republican.
AG Miller appointment calendar underscores criticism that he’s 'phoning it in' at work
DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) - One of Brenna Bird’s recurring messages in her campaign as a Republican candidate for Attorney General is that incumbent Democrat Tom Miller, after 44 years as the state’s chief prosecutor, is simply going through the motions at the office.
DA Toney reassures voters they have recourse if they witness election law violations
FON DU LAC, Wisc. (Legal Newsline) - District Attorney Eric Toney is alerting prospective voters that his office offers an avenue for action for those who witness election law violations in Tuesday’s Spring Elections.
Survey: Crime, fentanyl - not romance scams - top list of priorities for next Attorney General
DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) - Riding a red wave, Republican candidate for Attorney General Brenna Bird is racking up key endorsements, solid polling numbers against incumbent Democrat Tom Miller, and, according to a recent survey of Iowans, is in lockstep with what likely voters believe should be the top priorities for the next Attorney General – the acceleration in crime and fentanyl overdoses among them.
Iowa state AG Miller silent on rising crime, fentanyl crisis, but is looking into 'romance scams'
DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) - Attorney General Tom Miller has a reelection bid unlike any he’s had before, and he’s had plenty.
Illinois State’s Attorney files lawsuit to stop 'reckless' gerrymandering of circuit courts
The county, in fact, yearly earns a designation as one of the nation’s top “Judicial Hellholes,” by the American Tort Reform Association, a Washington D.C.-based group working to stem lawsuit abuse.
GOP suit challenges new NYC law allowing up to 800,000 non-citizens to vote
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A group of New York Republicans filed legal action to block a new law that would allow up to 800,000 non-citizens living in New York City to vote in municipal elections.
Investigations show left-wing nonprofits meddle in elections with 'near bottomless well of money'
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Government watchdog groups investigating the roll of dark money in our nation’s elections have uncovered a vast network of nonprofits funded by the Left with billions in largely tax-exempt dollars.
Whistleblower group bearing down on NIH over critical COVID-19 info reportedly deleted by the agency
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Legal Newsline) - A whistleblower group, Empower Oversight, has filed a complaint in federal court over the National Institutes of Health (NIH) non-compliance with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests centering on genetic information vital to understanding the origins of COVID-19.
Taxpayers will fund more litigation under proposed rule change in Dem budget plan, business defense lawyer says
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Tucked into the 2,100-page House Democratic budget bill is a generous gift for the plaintiffs’ bar, notes Victor Schwartz, co-chair of Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s Public Policy Practice Group.
Dismissal of negligence claim in Nunes v. WaPo not surprising, legal expert says; But judge does allow defamation claim to go forward
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Last week a federal judge sided with the Washington Post’s motion to dismiss a negligence claim by Congressman Devin Nunes (R-California), but not its motion to dismiss a defamation claim by the congressman.
Climate activist's position at Interior is 'slap in face' to Sen. Murkowski, industry analyst says
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A report that climate activist Elizabeth Klein has taken a high-level position with the Department of the Interior after the Biden Administration withdrew her nomination as deputy secretary is “contrary to the spirit” of an agreement that Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, and others made with the administration, according to Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance.
Biden withdrawal of climate activist nominee reignites debate over private money funding public lawsuits against energy companies
The Biden Administration’s recent withdrawal of climate activist Elizabeth Klein for deputy secretary of the Interior rekindled the debate over a controversial four-old practice of the placing of privately funded, activist lawyers in the offices of state attorneys general (AGs).
PR campaign, not law, driving climate change lawsuits against energy industry, critic says
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Legal Newsline) - Climate activists funded by old money have been championing contingency fee lawyers who are piling up litigation to chase a tobacco-like settlement against the energy industry.
Oregon AG awaiting outcome of Monsanto PCB case before deciding on legal action against energy companies over climate change
PORTLAND, Ore. (Legal Newsline) - Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said that the outcome of a lawsuit brought by her office in 2018 against Monsanto for alleged PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) contamination will determine next legal steps in holding the energy industry accountable for environmental damages allegedly related to its role in climate change.
Withdraw Vanita Gupta nomination for associate Attorney General, five state AGs urge Biden
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Attorneys General from five states are urging President Joe Biden to withdraw the nomination of Vanita Gupta for associate AG, the number three position at the Justice Department.
Report: federal prosecutors are seeking New York nursing home data
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that federal prosecutors in Brooklyn started seeking nursing home data from the Cuomo administration after the Democratic governor’s top aide admitted earlier this month that the administration withheld the true number of Covid deaths from lawmakers and the public.