News from May 2009
Shurtleff accidentally tweets his Senate campaign plans
Mark Shurtleff (R) SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline)-Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff inadvertently said Tuesday that he will enter the Republican primary against U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett in 2010.
Craigslist agrees to scrap erotic services ads amid AGs' pressures
Lisa Madigan (D-Ill.) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-In a major win for a group of state attorneys general, the online classified site Craigslist.org has agreed to drop its erotic services section.
Hood's outside counsel named lead plaintiff in securities class action
Hood NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Despite being termed a "professional plaintiff," a retirement fund represented by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and his outside counsel will be the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against a group of financial institutions.
White House memo: Harm to economy if greenhouse gases are regulated
Lisa Jackson WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-If the U.S. government opts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions it could be a catastrophic blow to the nation's already struggling economy, an Obama administration memo says.
Cuomo issues indictment and sues hospital contractor in Medicaid scam
Andrew Cuomo (D) BUFFALO, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has indicted and brought criminal charges against a Western New York hospital contractor accused of defrauding Medicaid for more than $730,000.
Obama tax plan a 'giveaway' to trial lawyers
Barack Obama (D) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)- Punitive damage awards would no longer be a tax-deductible business expense under a budget proposal made by the White House this week.
Fla. Gov. Crist won't seek re-election
Crist TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has announced that he will run for U.S. Senate in 2010, leaving an opening in the governor's office that could be filled by Attorney General Bill McCollum.
Disgraced federal judge could face impeachment
Samuel Kent WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-Congressional impeachment proceedings could begin today against disgraced U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent of Houston, who was sentenced Monday to lying to federal investigators about groping two female employees.
Mich. Supreme Court agrees to hear teacher PAC case
Michigan Supreme Court building LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline)-The Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case over whether public school teachers can have political donations deducted directly from their paychecks.
Blumenthal challenges FAA flight plans
Richard Blumenthal (D) HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - The Connecticut attorney general is opposing Plans by the Federal Aviation Administration to redesign flight paths for large planes that would send them into airspace over the southwestern part of the state.
Hood says State Farm settlement should stay sealed
Hood JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says he has no choice but to object to a political Web site's request to unseal his settlement with State Farm Insurance Cos.
Cuomo's pension probe gaining steam nationwide
Cuomo ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's efforts to spread his investigation of pension fund abuses seem to be working.
Calif. judge denies class action status for Vioxx lawsuit
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline)-A lawsuit against Merck & Co. over its pain medication Vioxx cannot proceed as a class action, a California judge has ruled.
Madigan considers run for U.S. Senate
Lisa Madigan (D) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is reportedly considering a run for the U.S. Senate.
Coakley reaches historic $60M deal with Goldman Sachs
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - An agreement announced Monday requires investment bank Goldman Sachs & Co. to pay $60 million to settle subprime lending claims brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office.
Gansler looks to reverse decision on LNG Terminal
Doug Gansler (D) BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) -- Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler announced Monday that the state has filed a lawsuit looking to reverse the Department of Commerce's decision in support of an LNG Terminal.
Report: Nevada should establish judicial evaluation system
Ron Parraguirre CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsline)-Nevada should adopt a statewide system to evaluate the performance of elected judges, a report from the Nevada Supreme Court's Article 6 Commission said Monday.
McGraw files suit over fraudulent debt management services
Darrell McGraw (D) CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw is suing a Florida man and his companies over an allegedly fraudulent credit counseling scheme.
Madigan nearing completion on FOIA rewrite
Lisa Madigan (D) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-The Illinois attorney general's office is still in the process of rewriting the state Freedom of Information Act, a spokeswoman said Monday.
Ohio AG's office payroll climbs nearly 5 percent under Cordray's leadership
Richard Cordray (D) COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline)- In the three months Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray has been in office, the Democrat has increased his department's payroll 4.6 percent.