News from December 2011
Nev. AG says hiring of private firm not against the law
Masto LAS VEGAS (Legal Newsline) - Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto is defending her decision to hire a private law firm to sue a loan processing company.
Calif. city council reaches out to AG Harris
Harris PETALUMA, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - A California city council is asking Attorney General Kamala Harris to temporarily stay auction proceedings and suspend a state government code that requires county sheriffs to serve all notices related to foreclosures and evictions.
Report: Harris files suits against Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac
Harris SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris on Tuesday filed two lawsuits against Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
SEC accuses former Fannie and Freddie execs of securities fraud
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged six former executives of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) with securities fraud.
Asbestos MDL stops taking tag along cases in Philadelphia federal court
Robreno WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Asbestos litigation that stacked millions of flimsy claims in a single court and lasted 20 years died quietly on Dec. 13.
Texas oil company fined $12M for violations in Louisiana
LAFAYETTE, La. (Legal Newsline) - Houston-based Pelican Refining Co. has been fined $12 million for felony violations of the Clean Air Act at its Louisiana refinery.
Feds prosecute another mortgage fraud
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Legal Newsline) - A federal grand jury indicted an Ashburn, Va., man Monday with conspiracy and mortgage fraud charges related to his role in alleged fraudulent mortgage loan transactions.
Madoff controller pleads guilty
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Enrica Cotellessa-Pitz, the former controller at Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, on Monday pleaded guilty in federal court to falsifying books and records and making false filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
N.Y. AG, FHFA official to work together in mortgage probe
Schneiderman NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and the inspector general of a federal agency that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are joining forces to investigate banks accused of mortgage fraud.
Colo. AG sues Fired Up For Kids
Suthers DENVER (Legal Newsline) - Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced on Monday that his office has filed a lawsuit against a Denver-based non-profit in an effort to dissolve the organization so a successor can continue the entity's mission.
Madigan, farm reach agreement over livestock waste
Madigan SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced an agreement on Monday with an Iroquois County swine facility that allegedly discharged livestock waste into Spring Creek, polluting the water and killing thousands of fish.
Two Mo. charities receive restitution
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced on Monday that he has mailed $4,490.37 checks to two Joplin charities that were defrauded after the May 22 Joplin tornado.
Texas AG gets Highway Patrol's assets frozen
Abbott AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott secured a temporary restraining order and an asset freeze on Monday against the Texas Highway Patrol Association and two of its affiliate organizations.
AT&T calls off $39B plan to acquire T-Mobile
McKenna DALLAS (Legal Newsline) - AT&T has given up on its effort to acquire T-Mobile in a merger that was criticized by a group of state attorneys general but supported by 11 others.
BP receives $250M from contractor for oil spill
Barbier NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) Deepwater Horizon blowout prevention contractor Cameron International will pay BP $250 million to settle a dispute over liability for last year's explosion and oil spill.
N.J. group opposes consumer contracts legislation
TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - A New Jersey tort reform group says legislation recently passed by the state's General Assembly may be in conflict with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Bank seeks to dismiss N.Y. AG's lawsuit
Schneiderman MANHATTAN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - The Bank of New York Mellon last week filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman over the bank's foreign currency exchange transactions.
Judge rules against GSK in Paxil mass tort
Savage PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) - U.S. District Judge Timothy Savage has once again rejected an attempt by GlaxoSmithKline to remove Paxil mass tort litigation case from the Philadelphia state courts to federal court in Philadelphia.
Texas senators want Abbott to weigh in on tax break
Abbott AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) - Two Texas state senators are asking Attorney General Greg Abbott for his opinion on a pollution control tax break for a San Antonio-based refinery.
Senator wants full investigation of banks before deal is done
Cantwell WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - One U.S. senator is demanding that the U.S. Department of Justice "fully investigate" fraudulent foreclosure practices by banks before approving a rumored $20 billion settlement that absolves them of liability.