1 day ago
Fourteen years ago, Ken Jouppi, who had operated a charter airplane business in Alaska since the 1970s, agreed to fly a passenger from Fairbanks to Beaver, one of the state's dry jurisdictions. The passenger's luggage included 72 cans of Budweiser and Bud Light, which she planned to share with her husband on his birthday. Although most of the beer was boxed, a six-pack "was packed only in a grocery bag and would have been in plain view to Jouppi as he was loading the airplane," the Alaska Supreme Court noted last year.
State troopers discovered the beer before the plane took off, and Jouppi was convicted of a misdemeanor. The trial court, which concluded that Jouppi had been "willfully blind" to the six-pack, sentenced him to three days in jail and a $1,500 fine. But state law mandated another punishment that was 63 times as severe: forfeiture of Jouppi's $95,000 airplane. Although that penalty seemed grossly disproportionate, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that it did not violate the Eighth Amendment's ban on excessive fines.
In July, responding to a petition filed by the Institute for Justice, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review that decision. It will hear oral argument in Jouppi v. Alaska on December 1. In a brief supporting Jouppi's appeal that it filed last week, the Cato Institute argues that the Alaska Supreme Court erred by failing to consider the gravity of his conduct and the financial consequences of the forfeiture. Both of those factors, Cato attorney Matthew Cavedon says, have been central to the common-law understanding of excessive fines for eight centuries.
"The Eighth Amendment was designed to prevent this kind of abuse by limiting excessive fines," Cavedon writes. "Long before the United States was founded, the common law protected people from extreme monetary penalties. But the Alaska Supreme Court's view is that challenges to excessive fines 'should rarely succeed.' This dismissive view led it to conclude that there is nothing excessive about the forfeiture of an airplane worth 'only 9.5 times the maximum fine'—and over 60 times the fine actually imposed. The decision below cannot be reconciled with this Court's precedent or the Excessive Fines Clause's original meaning."
In weighing the proportionality of the airplane forfeiture, the Alaska Supreme Court thought the relevant consideration was the harm caused by excessive drinking. "Alcohol abuse in rural Alaska leads to increased crime; disorders, such as alcoholism; conditions, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; and death, imposing substantial costs on public health and the administration of justice," Justice Jude Pate wrote in the majority opinion. "Within this context, it is clear that the illegal importation of even a six-pack of beer causes grave societal harm."
#court #excessive #jouppi
State troopers discovered the beer before the plane took off, and Jouppi was convicted of a misdemeanor. The trial court, which concluded that Jouppi had been "willfully blind" to the six-pack, sentenced him to three days in jail and a $1,500 fine. But state law mandated another punishment that was 63 times as severe: forfeiture of Jouppi's $95,000 airplane. Although that penalty seemed grossly disproportionate, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that it did not violate the Eighth Amendment's ban on excessive fines.
In July, responding to a petition filed by the Institute for Justice, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review that decision. It will hear oral argument in Jouppi v. Alaska on December 1. In a brief supporting Jouppi's appeal that it filed last week, the Cato Institute argues that the Alaska Supreme Court erred by failing to consider the gravity of his conduct and the financial consequences of the forfeiture. Both of those factors, Cato attorney Matthew Cavedon says, have been central to the common-law understanding of excessive fines for eight centuries.
"The Eighth Amendment was designed to prevent this kind of abuse by limiting excessive fines," Cavedon writes. "Long before the United States was founded, the common law protected people from extreme monetary penalties. But the Alaska Supreme Court's view is that challenges to excessive fines 'should rarely succeed.' This dismissive view led it to conclude that there is nothing excessive about the forfeiture of an airplane worth 'only 9.5 times the maximum fine'—and over 60 times the fine actually imposed. The decision below cannot be reconciled with this Court's precedent or the Excessive Fines Clause's original meaning."
In weighing the proportionality of the airplane forfeiture, the Alaska Supreme Court thought the relevant consideration was the harm caused by excessive drinking. "Alcohol abuse in rural Alaska leads to increased crime; disorders, such as alcoholism; conditions, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; and death, imposing substantial costs on public health and the administration of justice," Justice Jude Pate wrote in the majority opinion. "Within this context, it is clear that the illegal importation of even a six-pack of beer causes grave societal harm."
#court #excessive #jouppi
1 day ago
Packers safety Javon Bullard got a 15-yard penalty for the hit that knocked Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray out of Sunday's game. Vikings right tackle Brian O'Neill thinks Bullard should have gotten more than that.
O'Neill shoved Bullard after that hit, but after the game he said he wishes he had been more aggressive toward the opponent who just gave his quarterback a concussion.
"It was so bang, bang," O'Neill said, via ESPN. "You don't want to freak out if you're wrong. I was probably wrong to not freak out more than that. So I kind of wish I took a shot at him."
Bullard easily could have been ejected for the hit, and he'll surely at least be fined by the NFL, if not suspended. But he escaped the Vikings dishing out any justice on the field, something that O'Neill regrets about Sunday's game.
#o 'neill #bang #wrong #javon
O'Neill shoved Bullard after that hit, but after the game he said he wishes he had been more aggressive toward the opponent who just gave his quarterback a concussion.
"It was so bang, bang," O'Neill said, via ESPN. "You don't want to freak out if you're wrong. I was probably wrong to not freak out more than that. So I kind of wish I took a shot at him."
Bullard easily could have been ejected for the hit, and he'll surely at least be fined by the NFL, if not suspended. But he escaped the Vikings dishing out any justice on the field, something that O'Neill regrets about Sunday's game.
#o 'neill #bang #wrong #javon
1 day ago
One of the 11 jurors who wanted to find Massachusetts mom Lindsay Clancy not criminally responsible for killing her three children said the panel viewed the case as a chance to make things "better for other women" and families — a thought process that one legal ****** yst is calling "problematic."
"Even though we didn't know what was going on outside of our little bubble that we were in, we knew that this was a turning point, and this would be something that could change something to make it better for other women in the future, for other families," 65-year-old Clancy juror Paula Devlin told "CBS Saturday Morning" over the weekend. "You know, justice for those children is this never happening again."
According to Devlin, before the 11-1 deadlock that led to a mistrial, the jury had been split eight in favor of finding her not criminally responsible, two were undecided, and the holdout and one other juror were leaning toward a guilty verdict.
Lone Holdout Juror In Lindsay Clancy Trial Was Only Black Person On The Jury, Panelist Reveals: Report
"Devlin's statement is problematic," said Neama Rahmani, a Los Angeles-based trial attorney and legal ****** yst who has been following the case. "Jurors are supposed to decide cases solely based on the facts of that case. In the Clancy case, they were to decide whether she was criminally responsible."
#clancy #case
"Even though we didn't know what was going on outside of our little bubble that we were in, we knew that this was a turning point, and this would be something that could change something to make it better for other women in the future, for other families," 65-year-old Clancy juror Paula Devlin told "CBS Saturday Morning" over the weekend. "You know, justice for those children is this never happening again."
According to Devlin, before the 11-1 deadlock that led to a mistrial, the jury had been split eight in favor of finding her not criminally responsible, two were undecided, and the holdout and one other juror were leaning toward a guilty verdict.
Lone Holdout Juror In Lindsay Clancy Trial Was Only Black Person On The Jury, Panelist Reveals: Report
"Devlin's statement is problematic," said Neama Rahmani, a Los Angeles-based trial attorney and legal ****** yst who has been following the case. "Jurors are supposed to decide cases solely based on the facts of that case. In the Clancy case, they were to decide whether she was criminally responsible."
#clancy #case
1 day ago
Kansas City, Missouri — Vice President JD Vance announced Monday the Trump administration will suspend roughly 870,000 people suspected of defrauding pandemic-era small business programs from receiving future federal loans.
The vice president contended that borrowers who stole taxpayer money should no longer be eligible to receive loans from government-backed programs.
"If you screwed the American taxpayer, the federal government is now going to say you're cut off, no more," Vance told reporters. "You shouldn't be applying anymore, and if you do apply, you're no longer able to get those benefits."
His remarks came as the Justice Department announced a slew of cases in a nationwide crackdown on fraud involving the COVID-19-era Paycheck Protection Program.
The department's enforcement push, which ran from June 12 through Sept. 1 and was dubbed "Heartland fraud surge," resulted in actions involving more than 160 defendants and approximately $245 million in intended losses to taxpayers. The operation was put into action more than five years after the government pushed emergency loans to businesses nationwide that were struggling as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
#president #pandemic #federal
The vice president contended that borrowers who stole taxpayer money should no longer be eligible to receive loans from government-backed programs.
"If you screwed the American taxpayer, the federal government is now going to say you're cut off, no more," Vance told reporters. "You shouldn't be applying anymore, and if you do apply, you're no longer able to get those benefits."
His remarks came as the Justice Department announced a slew of cases in a nationwide crackdown on fraud involving the COVID-19-era Paycheck Protection Program.
The department's enforcement push, which ran from June 12 through Sept. 1 and was dubbed "Heartland fraud surge," resulted in actions involving more than 160 defendants and approximately $245 million in intended losses to taxpayers. The operation was put into action more than five years after the government pushed emergency loans to businesses nationwide that were struggling as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
#president #pandemic #federal
1 day ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has agreed to a significant portion of a stringent ethics proposal that is part of broader cryptocurrency legislation headed for a key vote this week, according to three of the bill's main Republican authors.
The sweeping bill initially had just a provision included that would bar all federally elected officials and their spouses, as well as federal judges, from issuing digital ***** ets.
A core group of Democrats, as well as Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said that didn't go far enough to address conflict-of-interest issues they had with Trump's crypto wealth. Their votes would be needed to advance the bill in a key vote this Tuesday.
Tillis and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., along with several other Democrats, had demanded language that would allow state attorneys general to step in and enforce the law in addition to the Justice Department.
In announcing Trump's agreement, Republican Sens. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Tim Scott of South Carolina and John Boozman of Arkansas said it includes a "meaningful role" for state attorneys general to play in enforcing the crypto measure should it become law.
#republican #vote #well #Crypto
The sweeping bill initially had just a provision included that would bar all federally elected officials and their spouses, as well as federal judges, from issuing digital ***** ets.
A core group of Democrats, as well as Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said that didn't go far enough to address conflict-of-interest issues they had with Trump's crypto wealth. Their votes would be needed to advance the bill in a key vote this Tuesday.
Tillis and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., along with several other Democrats, had demanded language that would allow state attorneys general to step in and enforce the law in addition to the Justice Department.
In announcing Trump's agreement, Republican Sens. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Tim Scott of South Carolina and John Boozman of Arkansas said it includes a "meaningful role" for state attorneys general to play in enforcing the crypto measure should it become law.
#republican #vote #well #Crypto
1 day ago
The Justice Department's push to pursue a sweeping conspiracy probe into former officials behind investigations targeting President Donald Trump has descended into turmoil and possibly new delays following the abrupt resignation of the top prosecutor overseeing the probe.
Joe diGenova, the Washington lawyer and former top prosecutor leading the South Florida-based investigation, resigned a day after a tense phone call Wednesday with Attorney General Todd Blanche, according to two people familiar with the matter. The final clash centered on diGenova's effort to block lawyers dispatched by Justice Department headquarters from ***** isting the probe, following broader disagreements with top Justice officials over its pace.
Among the disputes that added to tensions between diGenova and his bosses in Washington was diGenova's request for a high-security room known as a SCIF to be built at the Fort Pierce office, to make it easier for the prosecution team to store highly classified materials, two people familiar with the investigation told CNN. The team worked in an office with a special room where sensitive, but not the highest-classified, evidence could be handled. Justice Department officials told diGenova he and his team should use a SCIF at an FBI office miles away, two people familiar with the investigation told CNN.
DiGenova also pressed for more lawyers for his team. Justice officials pushed back on any claims that he was denied resources, according to two people familiar with the investigation.
For more than a year, Justice Department officials have pushed to bring criminal charges against former CIA director John Brennan, who is accused of making false statements to Congress and has been the subject of the president's ire for years. Since diGenova joined the probe in April, he's chosen to pursue a broader set of charges against several of Trump's political critics — including Brennan — who were involved in investigations of him over the past decade.
#officials #familiar #department
Joe diGenova, the Washington lawyer and former top prosecutor leading the South Florida-based investigation, resigned a day after a tense phone call Wednesday with Attorney General Todd Blanche, according to two people familiar with the matter. The final clash centered on diGenova's effort to block lawyers dispatched by Justice Department headquarters from ***** isting the probe, following broader disagreements with top Justice officials over its pace.
Among the disputes that added to tensions between diGenova and his bosses in Washington was diGenova's request for a high-security room known as a SCIF to be built at the Fort Pierce office, to make it easier for the prosecution team to store highly classified materials, two people familiar with the investigation told CNN. The team worked in an office with a special room where sensitive, but not the highest-classified, evidence could be handled. Justice Department officials told diGenova he and his team should use a SCIF at an FBI office miles away, two people familiar with the investigation told CNN.
DiGenova also pressed for more lawyers for his team. Justice officials pushed back on any claims that he was denied resources, according to two people familiar with the investigation.
For more than a year, Justice Department officials have pushed to bring criminal charges against former CIA director John Brennan, who is accused of making false statements to Congress and has been the subject of the president's ire for years. Since diGenova joined the probe in April, he's chosen to pursue a broader set of charges against several of Trump's political critics — including Brennan — who were involved in investigations of him over the past decade.
#officials #familiar #department
1 day ago
How, after only a handful of years in the public eye, did Ayo Edebiri establish herself as one of the entertainment industry's most fashionable stars? We'd like to chalk it up to her magnetic presence in "The Bear," working with some of today's most imaginative designers, and, of course, delivering one remarkable look after another at premières and award shows.
Trending
"Is justice worth it if it comes by any means?" Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg explore the depth behind 'By Any Means'
The Pynk is reopening one last time: "P-Valley" Season 3 finally gets a premiere date and first-look photos
Jalen Brunson to become first active NBA player in nearly 20 years to host "SNL"
#first #abdul
Trending
"Is justice worth it if it comes by any means?" Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg explore the depth behind 'By Any Means'
The Pynk is reopening one last time: "P-Valley" Season 3 finally gets a premiere date and first-look photos
Jalen Brunson to become first active NBA player in nearly 20 years to host "SNL"
#first #abdul
3 days ago
After spending the morning at the Pentagon to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11th tragedy, President Donald Trump apparently had another attack on his mind in the afternoon — posting the 5-year-old video of him telling January 6, 2021, rioters to go home after they violently stormed the Capitol building.
The video, which was posted in full on Trump's Truth Social account Friday without any further context, shows the president repeating his false claim that he won the 2020 election but telling rioters to go home: "We have to have peace. So go home, we love you, you're very special."
A White House spokesperson said Trump reposted the video Friday as "a reminder to everyone that what the Democrats did to weaponize the justice system against President Trump has been debunked thoroughly."
It's unclear what cases they were referencing — the criminal case against Trump concerning the Capitol attack was dismissed due to his win in the 2024 election.
Trump has been repeatedly emphasizing voter fraud in recent months, increasingly and without evidence accusing Democrats of cheating in elections. At the GOP midterm convention this week, he implored the audience to "cheat like ****** " to help Republicans keep control of Congress.
#president #home #democrats #telling
The video, which was posted in full on Trump's Truth Social account Friday without any further context, shows the president repeating his false claim that he won the 2020 election but telling rioters to go home: "We have to have peace. So go home, we love you, you're very special."
A White House spokesperson said Trump reposted the video Friday as "a reminder to everyone that what the Democrats did to weaponize the justice system against President Trump has been debunked thoroughly."
It's unclear what cases they were referencing — the criminal case against Trump concerning the Capitol attack was dismissed due to his win in the 2024 election.
Trump has been repeatedly emphasizing voter fraud in recent months, increasingly and without evidence accusing Democrats of cheating in elections. At the GOP midterm convention this week, he implored the audience to "cheat like ****** " to help Republicans keep control of Congress.
#president #home #democrats #telling
4 days ago
The Oklahoma Sooners take on the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday in a big-time road matchup in Ann Arbor, Mich. Both teams are looking to remain undefeated two weeks into the season.
The Sooners won the game in Norman a year ago behind a big game from John Mateer. In a 24-13 win in primetime, Mateer threw for 270 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also carried the ball 19 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns. The Sooners were up 14-0 at halftime before a 75-yard touchdown run from Justice Haynes on the first play from scrimmage of the second half cut the lead to 14-7.
Mateer and the Sooners made it 21-7 with 10 minutes to go in the third, and the defense stifled Bryce Underwood and the Wolverines to earn the 24-13 win. Oklahoma held Underwood to 9 of 24 for 142 yards passing and three carries for minus-1 yard rushing. Outside of the 75-yard run, Oklahoma held the Wolverines to just 2.29 yards per carry.
Oklahoma is expected to have a better offense than the one that beat the Wolverines in 2025. If the Sooners can get a similar defensive effort against a team that struggled to move the ball on the MAC's Western Michigan, it should be a good day for the boys in the crimson and cream.
More: 3 Keys to an Oklahoma Sooners win over the Michigan Wolverines
#Sooners #michigan #yards
The Sooners won the game in Norman a year ago behind a big game from John Mateer. In a 24-13 win in primetime, Mateer threw for 270 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also carried the ball 19 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns. The Sooners were up 14-0 at halftime before a 75-yard touchdown run from Justice Haynes on the first play from scrimmage of the second half cut the lead to 14-7.
Mateer and the Sooners made it 21-7 with 10 minutes to go in the third, and the defense stifled Bryce Underwood and the Wolverines to earn the 24-13 win. Oklahoma held Underwood to 9 of 24 for 142 yards passing and three carries for minus-1 yard rushing. Outside of the 75-yard run, Oklahoma held the Wolverines to just 2.29 yards per carry.
Oklahoma is expected to have a better offense than the one that beat the Wolverines in 2025. If the Sooners can get a similar defensive effort against a team that struggled to move the ball on the MAC's Western Michigan, it should be a good day for the boys in the crimson and cream.
More: 3 Keys to an Oklahoma Sooners win over the Michigan Wolverines
#Sooners #michigan #yards
4 days ago
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, sparked social media backlash after posting his 9/11 message on his X account.
"They didn't just attack America that day they attacked the idea of America," El-Sayed said.
"The notion of a nation brought together by ideals — a place where freedom and commitment to justice bind us, even if, at times, we struggle to fully realize it," the controversial far-left candidate continued.
"Today on 9/11 we remember the lives that were taken from us in a terrible act of terrorism."
Cbs News Takes Heat Over Report On Dem Hopeful Abdul El-sayed's Now-deleted 9/11 Posts
#abdul #America #democratic
"They didn't just attack America that day they attacked the idea of America," El-Sayed said.
"The notion of a nation brought together by ideals — a place where freedom and commitment to justice bind us, even if, at times, we struggle to fully realize it," the controversial far-left candidate continued.
"Today on 9/11 we remember the lives that were taken from us in a terrible act of terrorism."
Cbs News Takes Heat Over Report On Dem Hopeful Abdul El-sayed's Now-deleted 9/11 Posts
#abdul #America #democratic
4 days ago
Nvidia (NVDA) stock inched lower on Sept. 10 following reports that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is intensifying its regulatory scrutiny of the ****** an's $17 billion deal with artificial intelligence (AI) startup Groq.
As investors reacted to the DOJ news, NVDA tanked below its 20-day moving average (MA) today, indicating the downward momentum may sustain in the near term.
Why It's Time to Load Up on Intel Stock
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Just Called CrowdStrike Its Top Security Partner. How to Play CRWD Stock Here.
Google Plans to Build Mammoth Solar Farm on an Abandoned Coal Mine. This Penny Stock Just Won the Deal.
#NVIDIA #load
As investors reacted to the DOJ news, NVDA tanked below its 20-day moving average (MA) today, indicating the downward momentum may sustain in the near term.
Why It's Time to Load Up on Intel Stock
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Just Called CrowdStrike Its Top Security Partner. How to Play CRWD Stock Here.
Google Plans to Build Mammoth Solar Farm on an Abandoned Coal Mine. This Penny Stock Just Won the Deal.
#NVIDIA #load
4 days ago
The NBA sources are confident the criminal probe will focus primarily on the Clippers, the financial angle of the discretions and not encroach on any basketball side of the equation. And if the justice department looks at deals involving the Clippers, now-bankrupt Aspiration, the technology company Daktronics — which said it was co-operating with the investigators — and other companies, it has nothing to do with the Raptors or the long-awaited transaction.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The NBA sources are confident the criminal probe will …
#sources
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The NBA sources are confident the criminal probe will …
#sources
4 days ago
As the American justice department investigates the Los Angeles Clippers and its salary cap contravention deals involving Kawhi Leonard and several outside companies, there is no immediate concern it will scuttle an expected trade with the Raptors. According to NBA sources granted anonymity to discuss a continuing investigation, the latest wrinkle shouldn't preclude Leonard from becoming a Raptor before training camp begins in about two weeks.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Continuing investigation, the latest wrinkle shouldn't …
#shouldn 't #american #clippers #kawhi
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Continuing investigation, the latest wrinkle shouldn't …
#shouldn 't #american #clippers #kawhi
4 days ago
It started with yelling about toilets. Steve Ballmer was so serious about turning the Los Angeles Clippers into a serious franchise for the first time in their existence that he wanted to make sure no fan ever waited in a long line to use the bathroom when the team opened its new arena. Ballmer's drive to win eventually led the Clippers to courting Kawhi Leonard in free agency, fresh off leading the Toronto Raptors to a 2019 NBA championship. Leonard wanted to live in Los Angeles, yes, but he also wanted Paul George as his running mate, so the Clippers shipped out a boatload of draft picks and future two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to get him.
Leonard's people also made it known that their client wanted the type of big endorsement deals his off-putting, robotic personality couldn't land legitimately. Leonard's now infamous Uncle Dennis Robertson never tried to be subtle about his desire to secure similar off-court bags to the ones Kawhi's contemporaries like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant were landing on their own accord, and leaks of his demands circulated as soon as Leonard hit free agency.
The Clippers became so entangled in pleasing Leonard that it led to blatant salary cap circumvention, first reported by investigative journalist Pablo Torre. The NBA found enough evidence supporting Torre's claims that it hammered the Clippers with the most severe penalty in league history, stripping five future first-round draft picks, suspending executives including Ballmer, and more. That figured to be the end of the story, with the Clippers spending the next decade trying to climb out of the abyss. Torre continued to hint that there was another shoe to drop, and now that it's here, the Clippers might be in much bigger trouble than anyone first believed.
The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the Clippers, according to the New York Times, and it's already issued one subpoena. While the scope of the investigation is unclear for now, the fact that the feds are watching the Clippers for under-the-table dealings potentially makes this a much bigger deal than simply breaking NBA rules.
How does breaking NBA rules amount to a federal crime by the Clippers? While there's a lot left to come out, the main idea is that the Clippers committed some level of fraud. Daktronics was a publicly traded company, the only one of the four tied up in the Leonard scandal to fit that description, while Aspiration, Lockton Insurance, and Boingo Wireless were not. Publicly traded companies have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to disclose big investments, and it sure feels like that never happened when dealing with Leonard.
#ballmer
Leonard's people also made it known that their client wanted the type of big endorsement deals his off-putting, robotic personality couldn't land legitimately. Leonard's now infamous Uncle Dennis Robertson never tried to be subtle about his desire to secure similar off-court bags to the ones Kawhi's contemporaries like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant were landing on their own accord, and leaks of his demands circulated as soon as Leonard hit free agency.
The Clippers became so entangled in pleasing Leonard that it led to blatant salary cap circumvention, first reported by investigative journalist Pablo Torre. The NBA found enough evidence supporting Torre's claims that it hammered the Clippers with the most severe penalty in league history, stripping five future first-round draft picks, suspending executives including Ballmer, and more. That figured to be the end of the story, with the Clippers spending the next decade trying to climb out of the abyss. Torre continued to hint that there was another shoe to drop, and now that it's here, the Clippers might be in much bigger trouble than anyone first believed.
The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the Clippers, according to the New York Times, and it's already issued one subpoena. While the scope of the investigation is unclear for now, the fact that the feds are watching the Clippers for under-the-table dealings potentially makes this a much bigger deal than simply breaking NBA rules.
How does breaking NBA rules amount to a federal crime by the Clippers? While there's a lot left to come out, the main idea is that the Clippers committed some level of fraud. Daktronics was a publicly traded company, the only one of the four tied up in the Leonard scandal to fit that description, while Aspiration, Lockton Insurance, and Boingo Wireless were not. Publicly traded companies have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to disclose big investments, and it sure feels like that never happened when dealing with Leonard.
#ballmer
5 days ago
By Alexander Cornwell and Rami Amichay
TEL AVIV/PSAGOT, West Bank, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Israel has given Britain 30 days to close its East Jerusalem consulate in response to sanctions on goods from settlements, a measure Britain's leader said on Wednesday was needed to "stand against injustice" in the occupied West Bank.
In the West Bank, where Israeli settlements have eaten into territory Palestinians seek for a state, settler business owners said the sanctions — announced on Tuesday by Britain, France and Canada — would dent their revenues and at least one said they could force him to close his date farm.
The sanctions are among the strongest collective actions taken by Western countries that Israel once counted as close allies, highlighting its growing isolation over the war in Gaza and expansion of settlements in occupied territory.
ISRAEL SETS DEADLINE FOR BRITAIN TO CLOSE CONSULATE
#britain #sanctions #settlements
TEL AVIV/PSAGOT, West Bank, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Israel has given Britain 30 days to close its East Jerusalem consulate in response to sanctions on goods from settlements, a measure Britain's leader said on Wednesday was needed to "stand against injustice" in the occupied West Bank.
In the West Bank, where Israeli settlements have eaten into territory Palestinians seek for a state, settler business owners said the sanctions — announced on Tuesday by Britain, France and Canada — would dent their revenues and at least one said they could force him to close his date farm.
The sanctions are among the strongest collective actions taken by Western countries that Israel once counted as close allies, highlighting its growing isolation over the war in Gaza and expansion of settlements in occupied territory.
ISRAEL SETS DEADLINE FOR BRITAIN TO CLOSE CONSULATE
#britain #sanctions #settlements
5 days ago
More than a dozen states have begun distributing millions of free eggs across local food banks following a settlement with three major producers over alleged collusion, but legal experts say this "unusual" remedy faces a logistical hurdle of making sure those eggs reach the American people.
"There are huge administrative problems with making sure that a settlement of this nature goes according to plan," Katherine Speegle, an antitrust lawyer and partner at Duane Morris, told Fortune.
In June, the U.S. Justice Department and 17 states settled a lawsuit alleging three major egg producers—Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman's Egg Ranch—illegally colluded to inflate the price of eggs, which reached record heights last year. The complaint claimed the companies coordinated on bids submitted to Urner Barry Publications, which runs an index key that reports prices for grocery stores and restaurants.
Soaring egg prices became a key metric for how American consumers have experienced five years of above-trend inflation — with this case raising the prospect of collusive behavior on the egg front. None of the producers admitted to wrongdoing and maintained they acted legally.
"When powerful corporations collude behind the scenes to raise prices, working families suffer the costs," New York Attorney General Letitia James, who helped lead the investigation, said in a statement at the time. "These egg producers manipulated the market to squeeze even more profit out of consumers and businesses."
#states
"There are huge administrative problems with making sure that a settlement of this nature goes according to plan," Katherine Speegle, an antitrust lawyer and partner at Duane Morris, told Fortune.
In June, the U.S. Justice Department and 17 states settled a lawsuit alleging three major egg producers—Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman's Egg Ranch—illegally colluded to inflate the price of eggs, which reached record heights last year. The complaint claimed the companies coordinated on bids submitted to Urner Barry Publications, which runs an index key that reports prices for grocery stores and restaurants.
Soaring egg prices became a key metric for how American consumers have experienced five years of above-trend inflation — with this case raising the prospect of collusive behavior on the egg front. None of the producers admitted to wrongdoing and maintained they acted legally.
"When powerful corporations collude behind the scenes to raise prices, working families suffer the costs," New York Attorney General Letitia James, who helped lead the investigation, said in a statement at the time. "These egg producers manipulated the market to squeeze even more profit out of consumers and businesses."
#states
5 days ago
The Justice Department has initiated a criminal investigation into allegations that the Los Angeles Clippers used secret endorsement deals to boost its star player Kawhi Leonard's income while violating the NBA's salary cap, the New York Times reported, just a week after the league suspended the team's billionaire owner Steve Ballmer for a year.
Owner Steve Ballmer of the Los Angeles Clippers congratulates Kawhi Leonard #2 after his 55-point game to win 112-99 against the Detroit Pistons at Intuit Dome.
Citing unnamed sources briefed on the matter, the Times reported that the matter is being investigated by prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn and the probe is in its "earliest stages."
The report noted that prosecutors have already issued a subpoena as part of the probe, but details of the crimes being investigated remain unclear.
The DOJ investigation began before the NBA handed out its own punishments against the Clippers—including a year-long suspension of the team's owner and ninth-richest person in the world.
#owner #angeles #kawhi
Owner Steve Ballmer of the Los Angeles Clippers congratulates Kawhi Leonard #2 after his 55-point game to win 112-99 against the Detroit Pistons at Intuit Dome.
Citing unnamed sources briefed on the matter, the Times reported that the matter is being investigated by prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn and the probe is in its "earliest stages."
The report noted that prosecutors have already issued a subpoena as part of the probe, but details of the crimes being investigated remain unclear.
The DOJ investigation began before the NBA handed out its own punishments against the Clippers—including a year-long suspension of the team's owner and ninth-richest person in the world.
#owner #angeles #kawhi
5 days ago
The NBA brought the hammer down on the LA Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer for circumventing the salary cap to funnel more money to Kawhi Leonard — and now federal prosecutors are looking into the matter.
The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the Clippers' efforts to secure "no-show" endorsement deals for Kawhi Leonard, the New York Times reports. This investigation is being run out of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, the office that has traditionally looked into issues with professional sports leagues.
The investigation is in its earliest stages, and it's unclear what, if any, federal charges could come out of it, according to the report.
The Justice Department investigation comes in addition to the Securities and Exchange Commission looking into Daktronics' role in the scandal, as it had an endorsement deal with Leonard despite never having had a celebrity endorser before and there being no evidence Leonard did anything for the company. Daktronics is publicly traded, and the SEC is tasked with protecting shareholders.
The NBA oversaw a year-long investigation of its own into the Clippers working to circumvent the salary cap with Leonard and last month came down with the harshest penalties ever imposed on a team:
#salary
The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the Clippers' efforts to secure "no-show" endorsement deals for Kawhi Leonard, the New York Times reports. This investigation is being run out of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, the office that has traditionally looked into issues with professional sports leagues.
The investigation is in its earliest stages, and it's unclear what, if any, federal charges could come out of it, according to the report.
The Justice Department investigation comes in addition to the Securities and Exchange Commission looking into Daktronics' role in the scandal, as it had an endorsement deal with Leonard despite never having had a celebrity endorser before and there being no evidence Leonard did anything for the company. Daktronics is publicly traded, and the SEC is tasked with protecting shareholders.
The NBA oversaw a year-long investigation of its own into the Clippers working to circumvent the salary cap with Leonard and last month came down with the harshest penalties ever imposed on a team:
#salary
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5 days ago
Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after being convicted of six dogfighting-related charges, according to a Department of Justice release on Thursday.
Additionally, Johnson — who was in the NFL from 1994-99 and spent time with the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants — will have three years of supervised release. Plus, he'll have to pay a $30,000 fine.
Johnson was indicted in March 2025 and convicted in an Oklahoma federal court in August of last year. He had been running a large-scale dogfighting ring based in the state since at least 2007, according to the DOJ, which cited trial testimony.
Johnson, 55, previously pleaded guilty in 2004 to Oklahoma dogfighting offenses. Back then, he received a five-year deferred sentence in state court, according to ESPN's Thursday report, which cited Oklahoma court records.
His most recent operation, known as "Mal Kant Kennels," consisted of breeding and selling pit bulls who would fight around the country, with Johnson profiting from the trafficking. The 190 dogs the authorities seized from Johnson's property are the most ever rescued from a single individual in a federal dogfighting case, per the DOJ.
#dogfighting #according #court #thursday
Additionally, Johnson — who was in the NFL from 1994-99 and spent time with the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants — will have three years of supervised release. Plus, he'll have to pay a $30,000 fine.
Johnson was indicted in March 2025 and convicted in an Oklahoma federal court in August of last year. He had been running a large-scale dogfighting ring based in the state since at least 2007, according to the DOJ, which cited trial testimony.
Johnson, 55, previously pleaded guilty in 2004 to Oklahoma dogfighting offenses. Back then, he received a five-year deferred sentence in state court, according to ESPN's Thursday report, which cited Oklahoma court records.
His most recent operation, known as "Mal Kant Kennels," consisted of breeding and selling pit bulls who would fight around the country, with Johnson profiting from the trafficking. The 190 dogs the authorities seized from Johnson's property are the most ever rescued from a single individual in a federal dogfighting case, per the DOJ.
#dogfighting #according #court #thursday
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5 days ago
Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison after he was convicted of six felonies related to dog fighting.
Authorities seized 190 dogs from Johnson's property, the most dogs ever seized from any individual in a federal dog fighting investigation. This is Johnson's second dog fighting conviction; he was also convicted of state dog fighting charges in Oklahoma in 2004.
"LeShon Johnson continued to traffic dogs for illegal fighting despite a 2004 state conviction for similar conduct," said Deputy **** istant Attorney General Adam Gustafson. "We are grateful to our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and the FBI for partnering with ENRD to bring this repeat offender to justice and to the U.S. Marshals Service for executing the biggest rescue operation of its kind."
The Department of Justice says Johnson made hundreds of thousands of dollars through his dog fighting operation, selling dogs he described as fighting champions, selling puppies he said were bred to be fighting champions, and charging stud fees to other dog fighters so that his champion males could breed with their females.
The 55-year-old Johnson was a third-round pick of the Packers in 1994 and also played for the Cardinals and Giants before finishing his pro football career with the XFL's Chicago Enforcers.
#leshon #oklahoma #federal #seized
Authorities seized 190 dogs from Johnson's property, the most dogs ever seized from any individual in a federal dog fighting investigation. This is Johnson's second dog fighting conviction; he was also convicted of state dog fighting charges in Oklahoma in 2004.
"LeShon Johnson continued to traffic dogs for illegal fighting despite a 2004 state conviction for similar conduct," said Deputy **** istant Attorney General Adam Gustafson. "We are grateful to our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and the FBI for partnering with ENRD to bring this repeat offender to justice and to the U.S. Marshals Service for executing the biggest rescue operation of its kind."
The Department of Justice says Johnson made hundreds of thousands of dollars through his dog fighting operation, selling dogs he described as fighting champions, selling puppies he said were bred to be fighting champions, and charging stud fees to other dog fighters so that his champion males could breed with their females.
The 55-year-old Johnson was a third-round pick of the Packers in 1994 and also played for the Cardinals and Giants before finishing his pro football career with the XFL's Chicago Enforcers.
#leshon #oklahoma #federal #seized
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5 days ago
A surrogate who defied a California couple's demand to abort their baby after a devastating heart diagnosis is taking her fight to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing a lower court ruling has left her powerless to advocate for the medically fragile newborn.
Attorneys for Alaska cardiac nurse McKenna West filed an emergency application Wednesday, asking Justice Elena Kagan to temporarily block a Los Angeles court ruling that declared the California couple the baby's legal parents.
Kagan handles emergency matters arising from the 9th Circuit, which includes California. She has not ruled on the request.
Surrogate Gives Birth In Texas To Baby With Heart Defect After Parents Requested Abortion
West carried the child under a surrogacy agreement with California couple Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, who call the baby Rumi. West calls him Gabriel.
#heart #emergency
Attorneys for Alaska cardiac nurse McKenna West filed an emergency application Wednesday, asking Justice Elena Kagan to temporarily block a Los Angeles court ruling that declared the California couple the baby's legal parents.
Kagan handles emergency matters arising from the 9th Circuit, which includes California. She has not ruled on the request.
Surrogate Gives Birth In Texas To Baby With Heart Defect After Parents Requested Abortion
West carried the child under a surrogacy agreement with California couple Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, who call the baby Rumi. West calls him Gabriel.
#heart #emergency
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5 days ago
By Andrew Chung
Sept 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to reinstate a Republican-drawn congressional map in Missouri ahead of November's midterm elections, dealing a setback to President Donald Trump and the party's odds of maintaining its slim majority in the House of Representatives.
Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri's emergency request to suspend a state Supreme Court ruling that blocked the map, a decision that preserves the Kansas City-based seat of longtime Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver, whose district would have been dismantled under the redrawn boundaries.
Kavanaugh, who handles emergency matters from Missouri and several other states, did not refer the matter to the nine-member court before issuing the decision.
Missouri Republicans adopted the map as part of a broader effort backed by Trump to redraw congressional districts in ways that could benefit Republican candidates.
#missouri #court #emergency
Sept 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to reinstate a Republican-drawn congressional map in Missouri ahead of November's midterm elections, dealing a setback to President Donald Trump and the party's odds of maintaining its slim majority in the House of Representatives.
Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied Missouri's emergency request to suspend a state Supreme Court ruling that blocked the map, a decision that preserves the Kansas City-based seat of longtime Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver, whose district would have been dismantled under the redrawn boundaries.
Kavanaugh, who handles emergency matters from Missouri and several other states, did not refer the matter to the nine-member court before issuing the decision.
Missouri Republicans adopted the map as part of a broader effort backed by Trump to redraw congressional districts in ways that could benefit Republican candidates.
#missouri #court #emergency
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8 days ago
Every player on the Detroit Red Wings roster for the club's upcoming NHL Rookie Tournament has carved their own path to get to this destination. They've all written a unique hockey story along the way.
Here's a look at just a few of these tales.
Defenseman Justice Christensen signed an AHL contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins. He also played in last year's rookie series against the Dallas Stars, back then as a free agent.
Christensen is a hockey world champion, which in itself isn't necessarily unique among the NHL prospects that will be on display at this tourney. That is, until you learn how he won his world ******* le.
In the summer of 2025, Christensen, then a defenseman with the WHL Prince Albert Raiders, captained Canada to the World U20 ball hockey gold medal. He talked about his other hockey passion in an interview on the Raiders' Facebook page.
#hockey #christensen #unique #detroit
Here's a look at just a few of these tales.
Defenseman Justice Christensen signed an AHL contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins. He also played in last year's rookie series against the Dallas Stars, back then as a free agent.
Christensen is a hockey world champion, which in itself isn't necessarily unique among the NHL prospects that will be on display at this tourney. That is, until you learn how he won his world ******* le.
In the summer of 2025, Christensen, then a defenseman with the WHL Prince Albert Raiders, captained Canada to the World U20 ball hockey gold medal. He talked about his other hockey passion in an interview on the Raiders' Facebook page.
#hockey #christensen #unique #detroit
8 days ago
By Joseph Ax
Sept 7 (Reuters) - As the unofficial start of the campaign sprint kicks off on Labor Day Monday, President Donald Trump's deep unpopularity is imperiling Republican chances of maintaining their narrow majorities in Congress with just two months before November's midterm elections.
Midterm elections, above all, are a referendum on the occupant of the White House, according to election experts. That is even more of a truism in the era of Trump, who has spent the better part of a decade as the country's dominant political figure and could face stiff political headwinds in his final two years in office.
If Democrats win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, as appears likely, the party would be able to open damaging investigations into Trump's administration while forcing the White House to compromise on most legislation. Party leaders have already vowed to launch probes into what they describe as Trump's corruption.
The race for U.S. Senate control is much too close to call, according to ******* ysts, but a Democratic majority in that chamber could block many of Trump's nominees, including any Supreme Court justices in the event of a high court vacancy.
#party #elections #majority
Sept 7 (Reuters) - As the unofficial start of the campaign sprint kicks off on Labor Day Monday, President Donald Trump's deep unpopularity is imperiling Republican chances of maintaining their narrow majorities in Congress with just two months before November's midterm elections.
Midterm elections, above all, are a referendum on the occupant of the White House, according to election experts. That is even more of a truism in the era of Trump, who has spent the better part of a decade as the country's dominant political figure and could face stiff political headwinds in his final two years in office.
If Democrats win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, as appears likely, the party would be able to open damaging investigations into Trump's administration while forcing the White House to compromise on most legislation. Party leaders have already vowed to launch probes into what they describe as Trump's corruption.
The race for U.S. Senate control is much too close to call, according to ******* ysts, but a Democratic majority in that chamber could block many of Trump's nominees, including any Supreme Court justices in the event of a high court vacancy.
#party #elections #majority
10 days ago
EXCLUSIVE: Footage obtained by Fox News Digital shows federal agents executing a sweep linked to a multi-state Department of Justice (DOJ) probe that has resulted in criminal charges against individuals for illegal voting, falsifying citizenship status and other election fraud related charges in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin.
The charges arrive as part of a highly publicized nationwide surge by the Trump administration to hunt down election-related crimes ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Over the past year, the Justice Department has filed lawsuits against nearly 30 states to force the surrender of confidential voter rolls, while simultaneously repurposing Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)—an agency historically focused on cartels and terrorism—to spearhead a search for unlawfully registered non-citizens.
"Despite the media and Democrats claiming it never happens, the evidence of non-citizens registering to vote in our elections continues to pile up," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. "Any non-citizens found registering to vote and voting in our elections will be held accountable. Only Americans should be electing American leaders."
'Raw Material For Election Fraud': Expert Flags Voter-roll Problems Far Beyond One State
#election #digital #fraud
The charges arrive as part of a highly publicized nationwide surge by the Trump administration to hunt down election-related crimes ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Over the past year, the Justice Department has filed lawsuits against nearly 30 states to force the surrender of confidential voter rolls, while simultaneously repurposing Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)—an agency historically focused on cartels and terrorism—to spearhead a search for unlawfully registered non-citizens.
"Despite the media and Democrats claiming it never happens, the evidence of non-citizens registering to vote in our elections continues to pile up," White House spokesperson Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. "Any non-citizens found registering to vote and voting in our elections will be held accountable. Only Americans should be electing American leaders."
'Raw Material For Election Fraud': Expert Flags Voter-roll Problems Far Beyond One State
#election #digital #fraud
11 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court granted an emergency appeal from Republicans in a dispute over campaign ad prices on Friday, clearing a legal roadblock to political parties getting cheaper TV ad time ahead of the midterm elections.
The justices halted for now a lower-court ruling in favor of Democratic candidates who argued that cheaper broadcast ads should be limited to candidates. One justice publicly dissented from the unsigned order. It's the latest election-related appeal to come before the high court ahead of the pivotal November contests.
The Trump administration supported the emergency appeal from GOP campaign arms.
The decision comes on the heels of a June Supreme Court ruling that removed limits on parties spending money in coordination with candidates. It was seen as a boon to the GOP because the national party has a sizable cash advantage, and access to cheaper ad rates could boost that edge.
Among Democrats, meanwhile, some individual candidates have sizable fundraising advantages over their Republican opponents.
#emergency
The justices halted for now a lower-court ruling in favor of Democratic candidates who argued that cheaper broadcast ads should be limited to candidates. One justice publicly dissented from the unsigned order. It's the latest election-related appeal to come before the high court ahead of the pivotal November contests.
The Trump administration supported the emergency appeal from GOP campaign arms.
The decision comes on the heels of a June Supreme Court ruling that removed limits on parties spending money in coordination with candidates. It was seen as a boon to the GOP because the national party has a sizable cash advantage, and access to cheaper ad rates could boost that edge.
Among Democrats, meanwhile, some individual candidates have sizable fundraising advantages over their Republican opponents.
#emergency
12 days ago
The Justice Department has spent years attempting to break up Google's gargantuan advertising business across two separate antitrust lawsuits: one filed in 2020 focused on Google's dominance in search, and a second filed in 2023 that specifically targeted Google's ad-technology business. Both cases argued that the search giant's grip on the digital ad economy represents an illegal monopoly.
Courts have largely sided with the government in both cases. In 2024, a court determined that Google's search business, including its exceedingly lucrative search-ad operation, was an illegal monopoly, claiming that the tech giant had "exercised its monopoly power" to dominate the search industry and search ads. Last April, a second court case — this one focused specifically on Google's ad-tech business — also came to the same conclusion.
Following the 2024 ruling, Justice Department officials suggested a variety of ways Google's search business could be broken up, including divesting its Chrome browser and Android operating system. But in September 2025, the judge overseeing that case, Amit Mehta, rejected those divestiture requests, ruling that Google could keep both Chrome and Android. He did order the company to end exclusive default-placement deals and share certain search data with competitors (remedies that Google is currently appealing).
That same pattern held this week. In a ruling handed down on Wednesday, federal judge Leonie M. Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia, who oversaw the ad-tech case, said that Google would be able to keep its advertising business. Instead of selling it, the search giant will instead be required to adjust its business practices to favor competitors, Brinkema said. The New York Times notes that the judge's ruling "did not provide specifics" as to how Google should go about doing that.
Brinkema's full written ruling will remain under seal for 14 days to allow those involved to issue necessary redactions. Her finding that Google had acted illegally in maintaining its ad-tech business dates back to April of last year; this week's decision addressed only the remedy.
#ruling #Tech
Courts have largely sided with the government in both cases. In 2024, a court determined that Google's search business, including its exceedingly lucrative search-ad operation, was an illegal monopoly, claiming that the tech giant had "exercised its monopoly power" to dominate the search industry and search ads. Last April, a second court case — this one focused specifically on Google's ad-tech business — also came to the same conclusion.
Following the 2024 ruling, Justice Department officials suggested a variety of ways Google's search business could be broken up, including divesting its Chrome browser and Android operating system. But in September 2025, the judge overseeing that case, Amit Mehta, rejected those divestiture requests, ruling that Google could keep both Chrome and Android. He did order the company to end exclusive default-placement deals and share certain search data with competitors (remedies that Google is currently appealing).
That same pattern held this week. In a ruling handed down on Wednesday, federal judge Leonie M. Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia, who oversaw the ad-tech case, said that Google would be able to keep its advertising business. Instead of selling it, the search giant will instead be required to adjust its business practices to favor competitors, Brinkema said. The New York Times notes that the judge's ruling "did not provide specifics" as to how Google should go about doing that.
Brinkema's full written ruling will remain under seal for 14 days to allow those involved to issue necessary redactions. Her finding that Google had acted illegally in maintaining its ad-tech business dates back to April of last year; this week's decision addressed only the remedy.
#ruling #Tech
12 days ago
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered Google to retool the system powering its monopoly in digital advertising, sparing the company from a wrenching breakup sought by the U.S. government.
The initial two-page decision by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia marks the second time in a year that Google has received a reprieve from a Justice Department proposal to dismantle its internet empire. Meanwhile, what courts have described as the company's anti-competitive practices have enriched Google's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., which has a market value of $4.11 trillion.
The judge's full opinion, which includes the specific remedies, will remain under seal for 14 days to allow the parties to review it and propose any necessary redactions.
"We're very pleased the Court rejected the DOJ's proposal to break apart tools that help small businesses reach new customers and grow," said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's vice president for regulatory affairs.
After a judge declared Google's ubiquitous search engine as an illegal monopoly in 2024, the Justice Department pushed for a penalty that would have required the company to sell its popular Chrome web browser. But it was rebuffed last September by another federal judge overseeing that case.
#district
The initial two-page decision by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia marks the second time in a year that Google has received a reprieve from a Justice Department proposal to dismantle its internet empire. Meanwhile, what courts have described as the company's anti-competitive practices have enriched Google's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., which has a market value of $4.11 trillion.
The judge's full opinion, which includes the specific remedies, will remain under seal for 14 days to allow the parties to review it and propose any necessary redactions.
"We're very pleased the Court rejected the DOJ's proposal to break apart tools that help small businesses reach new customers and grow," said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's vice president for regulatory affairs.
After a judge declared Google's ubiquitous search engine as an illegal monopoly in 2024, the Justice Department pushed for a penalty that would have required the company to sell its popular Chrome web browser. But it was rebuffed last September by another federal judge overseeing that case.
#district
12 days ago
By Jody Godoy
Sept 2 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google escaped a breakup of its advertising technology business on Wednesday, when a judge in Virginia rejected U.S. antitrust enforcers' bid to force a sale of Google's online advertising exchange.
While the ad exchange is a small part of Google's business, the ruling is the second powerful symbolic victory against the U.S. Department of Justice in its efforts to force Google to sell ******* ets to address illegal monopolies.
U.S. Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, declined to make Google sell AdX, where publishers pay Google a 20% fee to sell ads in auctions that happen instantly when users load websites. She accepted most of the parties' proposed behavioral remedies.
The DOJ and a broad coalition of states sued Google in 2023 over its dominance in markets for advertising technology used by online publishers and websites.
#advertising #judge #technology #force
Sept 2 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google escaped a breakup of its advertising technology business on Wednesday, when a judge in Virginia rejected U.S. antitrust enforcers' bid to force a sale of Google's online advertising exchange.
While the ad exchange is a small part of Google's business, the ruling is the second powerful symbolic victory against the U.S. Department of Justice in its efforts to force Google to sell ******* ets to address illegal monopolies.
U.S. Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, declined to make Google sell AdX, where publishers pay Google a 20% fee to sell ads in auctions that happen instantly when users load websites. She accepted most of the parties' proposed behavioral remedies.
The DOJ and a broad coalition of states sued Google in 2023 over its dominance in markets for advertising technology used by online publishers and websites.
#advertising #judge #technology #force
13 days ago
A Republican proposal to amend the Constitution to prevent expanding the number of justices on the Supreme Court failed on the House floor.
Like all constitutional amendments, the measure needed a two-thirds majority of the House to pass, which it did not get: The vote was along party lines at 212-206. Democrats have never supported such an amendment, so it will be easy fodder for Republicans to accuse Democrats of looking to "pack the court" with favorable liberal justices.
Rep. Brad Knott (R-N.C.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, said he wasn't surprised the vote was along party lines, even though Democrats, in his view, knew there would be "political risk" to voting no.
"Democrats are very clear. They want to pack the court," Knott said. "We want to maintain the normalcy and stick with the process that we've done for a long time."
The Republican campaign arm wasted no time spinning the vote into midterm messaging. Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which helps support and elect Republican candidates, wrote in a statement released minutes after the vote that Democrats voted against the amendment "so they can follow through on a radical socialist agenda."
#republican #knott #committee #along
Like all constitutional amendments, the measure needed a two-thirds majority of the House to pass, which it did not get: The vote was along party lines at 212-206. Democrats have never supported such an amendment, so it will be easy fodder for Republicans to accuse Democrats of looking to "pack the court" with favorable liberal justices.
Rep. Brad Knott (R-N.C.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, said he wasn't surprised the vote was along party lines, even though Democrats, in his view, knew there would be "political risk" to voting no.
"Democrats are very clear. They want to pack the court," Knott said. "We want to maintain the normalcy and stick with the process that we've done for a long time."
The Republican campaign arm wasted no time spinning the vote into midterm messaging. Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which helps support and elect Republican candidates, wrote in a statement released minutes after the vote that Democrats voted against the amendment "so they can follow through on a radical socialist agenda."
#republican #knott #committee #along
