News from April 2024
Biden’s DOJ Releases Orwellian “Equity Action Plan” to Implement Biden’s Race-Obsessed Executive Order
Washington, D.C. - The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently unveiled its updated Equity Action Plan for FY2024, aimed at implementing President Biden's race-focused executive order across federal agencies. According to a statement from Gene Hamilton, Vice President and General Counsel of America First Legal, the DOJ's actions are part of a broader agenda to transform the country under the guise of diversity and inclusion.Hamilton criticized the DOJ's approach, stating, "The Department of Justice under Merrick Garland’s leadership is functioning as the enforcement arm of...
Attorney General Ken Paxton Defends Texas's SB 4 Law in Court
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stood firm in defense of Texas's SB 4, the state's new border security law, during the oral argument at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Paxton expressed pride in his office's defense, stating, "Today, my office was proud to defend SB 4, Texas’s new border security law, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit."During the proceedings, Texas argued that the provisions of SB 4 were crafted to align with the legal scope set by the Arizona case. The state also emphasized the inadequacy of federal border protection,...
The Buckeye Institute Urges Focus on Building 21st Century Workforce in Higher Ed Capital Budget
Columbus, OH - The Buckeye Institute has released a new policy memo advocating for a strategic shift in higher education capital budget spending to prioritize the development of a 21st-century workforce. Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, emphasized the importance of directing funds towards essential educational infrastructure in public universities.Lawson's recommendations are clear: capital budget requests should be allocated solely for buildings necessary for student education, including construction, maintenance, demolition, and repurposing....
Justice Department Officials Deliver Remarks at Second Annual Community Violence Prevention and Intervention Grantee Conference
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, and Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs Amy L. Solomon recently spoke at the Second Annual Community Violence Prevention and Intervention Grantee Conference in Chicago, Illinois.During the conference, Attorney General Garland expressed support for the attendees, stating, "We are here to support your work and to learn from your experiences." Meanwhile, Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer emphasized the Justice Department's commitment to evidence-based...
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Expansion of Violent Crime Initiative to Three More Cities
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has announced the expansion of resources to fight violent crime in three additional cities as part of the Justice Department's Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI, which has already shown success in Houston and Memphis, is aimed at targeting gangs and violent groups that pose a threat to communities across the nation.In a statement, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the Department's commitment to ensuring the safety of all communities, saying, "The Justice Department will not rest until every person, in every...
Texas Man Sentenced for Hate Crimes Following Mass Shooting Targeting Muslims at Car Repair Shop
A Dallas man, Anthony Paz Torres, has been sentenced to 37 years in prison for hate crimes committed during a fatal shooting at a car repair shop targeting Muslims. Torres pleaded guilty to five federal hate crime counts for the killing and attempted killing of individuals at Omar’s Wheels and Tires in Dallas in 2015.Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the seriousness of hate crimes, stating, “As this sentence makes clear, hate crimes fueled by Islamophobia, or by bias of any kind, will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.”FBI Director...
AG’s FORCE Team Charges Retail Crime Ring Operator Targeting Home Improvement Stores
Eric Tanner, 38, of Lansing, was arraigned in the 56A District Court in Eaton County on eight charges of Organized Retail Crime and one charge of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, a 20-year felony, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Interim Report of the Providence County Grand Jury (Reported March 28, 2024)
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation.
Lawsuit: Chemical on astro-turf burns wrestler
ORLANDO, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A wrestler says a chemical on astro-turf at a Florida prep school burned him when he sat to warm up for a match.
Bankers challenge Colorado's cap on interest rates
DENVER (Legal Newsline) - A federal lawsuit from a bankers group targets a Colorado law restricting interest rates.
Carr Fights New EPA Regulations, Stands Up for Georgia Meat and Poultry Processors
Attorney General Chris Carr is pushing back against a recent proposal from the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that seeks to impose, for the first time ever, new pollution limits and pretreatment standards on meat and poultry processors.
Kenneth Fisher and Jerry Goldfeder Named in City & State New York’s 2024 Trailblazers in Law
Kenneth Fisher, a member of the firm’s Business Law Department, and Jerry Goldfeder, a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Department, have been named to City & State New York’s 2024 Trailblazers in Law list.
Human Rights team leader named to Forbes list of America’s Top 200 Lawyers
Reed Smith announced that pro bono counsel Jayne Fleming appeared on Forbes’ first annual list of America’s Top 200 Lawyers of 2024—a recognition “designed to spotlight an array of attorneys from a variety of backgrounds, specializations and geographic regions.”
Partner Mike Brown Selected as Honoree in 2024 Forbes' Top 200 Lawyers List
Forbes has recognized Nelson Mullins partner Michael A. Brown in its inaugural 2024 Top 200 Lawyer List.
Attorney General Ken Paxton Opens Investigation into Parts Supplier for Boeing
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc., after reoccurring issues with certain airplane parts provided to Boeing.
Attorney General Miyares Joins Coalition Against Expanded EPA Regulations
Attorney General Miyares joined a 27 state coalition condemning the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rule expanding regulations on liquid waste produced by meat and poultry processing plants in the United States to include indirect discharges.
Chief Justice appoints three members to indigent legal services commission
South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen has announced the appointment of three individuals to the newly established Commission on Indigent Legal Services. The appointees are Dean Neil Fulton from USD Knudson School of Law, who will serve a four-year term; Betsy Doyle from the Minnehaha County Public Defender’s Office, appointed for a three-year term; and Judge Bobbi Rank from the Sixth Judicial Circuit, who will serve a two-year term.
Audit reveals significant financial losses due to incorrect nursing home assessments
Kansas lost approximately $88 million in estimated Quality Care Assessment revenues and interest, a performance audit by Kansas Medicaid Inspector General Steven D. Anderson revealed.
Attorney General Moody Announces Arrest of Five Members of Organized Retail Theft Ring
Attorney General Ashley Moody has announced the arrests of five individuals involved in an organized retail theft ring in Florida. The individuals arrested are Maike Acosta De Armas, Lazaro Santiago Acosta De Armas, Yusser Echemendia Rodriguez, Elias Ramos Hernandez, and Honasi Diaz Santos, all from Miami-Dade County. These individuals are facing multiple felony charges related to organized retail theft.Moody stated, “This criminal group committed more than 53 thefts in 13 Florida counties, stealing thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise in a fraudulent systematic...
Alabama debates changes to ethics law amidst public interest concerns
Pending legislation in Alabama aims to decriminalize certain provisions of the state's ethics law.