LEGAL NEWSLINE

CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office has joined a coalition of 21 states in a lawsuit opposing an ATF rule that was intended to close a loophole regarding private gun sales.

The Justice Department has filed a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, backing the right of private citizens to bring lawsuits to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized the importance of this right, stating, “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and it is the right on which all other rights depend.” She highlighted the role of private parties in enforcing the Voting Rights Act, enabling countless Americans to vote free from discrimination.U.S....

MOUNT HOREB, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is currently investigating an incident that occurred in the Village of Mount Horeb, Wis. on the morning of Monday, May 1, 2024.According to the DCI, the Mount Horeb School District was placed on lockdown due to a safety threat. The Mount Horeb Police Department responded to a report of an individual with a weapon outside the middle school and subsequently used deadly force to address the threat. The subject involved, who was a student from the Mount Horeb School...

On May 1, 2024, the Justice Department held a significant meeting with Jewish community stakeholders, coinciding with the commencement of Jewish American Heritage Month. The gathering was aimed at addressing the surge in antisemitic hate crimes and ensuring the safety and well-being of Jewish communities across the nation.During the meeting, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland reiterated the Department's commitment to combating antisemitic hate crimes. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division provided insights into the...

Insight Global LLC, headquartered in Atlanta, has agreed to pay $2.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to implement adequate cybersecurity measures to protect health information obtained during COVID-19 contact tracing.According to Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, "The resolution announced today reflects our continuing commitment to ensure that government contractors fulfill their cybersecurity obligations. Failure to do so can compromise sensitive...

"A Pennsylvania man was sentenced yesterday to 14 years and seven months in prison for possessing deepfake child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting numerous child celebrities. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on two separate occasions, James Smelko, 57, of Pittsburgh, possessed and accessed pictures that digitally superimposed the faces of child actors onto nude bodies and bodies engaged in sex acts. Smelko possessed the pictures at his home in Pittsburgh. After law enforcement discovered the pictures during a search of Smelko’s computer, he...

NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The Masters golf tournament faces litigation over its use of the Facebook Pixel, which sends video clip viewers' information to the social media giant.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Red Lobster lies when it claims its biscuit mix makes 10 servings, a class action lawsuit alleges.

SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline) - A man who claims a defective safety harness caused him to fall 37 feet to the ground can’t sue the distributor in Utah after his case was tossed out for lack of evidence in New Jersey, the Utah Supreme Court ruled.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (Legal Newsline) - A social worker who claimed crippling post-traumatic stress disorder after hearing about the “horrific” murder committed by one of her clients can continue to collect benefits for PTSD, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Legal Newsline) - Google has asked a federal court to end the Biden Administration’s lawsuit accusing it of monopolizing the Internet advertising market, saying the government is using “made-up markets” to build its case and ignoring robust competition throughout the online ad business.

A federal jury in New Haven, Connecticut, has convicted Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, a Nigerian national, for orchestrating a business email compromise scheme that operated across multiple countries, including the United States. The scheme, which involved targeting individuals and businesses by posing as trustworthy entities in electronic communications, resulted in losses and intended losses totaling over $6.3 million.Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division stated, "Osuji led a network of scammers in...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concerning the concealment of federal records related to Dr. David Morens, former Senior Advisor to the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID). Dr. Morens used a personal email address for official government business, prompting AFL to take legal action.The lawsuit is based on allegations that Dr. Morens intentionally subverted federal custody by using his personal email for official purposes, as...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Shocking internal emails obtained from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lawsuit by America First Legal have brought to light concerning discussions on how to leverage federal power to circumvent state legislation banning gender affirming care for children. The revealed documents include interactions with "gender affirming care providers" in states with prohibitions on these medical practices, indicating a concerted effort by the Biden Administration to intervene in state policies.Assistant Secretary for Health, Rachel Levine,...

A Ukrainian national, Yaroslav Vasinskyi, has been sentenced to 13 years and seven months in prison and ordered to pay over $16 million in restitution for his involvement in conducting over 2,500 ransomware attacks and demanding more than $700 million in ransom payments. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the Department's commitment to holding cybercriminals accountable, stating, "As this sentencing shows, the Justice Department is working with our international partners and using all tools at our disposal to identify cybercriminals, capture their illicit...

A California man, Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, of Gardena, has been sentenced to life in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. Fulcher was found guilty by a jury in January.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized the severity of Fulcher's actions, stating, “This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s abuse and exploitation of the victim.”U.S....

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Health and Human Services have announced an extension of the comment period for the Request for Information on Consolidation in Health Care Markets (RFI) by 30 days. The new deadline for submitting comments is now June 5.According to the announcement, the extension aims to gather more insights into how health care mergers, acquisitions, and other transactions could potentially impact competition in the industry. The agencies are particularly interested in understanding how such...

Attorney General Ashley Moody has taken legal action against the National Collegiate Athletic Association for violating antitrust laws in the midst of actions against Florida universities over alleged NIL violations. Moody's lawsuit was prompted by the NCAA's sudden pursuit of both UF and FSU for purported NIL violations, following the publication of updated NIL guidance on X.Moody emphasized the urgency of the lawsuit, stating, "It appears no one could ever comply with these ever-changing and unfair regulations that limit the ability of student athletes to negotiate in...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Attorney General Ashley Moody is pushing back against the Biden administration's recent firearm regulation aimed at law-abiding citizens in Florida. The new rule, introduced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, requires individuals to register as dealers to engage in private sales of firearms, leading to increased bureaucracy and costs for citizens.In response to this, Attorney General Moody stated, “This is Biden’s latest step in trying to take guns away from law-abiding Americans. We are fighting back against this federal...

A Hopewell man, Azontay Malik Perry, 27, has been sentenced to five years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The incident took place on Nov. 19, 2022, when Perry was found passed out in the driver's seat of a BMW with the engine running in Hopewell, Virginia.According to court documents, Hopewell Police officers discovered Perry in the intersection of Ashland Street and Oaklawn Boulevard. Perry ignored commands, drove into a parked police vehicle, attempted to flee at high speed, and eventually crashed into a dumpster at...