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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis attends a hearing on the Georgia election interference case, March 1, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. A California man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta on charges of threatening Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced Friday. The indictment detailed more threats Schultz made, including, "FANI WILLIS WILL BE DEAD IN 2024," and other threats using racial slurs. In a statement released by Willis' office, she referenced GOP state Sen. Bill Cowsert, who is leading an investigation of Willis' office. In March, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled Willis could continue prosecuting the case, but she and Wade could not work on it together.

Persons: Fani Willis, Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Mark Schultz, Schultz, FANI WILLIS, Trump, Keri Farley, Sen, Bill Cowsert, Ryan Buchanan, Wade, Scott McAfee Organizations: U.S, Attorney's, Northern, Northern District of Georgia, Department of Justice, American, United States Attorney, FBI, African American, Trump Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, California, Atlanta, Northern District, Chula Vista

☆ FTC is sued by business groups over its ban on noncompete agreements, which may delay enforcement
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Another lawsuit was filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas by business tax services firm Ryan. “The FTC contends that by using regulation they can simply declare common business practices to be ‘unfair methods of competition’ and thus illegal. “If the FTC can regulate noncompete agreements, then they can decide to regulate or even ban any other business practice. Long delays may be on tap before the rule takes effectThe FTC rule isn’t set to go into effect until 120 days from the day it is published in the Federal Register. In the near term, “I’m generally telling clients to take a wait-and-see approach with respect to the FTC rule while court challenges play out in the next few weeks,” Turinsky said.

Persons: Ryan, ”, Daniel Turinsky, DLA Piper, Lina Khan, Jake Tapper ”, isn’t, —, ” Turinsky, James Witz, ” Witz Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal Trade Commission, US Chamber of Commerce, Business, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of, US Chamber, FTC, Chamber, Longview Chamber, Commerce, Federal Locations: New York, United States, Eastern District, Northern District, Northern District of Texas, Longview, Longview , Texas, Texas, Littler

☆ Families who sued social media companies years ago are taking matters into their own hands
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Now there are hundreds of such lawsuits against social media platforms, alleging teenagers across the country have been harmed from exposure to social media, according to Matthew Bergman, the founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, from where many of these lawsuits have been filed. Jaime Puerta said he has met with police departments, government agencies and schools to discuss the dangers of social media platforms. Mayor Eric Adams makes announcement on lawsuit against social media companies at City Hall in New York City. Next, she said she wants to work with lawmakers to help increase the age requirement to access social media sites. Donna and Chris Dawley have attended conferences, events and Congressional hearings to raise awareness about social media addiction.

Persons: Jaime Puerta’s, Daniel, Puerta, Snapchat, Matthew Bergman, Koukichi Takahashi, TikTok, ” Puerta, “, ”, Jaime Puerta, Meta, Gail Flatt, Sarah’s, Sarah, Flatt, Republican Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Sen . Blackburn, Blackburn, Mark Zuckerberg, who’ve, “ I’m, Norma Nazario, Zackery, Eric Adams, Nazario, Lev Radin, Ron DeSantis, Jaime Puerta – Amy Neville, Alexander, –, she’s, Neville, ” Amy Neville, Alexander Neville, Amy Neville, Democratic Sen, Amy Klobuchar, Sen, Klobuchar, Sabine Polak, Polak, Mileva, ” Polak, Repasky, it’s, Cece Nelter, Independence , Kentucky –, Instagram, Cece, Nelter, Donna, Chris Dawley –, CJ, ” Donna Dawley, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Chris Dawley, Donna Dawley “, Donna Dawley, “ We’ve Organizations: CNN, International Association for Suicide Prevention, Befrienders, Social Media, Law, Meta, Adobe, Big Tech, Los Angeles, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Homeland Security, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Drug, Administration, Federal, Facebook, Wall, Northern District of, Republican, Union, New York City, New York, City Hall, Pacific Press, TikTok, Florida Republican, Snapchat, Alexander Neville Foundation, Alexander, Parent, Academy, Democratic, Media, Free Schools Movement Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California, Instagram, Tennessee, Biden’s, New York, New, New York City, Florida, United States, Minnesota, Phoenixville , Pennsylvania, ”, Independence , Kentucky

☆ A decades-old burger joint closed after being sued over wheelchair access, saying its landlord wouldn't pay for a ramp
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A family-run business shut down after 38 years following a disability access lawsuit. The owners say they proposed adding a wheelchair ramp, but that the landlord said it was too expensive. AdvertisementA family-run burger joint in Richmond, California, closed on Thursday after 38 years of business, citing a lawsuit over a lack of wheelchair access as a contributing factor. In their closure announcement, the owners mentioned a recent lawsuit as having "taken a toll" on the burger joint. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Northern District of, Business Locations: Richmond , California, Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Strippers are suing an Alabama club for $100K, saying it forced them to share tips with other workers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Exotic dancers are suing an Alabama strip club, saying it made them share tips and pay 'house fees.' The dancers also argue that they were denied minimum wages, and subject to illegal kickbacks. AdvertisementExotic dancers are suing an Alabama strip club for at least $100,000 in compensatory damages, alleging that it forced them into giving up hard-earned tips to pay other workers. Last year, a federal judge ruled that former exotic dancers at another Birmingham strip club, The Furnace, had been employees, not independent contractors. The dancers at The Furnace had also argued that they were denied minimum wages and were forced to share tips and pay house fees.

Persons: —, Sammy's Organizations: Labor, Service, Northern District of, Sammy's Gentlemen's, Act, Fair Labor, US Department of Labor, Business Locations: Alabama, Northern District, Northern District of Alabama, Birmingham, East Coast

☆ An Effort to End ‘Judge-Shopping’ Turns Into a ‘Political Firestorm’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Instead, the policy turned out to be guidance, rather than a binding rule. Conservative politicians are encouraging judges to reject it, while Democrats are pushing to make the policy mandatory. And some Texas judges have stated that they will make up their own minds about what to do. “It’s very unusual for a conference policy to become a political firestorm like this,” said Jeremy Fogel, a retired federal judge who served in the Northern District of California. “I think that is unprecedented.”Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, swiftly condemned the new policy, which would deprive conservative activists of a potent weapon in their legal arsenal, one that they have wielded with great success in rolling back abortion rights and some Biden administration policies.

Persons: ”, Jeremy Fogel, ” Mitch McConnell, Biden Organizations: Judicial Conference, Northern District of Locations: Texas, Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Texas federal court district rebuffs effort to curb ‘judge-shopping’ tactic
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Judge-shopping is the practice of strategically filing cases in courthouses where the lawsuits are almost guaranteed to be heard by judges perceived to be sympathetic to the litigants. Texas has other US district courts with single-judge divisions, in addition to Amarillo, where challenges to the Biden administration agenda are frequently funneled through. The Judicial Conference announced after an early March meeting that it was seeking to curb the practice of judge-shopping with the new case assignment policy. The announcement prompted blowback from Republican senators, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who argued that any mandated policy would run afoul of a statute passed by Congress that gives each district court the discretion to design its case assignment protocols. When the Judicial Conference released the formal guidance days later, it indicated that the districtwide assignment policy was recommended, but optional.

Persons: David Godbey, Chuck Schumer, Matthew Kacsmaryk, Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, Kacsmaryk, Biden, George W, Bush, Schumer, Godbey, ”, “, ” Schumer, Mitch McConnell Organizations: CNN, US, Court, Northern, Northern District of, New, New York Democrat, Amarillo Division, Judicial Conference, Law360, Judicial, Congress Locations: Texas, Northern District, Northern District of Texas, New York, Northern Texas, Amarillo, “

☆ Opinion: Conservatives game the system to drag Supreme Court further into culture war
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Steve Vladeck | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

He is the author of the “One First” Supreme Court newsletter. Both cases were filed in federal district courts in which the plaintiffs could literally hand-pick the specific federal judge who would be assigned to hear the dispute. Indeed, the Supreme Court granted emergency relief in both the social media and mifepristone cases. But the Supreme Court is another matter. For once, the Supreme Court is the victim of right-wing litigation behavior, not the culprit.

Persons: Steve Vladeck, Stephen I, Biden, they’ve, Terry Doughty, Donald Trump, Matthew Kacsmaryk, Trump, —, Neil Gorsuch, Gorsuch Organizations: CNN, University of Texas School of Law, Monroe Division, Court, Western, Western District of, Amarillo Division, Northern, Northern District of, Appeals, Fifth, Fifth Circuit, Democratic, Ninth Circuit, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Securities, Exchange, Conference, United, Northern District of Texas, Judicial, Federal, FDA Locations: Murthy v . Missouri, Monroe, Western District, Western District of Louisiana, Amarillo, Northern District, Northern District of Texas, Orleans, Texas, Austin, West Coast, United States

☆ Trump accused of 'inciting violence' after sharing video with image depicting Biden tied up in the back of a pickup truck
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Donald Trump shared an image of Joe Biden hog-tied on the tailgate of a passing pickup truck. The Republican presidential nominee was accused of inciting violence against President Joe Biden. AdvertisementRepublican presidential nominee Donald Trump faced criticism Friday for posting a video on his social media that showed President Joe Biden hog-tied on the tailgate of a passing pickup truck. Trump just posted a video of a pickup truck on Truth Social that has a giant image of President Biden bound with rope and laying, apparently kidnapped. Related stories"Democrats and crazed lunatics have not only called for despicable violence against President Trump and his family, they are actually weaponizing the justice system against him."

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, —, Jonathan Diller, Trump, Biden, MAGA, WFiXIFWU7R, Brian Tyler Cohen, Michael Tyler, Tyler, Steven Cheung, lunatics, President Trump, Mr Trump's, Kathy Griffin's, Kathy Griffin’s, Kathy Griffin, lene W hite, ake Organizations: Republican, Service, Trump, NBC, Capitol Police Locations: Long Island , New York, Huntington , Long, Huntington Long

☆ Judge’s stern rebuke of Elon Musk’s X gives critics fresh hope
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Brian Fung | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A federal judge’s decision this week reprimanding Elon Musk’s X will have reverberating effects on efforts to hold influential online platforms accountable, legal experts and advocacy groups say. Breyer held that the reports were “unquestionably” protected by the group’s free speech rights. Now, that decision could embolden other research groups and Musk critics who have faced legal threats from the billionaire. Researchers face hurdles to studying on-platform behaviorResearchers from non-profits and academic institutions have had a harder time studying X since Musk’s takeover in 2022. But one of Musk’s first changes at X was to put access to platform data behind a steep paywall.

Persons: reprimanding Elon Musk’s, Charles Breyer, Breyer, CCDH, X, Northern District of California —, Musk, White, Elon, ”, Alex Abdo, ” Abdo, Angelo Carusone, Carusone, Andrew Bailey, “, ” Carusone, David Karpf, ” Karpf, Nora Benavidez, Benavidez Organizations: CNN, Center, Court, Northern, Northern District of, Columbia University, “ Society, Twitter, Anti, Defamation League, Microsoft, Meta, Media, AGs, School of Media, Public Affairs, George Washington University, ” Free Press, Free Press Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California, Texas, Missouri

CNN —A majority of Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical Tuesday of the idea of a nationwide ban or new limits on mifepristone, the primary drug used for medication abortions. At issue in the case are lower-court rulings that would have rolled back recent Food and Drug Administration decisions to ease access to the mifepristone. “What the court did … is enter sweeping nationwide relief that restricts access to mifepristone for every single woman in this country. Some anti-abortion activists see the law as an avenue to end medication abortion, and perhaps all kinds of abortions. Danco’s attorney said that this case was not an appropriate venue for the court to weigh the reach of the Comstock Act.

Persons: Roe, Wade, John Roberts, Neil Gorsuch, ” Roberts, Erin Hawley, interjected, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s, ”, ” Gorsuch, Biden, …, Elizabeth Prelogar, Brett Kavanaugh, ” Kavanaugh, Prelogar, Ketanji Brown Jackson, “, Jackson, ” Jackson, Amy Coney Barrett, Barrett, Alito, Thomas, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, ” Alito, Mifepristone, Comstock, mifepristone, Matthew Kacsmaryk –, Trump, –, Kacsmaryk Organizations: CNN, Drug Administration, Conservative, FDA, Justice Department, Amarillo Division, Court, Northern, Northern District of, US, US Judicial Locations: mifepristone, FDA’s, Amarillo, Northern District, Northern District of Texas

☆ Live Updates: Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on Abortion Pill Access
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Abbie Vansickle | Linda Qiu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

If the Supreme Court sides with the plaintiffs and decides to roll back or invalidate Food and Drug Administration regulations on mifepristone, it would be the first time the court undercut the federal agency’s authority. The abortion pill case before the Supreme Court could have implications far beyond abortion, potentially undermining the regulatory system for all medicines in the United States. If the Supreme Court sides with the plaintiffs and decides to roll back or invalidate F.D.A. They would have to pick up mifepristone in person from a doctor and would have to visit the doctor three times during the medication abortion process. and not to abortion providers, some medication abortion services have been stockpiling mifepristone and may continue prescribing and mailing their supply.

Persons: ”, Matthew J, mifepristone Organizations: Drug, Food and Drug Administration, Northern, Northern District of, Trump, U.S ., Appeals, Fifth Circuit Locations: United States, Northern District, Northern District of Texas

☆ Federal judge tosses Elon Musk’s case against hate speech watchdog CCDH
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A federal judge on Monday threw out a lawsuit by Elon Musk’s X that had targeted a watchdog group for its critical reports about hate speech on the social media platform. In a blistering 52-page order, the judge blasted X’s case as plainly punitive rather than about protecting the platform’s security and legal rights. X has blamed CCDH’s reports, which showcase the prevalence of hate speech on the platform, for amplifying brand safety concerns and driving advertisers away from the site. In the suit, X claimed that it had suffered tens of millions of dollars in damages from CCDH’s publications. “If CCDH’s publications were defamatory, that would be one thing, but X Corp. has carefully avoided saying that they are,” Breyer wrote.

Persons: Elon Musk’s, ”, Charles Breyer, ” Breyer, X, CCDH’s, Musk, Alex Jones, Breyer, “, CCDH, X’s, Imran Ahmed, @CCDHate, @ElonMusk’s @X, ” Ahmed, Ahmed, “ X Organizations: CNN, Court, Northern, Northern District of, Twitter, X Corp, Center Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California, Newtown , Connecticut, California, San Francisco

☆ Lawsuit by Elon Musk's X was an attempt to punish free speech, judge rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewA lawsuit that Elon Musk's X filed last year against a research group was thrown out Monday, with US District Judge Charles Breyer saying, "This case is about punishing the Defendants for their speech." But Breyer wrote "there can be no mistaking" that the real motive of the suit was to bully X's critics into silence. Related storiesWhen asked for comment on the decision, the press email for X replied, "Busy now, please check back later." Musk has previously said he's a "free speech absolutist" and that his "thermonuclear" lawsuits against media-watchdog groups are about "protecting free speech."

Persons: —, Elon Musk's X, Charles Breyer, X, Breyer, Musk, Imran Ahmed, lawfare Organizations: Service, US, Northern District of, Business, X Corp, Media Matters Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X against nonprofit CCDH thrown out by judge on free speech grounds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A federal judge in California dismissed a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X against the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, writing in a judgement Monday that the "case is about punishing the Defendants for their speech." X sued the research group in July, accusing it of implementing a "scare campaign" to drive away advertisers. The company also accused CCDH of improperly accessing data from the platform and selectively picking posts to "falsely claim" that X is "overwhelmed with harmful content." CCDH also found that Twitter failed to act on 89% of anti-Jewish hate speech and 97% of anti-Muslim hate speech on the platform. In one instance, X has sued an Israeli web data collection company called Bright Data over its allegedly unauthorized scraping of data from its social media platform.

Persons: Elon Musk's, X, CCDH, Musk, Charles Breyer, Breyer, Roberta Kaplan, Donald Trump, E, Jean Carroll, Trump, Carroll, Xfinity Organizations: CCDH, Northern District of, Twitter, CNBC, X, Bright, Media Matters, America, Apple, Bravo, IBM, Oracle Locations: California, Northern District, Northern District of California, Silicon Valley, Texas

☆ Apple reaches $490 million settlement over Tim Cook's China sales comments
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., speaks during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference at Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, US, on Monday, June 6, 2022. Apple has reached a $490 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit that alleged Chief Executive Tim Cook defrauded shareholders by concealing falling demand for iPhones in China. A preliminary settlement was filed on Friday with the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, and requires approval by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Apple posted $97 billion of net income in its latest fiscal year, and its payout equals a little under two days of profit. The case is In re Apple Inc Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

Persons: Tim Cook, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Cook, Shawn Williams, Rogers, Apple Organizations: Apple Inc, Apple Worldwide, Apple, U.S, Norfolk Pension Fund, Apple Inc Securities Litigation, Court, Northern District of Locations: Cupertino , California, China, Oakland , California, Brazil, India, Russia, Turkey, Norfolk, Norwich, England, Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Federal judiciary clamps down on ‘judge-shopping’ tactics that have helped Texas block Biden and liberal policies
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The policy-making body of the federal judiciary is clamping down on the system that conservatives have successfully used in recent years to hamstring President Joe Biden’s agenda and other federal policies, including those concerning reproductive rights. The new policy seeks to curb “judge-shopping,” the strategy where litigants strategically file lawsuits in courthouses where the cases will be guaranteed to be heard by judges perceived to be sympathetic to their arguments. While the strategy has long been used in patent cases, there been a concerted uptick for politically charged, wide-reaching cases that have been filed in Texas by Republican state attorneys general or conservative, private-sector parties. Under the new policy, such cases seeking nationwide or state-wide orders will go into the lottery system used by the entire district. “The current issue relates to nationwide injunctions or statewide injunctions,” Sutton said at a news conference Tuesday.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, mifepristone, Matthew Kacsmaryk –, Donald Trump, –, ”, Steve Vladeck, Jeffrey Sutton, ” Sutton, it’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Food, Judicial, United States, Amarillo Division, Court, Northern, Northern District of, University of Texas School of Law Locations: Texas, Amarillo, Northern District, Northern District of Texas

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in Texas has ordered a 55-year-old U.S. agency that caters to minority-owned businesses to serve people regardless of race, siding with white business owners who claimed the program discriminated against them. The agency, which helps minority-owned businesses obtain financing and government contracts, now operates in 33 states and Puerto Rico. Justice Department lawyers representing Minority Business Development Agency declined to comment on the ruling, which can be appealed to the conservative-leaning 5th U.S. John F. Robinson, president of the National Minority Business Council, said the ruling is “a blow against minority owned businesses," and does nothing to help majority-owned businesses because they already enjoy access to federal resources through the Small Business Administration. "It has the potential of damaging the whole minority business sector because there will be less service available to minority-owned businesses,” Robinson said.

Persons: Mark T, Pittman, Donald Trump, Nixon, Biden, ” Pittman, Dan Lennington, ” Lennington, John F, Robinson, ” Robinson, Arian Simone, Alphonso David, David, Stanley Goldfarb, ”, “, —, David Glasgow, Graham Lee Brewer, Haleluya Hadero Organizations: —, U.S, Northern, Northern District of, U.S . Commerce Department, Infrastructure Investment, Jobs, Black, Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, Justice Department, Business, Agency, Circuit, National Minority Business Council, Small Business Administration, Economic, Pfizer, The, Appeals, American Alliance for Equal Rights, Meltzer Center for Diversity, New York University’s School of Law, Supreme, AP Locations: Texas, Northern District, Northern District of Texas, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Tennessee, Atlanta, The New York, Florida, New

☆ Ex-Google software engineer charged with stealing AI technology while working with Chinese companies
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A former software engineer at Google has been charged with stealing artificial intelligence technology from the company while secretly working with two companies based in China, the Justice Department said Wednesday. "The theft of innovative technology and trade secrets from American companies can cost jobs and have devastating economic and national security consequences." Within weeks of the theft starting, prosecutors say, Ding was offered the position of chief technology officer at an early-stage technology company in China that touted its use of AI technology. The indictment says Ding traveled to China and participated in investor meetings at the company and sought to raise capital for it. Three days later, Google officials learned that he had presented as CEO of one of the Chinese companies at an investor conference in Beijing.

Persons: Linwei Ding, Ding, General Merrick Garland, Christopher Wray, Lisa Monaco, Wray Organizations: Google, Justice Department, American Bar Association Conference, Department, Technology, Force, Northern District of, supercomputing, Prosecutors Locations: China, Newark , California, San Francisco, People's Republic of China, United States, Northern District, Northern District of California, Beijing

☆ Federal judge in Texas says agency created to help minority-owned businesses must provide assistance to all races
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —A federal judge in Texas said Tuesday that a US Commerce Department agency intended to help minority-owned businesses must offer assistance to all individuals, regardless of race, agreeing with White business owners who claimed that its policies were unconstitutional. Because they aren’t on the Agency’s magic list, the Agency presumes they aren’t disadvantaged,” Pittman wrote. Time’s up.”The MBDA is one of the only federal agencies focused exclusively on developing and advocating for minority-owned businesses. In recent years, conservatives have increasingly turned to federal courts in Texas to challenge certain federal programs and actions. “To the extent the MBDA offers services pursuant to an unconstitutional presumption, that’s fifty-five years too many,” Pittman said in his latest ruling.

Persons: Mark Pittman, Donald Trump, Pittman, …, ” Pittman, ”, Nixon, “, ’ ”, MBDA Organizations: Washington CNN, US Commerce Department, US, Minority Business Development Agency, Latino, Agency, US Department of Commerce, Fort, Northern, Northern District of, Biden, “, Centers Locations: Texas, Asian, Fort Worth, Northern District, Northern District of Texas, SFFA

☆ Ex-Google Engineer Charged With Stealing A.I. Secrets for Chinese Firm
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Nico Grant | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Chinese citizen who recently quit his job as a software engineer for Google in California has been charged with trying to transfer artificial intelligence technology to a Beijing-based company that paid him secretly, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Wednesday. Prosecutors accused Linwei Ding, who was part of the team that designs and maintains Google’s vast A.I. supercomputer data system, of stealing information about the “architecture and functionality” of the system, and of pilfering software used to “orchestrate” supercomputers “at the cutting edge of machine learning and A.I. technology.”From May 2022 to May 2023, Mr. Ding, also known as Leon, uploaded 500 files, many containing trade secrets, from his Google-issued laptop to the cloud by using a multistep scheme that allowed him to “evade immediate detection,” according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of California. Mr. Ding was arrested on Wednesday morning at his home in Newark, Calif., not far from Google’s sprawling main campus in Mountain View, officials said.

Persons: Linwei Ding, Ding, Leon Organizations: Google, Prosecutors, Northern, Northern District of Locations: California, Beijing, Northern District, Northern District of California, Newark , Calif, Mountain View

☆ Former Twitter Executives Sue Elon Musk for $128 Million
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Kate Conger | More About Kate Conger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Four former Twitter executives sued Elon Musk on Monday, accusing the billionaire of withholding severance payments worth $128 million after he fired them from the company during his 2022 takeover. When Mr. Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion, he fired Parag Agrawal, its chief executive; Ned Segal, its chief financial officer; Vijaya Gadde, its head of legal and policy; and Sean Edgett, its general counsel. Mr. Musk later renamed the company X. In the event of an involuntary termination, Mr. Agrawal was entitled to a so-called golden parachute payment of $60 million, according to a Twitter securities filing. Under those same circumstances, Mr. Segal would receive $46 million and Ms. Gadde $21 million, according to the filing.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Parag Agrawal, Ned Segal, Vijaya Gadde, Sean Edgett, Agrawal, Segal, Gadde Organizations: Twitter, Northern, Northern District of Locations: U.S, Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Former Twitter execs sue Elon Musk over severance payments
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Brian Fung | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —A group of former Twitter executives sued Elon Musk on Monday in a bid to recover more than $128 million in severance that they allege Musk has not paid since he acquired the company, now called X, more than a year ago. The executives include former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, former CFO Ned Segal, former Chief Legal Officer Vijaya Gadde and former General Counsel Sean Edgett — all of whom were fired within hours after Musk took control of Twitter. Monday’s lawsuit is just the latest legal action brought by former Twitter employees related to Musk’s acquisition. The company has also been accused of failing to pay annual bonuses to employees laid off after Musk’s takeover. Musk and X have also faced lawsuits from vendors, landlords and business partners who claim the company has failed to pay what they are owed.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Parag Agrawal, Ned Segal, Vijaya Gadde, Sean Edgett —, “, ”, Agrawal, Gadde, Segal Organizations: New, New York CNN, Twitter, Court, Northern, Northern District of Locations: New York, Northern District, Northern District of California, Delaware

☆ A beauty manufacturing company fired a worker on her first day after finding out she was deaf, a federal agency says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A company in Illinois fired a worker after it learned that she was deaf, the EEOC alleged. The worker lost her job on her very first day, the EEOC said in a disability-discrimination lawsuit. The company has agreed to pay the worker $75,000 in back pay and compensatory damages. AdvertisementA beauty manufacturing company in Illinois fired a worker on her first day on the job after finding out that she was deaf, according to a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. On the worker's first day, "Voyant learned that she was deaf and informed her that because she is deaf, Voyant was ending her employment there," the EEOC's lawsuit alleges.

Persons: —, Voyant, EEOC, Jeremy Daniel, Gregory Gochanour Organizations: Service, Commission, Countryside, Court, Northern, Northern District of Illinois, US, EEOC's, Office Locations: Illinois, Countryside , Illinois, Northern District, EEOC's Chicago

☆ Woman Sues Tomato Company, Saying Those Weren’t San Marzanos in the Can
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Amanda Holpuch | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

San Marzano tomatoes are prized by chefs around the world for their intense flavor and are routinely recommended by recipe writers, but one woman in California said that her effort to make a sauce from these rich and balanced tomatoes was upset by a misleading label. Simpson Imports, a Pennsylvania tomato seller, has for years sold Roma tomatoes in cans and boxes, but the California woman, Andrea Valiente, said in a lawsuit filed last year that the company had used “highly misleading tomato packaging to trick consumers into believing that they are purchasing genuine San Marzano tomatoes, at San Marzano prices.”Simpson Imports sought to dismiss the lawsuit, but Araceli Martínez-Olguín, a U.S. District Court judge for the Northern District of California, said in an order on Tuesday that some of Ms. Valiente’s claims could move forward. Simpson Imports said in an emailed statement that it “strongly disputes that reasonable consumers could have been deceived” by the label since “San Marzano” does not appear on it.

Persons: Andrea Valiente, ” Simpson, Araceli, Valiente’s, ”, San Marzano Organizations: Simpson Imports, U.S, Northern, Northern District of Locations: California, Pennsylvania, San, Northern District, Northern District of California

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