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☆ Elon Musk's X can proceed to trial in case against Media Matters after Texas judge denies dismissal request
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-29 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A federal judge in Texas has ruled against Media Matters and its request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X. Because of U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor's decision on Thursday, X's lawsuit against the nonprofit media watchdog and two of its staff members will proceed to trial on April 7. Attorneys representing X claimed the Media Matters report was "intentionally deceptive" and financially damaged the company. Media Matters and X didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. In August, O'Connor dismissed a request by Media Matters to force Musk to list Tesla as an interested party in X's lawsuit against the nonprofit.

Persons: Elon Musk's, District Judge Reed O'Connor's, Angelo Carusone, O'Connor, didn't, Tesla Organizations: Media Matters, U.S, District, Twitter, Media, Apple, IBM, Disney, X, Unilever, Mars, CVS Health, Elon Musk Locations: Athens, Greece, Texas, California, Meta

☆ Texas judge in X's lawsuit against advertisers recuses himself after report he owned Tesla stock
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The judge overseeing X's lawsuit against advertisers has recused himself following a news report that showed he owned shares of Tesla . In a recusal notice dated Aug. 13, U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Texas backed out of X's case against the World Federation of Advertisers, which was filed last week. X, formerly known as Twitter, is owned by Elon Musk, who is also the CEO and largest shareholder in Tesla. On Monday, NPR reported that O'Connor had owned shares of Tesla in 2022, the date of his last available disclosure, posing a potential conflict of interest. In X's lawsuit, the company accused a number of advertisers of engaging in antitrust behavior when they stopped ad campaigns on the site.

Persons: District Judge Reed O'Connor, Elon Musk, O'Connor, weren't, Ed Kinkeade, Sen, John Cornyn Organizations: Tesla, District, World Federation, Elon, NPR, Companies, Unilever, Mars, CVS Healthcare, Orsted, WFA, Global Alliance, Responsible Media, X, Media Matters, America Locations: U.S, Texas, Tesla, Europe, North Texas, China

☆ U.S. finalizes details of Boeing 737 Max plea deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Boeing confirmed it had filed a detailed plea agreement with the Justice Department. "We will continue to work transparently with our regulators as we take significant actions across Boeing to further strengthen our safety, quality and compliance programs," the company said. As part of the deal, the planemaker agreed to spend at least $455 million over the next three years to boost safety and compliance programs, the filing said. The deal also imposes an independent monitor, who will have to publicly file annual progress reports, to oversee the firm's compliance. Boeing will be on probation during the monitor's three-year term and it can be extended by a year if Boeing does not comply with the terms.

Persons: Reed O'Connor Organizations: Department, Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration, Justice Department, Max

☆ Supreme Court will take up the legal fight over ghost guns, firearms without serial numbers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Illegal and ghost guns on display at the Attorney General Letitia James offices in Manhattan on March 15, 2023. The justices by a 5-4 vote had previously intervened to keep the regulation in effect during the legal fight. Ghost guns, which lack serial numbers, have been turning up at crime scenes with increasing regularity. The requirement applies regardless of how the firearm was made, meaning it includes ghost guns made from individual parts or kits or by 3D printers. The Supreme Court allowed the regulation to remain in effect while the lawsuit continues.

Persons: Letitia James, Luiz C . Ribeiro, District Judge Reed O'Connor, O'Connor, Donald Trump, O'Connor's, John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, Barrett, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh Organizations: New York Daily News, Tribune, Service, Getty, Biden, Justice, U.S, District, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Circuit, Appeals, Trump Locations: Manhattan, New, Fort Worth , Texas

[1/2] Parts of a ghost gun kit are on display at an event held by U.S. President Joe Biden to announce measures to fight ghost gun crime, at the White House in Washington U.S., April 11, 2022. The administration had said O'Connor's decision to grant an injunction favoring ghost gun kit makers despite the prior intervention by the justices "openly flouted" the Supreme Court's authority. The administration has said that ghost guns are attractive to criminals and others prohibited from lawfully buying firearms, including minors. There were about 20,000 suspected ghost guns reported in 2021 to the ATF as having been recovered by law enforcement in criminal investigations - a tenfold increase from 2016, according to White House statistics. Plaintiffs including the parts manufacturers, various gun owners and two gun rights groups - the Firearms Policy Coalition and Second Amendment Foundation - filed suit to block the ghost guns rule in federal court in Texas.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Joe Biden's, Judge Reed O'Connor's, O'Connor, Sellers, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, White, REUTERS, Supreme, Blackhawk Manufacturing, Defense, Bureau, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, White House statistics, Firearms Policy Coalition, Gun Control, Circuit, Appeals, Thomson Locations: Washington U.S, Texas, Fort Worth, United States, New Orleans, New York

The insurer said the rule, which would apply retroactively, was "arbitrary and capricious," and threatened "unpredictable consequences for Medicare Advantage organizations and the millions of seniors who rely on the Medicare Advantage program for their healthcare." Close to half of the approximately 65 million Medicare enrollees sign up for Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage plans differ from traditional Medicare because private companies offer them, and are reimbursed by the government for care. Though Humana is based in Louisville, Kentucky, it filed its lawsuit with the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas. The case is Humana Inc et al v Becerra et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, No.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Humana, Biden, Xavier Becerra, District Judge Reed O'Connor, Becerra, Jonathan Stempel, Leroy Leo, Richard Chang Organizations: Humana Inc, REUTERS, U.S, overcharges, Medicare, Services, Jan, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, CMS, Northern District of Texas, District, Fort, Affordable, Court, Northern District of, Thomson Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S, Louisville , Kentucky, Northern District, Northern District of Texas, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Supreme Court allows Biden ‘ghost gun’ regulations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Lawrence Hurley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Biden administration to enforce regulations aimed at clamping down on so-called ghost guns — firearm-making kits available online that people can assemble at home. Plaintiffs also include gun rights groups and makers and sellers of ghost guns. Tuesday's ruling was not a final decision and the Supreme Court could still hear the case and issue a detailed decision on the merits. On July 28, Justice Samuel Alito temporarily put the Texas ruling on hold while the Supreme Court decided on what next steps to take. The ghost guns case, however, is on a separate legal question related to ATF's regulatory authority, not the right to bear arms.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Biden, John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, John Feinblatt, Reed O'Connor, Jennifer VanDerStok, Michael Andren, David Thompson, Tuesday's, Elizabeth Prelogar, Samuel Alito Organizations: Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, of Alcohol, Gun Safety, Manufacturers, ATF, Gun Control, Circuit, Appeals, Supreme Locations: Glendale , California, Texas, New Orleans

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden holds up a ghost gun kit while announcing new measures by his administration to fight ghost gun crime at the White House in, Washington, U.S., April 11, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File PhotoAug 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday granted a request by President Joe Biden's administration to reinstate - at least for now - a federal regulation aimed at reining in privately made firearms called "ghost guns" that are difficult for law enforcement to trace. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Tuesday found that 70% of Americans support requirements that ghost guns have serial numbers and be produced only by licensed manufacturers. There were about 20,000 suspected ghost guns reported in 2021 to the ATF as having been recovered by law enforcement in criminal investigations - a tenfold increase from 2016, according to White House statistics. Biden's administration on July 27 asked the justices to halt O'Connor's ruling that invalidated a Justice Department restriction on the sale of ghost gun kits while it appeals to the New Orleans-based 5th U.S.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Joe Biden's, District Judge Reed O'Connor, John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, O'Connor, Sellers, Alito, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: White, REUTERS, U.S, Supreme, District, Conservative, Control, Bureau, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Gun Control, Justice, Coalition, Reuters, White House, Circuit, Appeals, Firearms Policy Coalition, Constitution, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Fort Worth , Texas, New Orleans, Texas, United States, U.S, New York

REUTERS/Bing Guan/File PhotoAug 1 (Reuters) - A U.S. regulation restricting ownership of gun accessories known as pistol braces is likely illegal, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday, a victory for a gun rights group challenging the rule. Circuit Court of Appeals found that U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives finalized the rule in January without giving the public a meaningful chance to comment on it. The court did not immediately block enforcement of the rule, instead sending the case back to U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth, Texas. Pistol braces were first marketed in 2012 as a way of attaching a pistol to the shooter's forearm, stabilizing it and making it easier to use for disabled people. The disputed rule classifies some guns equipped with pistol braces as short-barrel rifles, based on several factors including their size and weight and the manufacturers' marketing materials.

Persons: Dimitri Karras, Bing Guan, District Judge Reed O'Connor, O'Connor, Joe Biden's, Cody Wisniewski, Jerry Smith, Don Willett, Stephen Higginson, Smith, Willett, Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Higginson, Barack Obama, ‘, Higginson ‘, ’, Brendan Pierson, David Gregorio, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, REUTERS, Circuit, Appeals, . Bureau, Explosives, District, Coalition, ATF, U.S . Department of Justice, Fifth, Congress, Republican, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Oceanside , California, U.S, New Orleans, Fort Worth , Texas, New York

July 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Friday temporarily blocked a lower court's decision to strike down a regulation aimed at reining in privately made firearms known as "ghost guns" that are difficult for law enforcement to trace. The administration asked the justices to halt a Texas-based federal judge's nationwide ruling that invalidated a Justice Department restriction on the sale of ghost gun kits while it appeals to the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. The administration warned that allowing the judge's ruling to stand would enable an "irreversible flow of large numbers of untraceable ghost guns into our nation's communities." The rule clarified that ghost guns qualify as "firearms" under the federal Gun Control Act, requiring serial numbers and manufacturers be licensed. Several plaintiffs, including two gun owners and two gun rights advocacy groups, challenged the rule in federal court in Texas.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Alito, Joe Biden's, Sellers, Judge Reed O'Connor, Andrew Chung, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Supreme, Circuit, Appeals, Department, federal Gun Control, Thomson Locations: Texas, New Orleans, Texas . U.S, New York

The deal would preserve the mandate nationwide while appeals play out, but allow the employer challenging the mandate, Texas-based Braidwood Management, to stop covering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV and other preventive services without co-pays for its employees for now. The preventive care mandate, part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) often referred to as Obamacare, covers services recommended by a federal task force. The ruling does not apply to services the task force recommended before the ACA was enacted in 2010, including breast cancer screening. More than 150 million people were eligible for preventive care free of charge as of 2020 under the ACA, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Biden administration has said O'Connor's ruling threatens public health.

Persons: Biden, District Judge Reed O'Connor, O'Connor, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi, Bill Berkrot Organizations: U.S, Circuit, Appeals, Braidwood Management, Affordable, PrEP, HIV, District, . Constitution, U.S . Senate, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, Major, Thomson Locations: Texas, Braidwood, U.S, Fort Worth , Texas, ., New York

REUTERS/Baz RatnerMay 30 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled late on Tuesday that relatives of those killed in a 2019 Boeing (BA.N) 737 MAX Ethiopian Airlines crash may seek compensation for pain and suffering of passengers before the plane hit the ground. Boeing in 2021 agreed to acknowledge liability for compensatory damages in lawsuits filed by families of the 157 people killed in the fatal Ethiopian 737 MAX crash. A total of 346 people were killed in two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes - including the earlier October 2018 Lion Air crash in Indonesia. The Ethiopian Airlines crash prompted the worldwide grounding of the MAX in March 2019 for 20 months, costing Boeing more than $20 billion. As a result of the 2021 agreement, lawyers for the Ethiopian Airlines victims agreed not to seek punitive damages and Boeing did not challenge the lawsuits being filed in Illinois.

Persons: Baz Ratner, planemaker, Jorge Alonso, Alonso, District Judge Reed O'Connor, David Shepardson, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines, REUTERS, U.S, District, MAX, Justice, Thomson Locations: Bishoftu, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, U.S, Illinois, Indonesia, Texas

May 15 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court has temporarily halted a federal judge's ruling that struck down the Affordable Care Act's mandate requiring insurers to cover preventive care, the New York Times reported on Monday. The ruling stems from one of several legal challenges Republicans have brought against the 2010 healthcare law, former President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement popularly known as "Obamacare." U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in March struck down the Affordable Care Act's mandate that health insurance plans cover preventive care, including screenings for certain cancers and pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV, or the so-called PrEP mandate, at no cost to patients. Reed ruled that the PrEP mandate violated a federal religious freedom law and that other no-cost preventive care mandates were based on recommendations by an illegally appointed task force. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans put Reed's decision on hold, the Times reported, leaving the mandate in place for now.

☆ Appeals court pauses ruling that could end Obamacare's preventative care mandate
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Circuit Court of Appeals issued an "administrative stay" of the March 30 ruling issued by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor of Texas. Administration lawyers said in court filings that O'Connor's decision would affect preventive care for 150 million people. In his March ruling, O'Conner blocked only the requirement that most insurers cover a range of preventive care. The appeal is in the early stages and the appeals court has not yet set a date for arguments. O'Connor ruled that enforcing the recommendations violated constitutional language on how government officials can be appointed.

Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Justice Department said the order, from U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, "has no legal justification and threatens the public health." It asked the court to stop the order from taking effect until it can fully hear the administration's appeal. He found that the federal task force that decides what preventive care must be covered under the federal healthcare law, also known as Obamacare, was unlawfully appointed, voiding all of that task force's determinations since 2010. More than 150 million people were eligible for preventive care free of charge as of 2020 under Obamacare, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data. Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A federal judge who first blocked broad student-loan forgiveness just gave Biden a win by agreeing to pass on a case challenging a debt relief rule
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A federal judge that blocked student-debt relief agreed to transfer a related case to a different court. The case was challenging a rule to help borrowers who say they were defrauded by their schools. The Education Department said it was filed in the wrong venue, and the Trump-appointed judge agreed in a rare win for the administration. On February 28, CCST filed an 87 page complaint against the Education Department, saying that the department's latest reforms to the borrower defense process creates a "framework with new federal standards, adjudicatory schemes, and evidentiary presumptions." Judge Reed O'Connor, who is in the same district as Pittman, ruled the Affordable Care Act invalid in 2018.

☆ US Justice Dept appeals Obamacare ruling blocking coverage mandate- White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department is appealing a decision by a Texas judge that blocked Obamacare's mandate that health insurance plans cover preventive care at no cost to patients, the White House said on Friday. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, on Thursday blocked the federal government from enforcing requirements that insurance plans cover preventive care, including screenings for certain cancers and pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV (PrEP). If O'Connor's ruling is not paused or overturned on appeal, insurers will be able to charge patients copays and deductibles for such services in new insurance plans. "The president is glad to see the Department of Justice is appealing the judge's decision," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. "Preventive care saves lives, saves families money, and protects and improves our health," she said.

☆ Biden administration appeals Texas court decision striking down free Obamacare coverage of preventive care
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Biden administration on Friday appealed a Texas federal judge's decision to strike down free Obamacare coverage of preventive health-care services ranging from screenings for certain cancers and diabetes to HIV prevention drugs. HHS estimates that 150 million Americans benefited from the free screenings, counseling, medications and other forms of health care that prevent disease under the Obamacare requirements. Working class Americans will get hit the hardest and might forgo essential health care because they can't afford the cost, Gostin said. O'Connor ruled that Obamacare cannot mandate free coverage of health care recommended by the Preventive Services Task Force because the organization's members were appointed in an illegal manner. They also argued the Preventive Services Task Force was appointed in an unconstitutional manner and therefore its recommendations cannot serve as the basis of an Obamacare mandate.

☆ Judge strikes down Obamacare coverage of preventive care for cancers, diabetes, HIV and other conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A federal judge on Thursday struck down an Obamacare mandate that required most private health insurance plans to cover preventive care such as certain cancer screenings and HIV prevention drugs. You can find the full list of covered preventive services the judge struck down here. Judge Reed O'Connor in U.S. Northern District of Texas struck down those coverage requirements and blocked the federal government from enforcing them. The Affordable Care Act mandated free coverage of health services recommended by an independent panel of experts called the Preventive Services Task Force. They had also sought to overturn the federal mandate that requires Obamacare compliant plans to cover birth control with no out-of-pocket costs.

March 30 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Texas on Thursday blocked Obamacare's mandate that health insurance plans cover pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV (PrEP) and other preventive care including cancer and diabetes screenings. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, said the PrEP mandate violated a federal religious freedom law and that the other preventive care mandates were based on recommendations by an illegally appointed task force. The ruling was a victory for conservative businesses and individuals that sued to challenge the mandates in 2020. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees Obamacare, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Feb 10 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge in Texas late on Thursday denied a legal bid by families of the victims of two Boeing (BA.N) 737 MAX crashes to reopen or reject a January 2021 deferred prosecution agreement. Boeing won immunity from criminal prosecution as part its $2.5 billion Justice Department deferred prosecution agreement over a 737 MAX fraud conspiracy charge related to the plane's flawed design. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor ruled he did not have legal authority to grant the relatives' request, saying he had "immense sympathy for the victims and loved ones of those who died in the tragic plane crashes resulting from Boeing’s criminal conspiracy." Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Shuttered South African airline Comair sues Boeing over 737 MAX purchases
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - A shuttered South African airline sued Boeing Co (BA.N) for fraud over its agreement to buy eight 737 MAX planes and seeks damages of at least $83 million. The airline said Boeing refused to return $45.2 million in advance payments it made on seven MAX planes. Polish national airline PLL LOT sued Boeing in late 2021 in Seattle on similar grounds over 737 MAX purchases and the suit is pending. LOT in October asked a U.S. judge in Texas to declare it was a crime victim in the Boeing 737 MAX criminal case and said it has at least $250 million in damages. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor ruled in October people killed in two Boeing 737 MAX crashes are legally "crime victims."

☆ Boeing pleads not guilty to fraud charge in 737 Max arraignment
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Family members hold photographs of Boeing 737 MAX crash victims lost in two deadly 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people as they arrive for Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg's testimony before a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on “aviation safety” and the grounded 737 MAX on Capitol Hill in Washington, October 29, 2019. Boeing pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a 737 Max fraud conspiracy charge felony charge after families objected to a 2021 Justice Department agreement to resolve the investigation into the plane's flawed design. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor last week ordered Boeing to appear to be arraigned after he ruled that people killed in the two Boeing 737 Max crashes are legally considered "crime victims." The Justice Department in 2021 agreed to seek dismissal of the charge after the three-year agreement if Boeing complies with all terms. Lawyers for the victims said Boeing admitted under the agreement "that the 737 Max had an unsafe condition, and that it will not attempt to blame anyone else" for the crash.

[1/2] An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsey WassonCompanies Boeing Co FollowFORT WORTH, Texas/WASHINGTON Jan 26 (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a 737 MAX fraud conspiracy charge felony charge after families objected to a 2021 Justice Department agreement to resolve the investigation into the plane's flawed design. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor last week ordered Boeing to appear to be arraigned after he ruled that people killed in the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes are legally considered "crime victims." The Justice Department in 2021 agreed to seek dismissal of the charge after the three-year agreement if Boeing complies with all terms. Lawyers for the victims said Boeing admitted under the agreement "that the 737 MAX had an unsafe condition, and that it will not attempt to blame anyone else" for the crash.

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