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Search resuls for: "Meritless"


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Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is suing Orbis Business Intelligence for alleged data protection breaches over a dossier written by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, who co-founded Orbis. The Steele dossier, published by the BuzzFeed website in 2017, alleged ties between Trump's campaign and Russia and said Trump engaged in sexual behaviour that gave Russian authorities material with which to blackmail him. Orbis, however, argues that Trump is bringing the claim simply to address his "longstanding grievances" against the company and Steele. 'SHOCKING AND SCANDALOUS'Trump's lawyer Hugh Tomlinson told the court the former president wanted to prove that the "shocking and scandalous claims" in the Steele dossier were false. White said Trump only sued Orbis in London after a similar case brought in Florida against Orbis, Steele and others – including his Democratic opponent in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton – was dismissed.
Persons: Donald Trump, Marco Bello, Christopher Steele, Trump, Steele, Hugh Tomlinson, Tomlinson, Antony White, White, Orbis, Hillary Clinton –, Jean Carroll, Letitia James, Trump's, Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven, Karen Steyn, Sam Tobin, Ed Osmond, Christina Fincher, Rod Nickel Organizations: REUTERS, Trump, Orbis Business Intelligence, Orbis, Republican, Mr, Democratic, New, Thomson Locations: West Palm Beach , Florida, U.S, London, Russia, British, Moscow, St . Petersburg, Florida, New York
Colorado District Judge Sarah Wallace this week rejected Trump’s bid to get the lawsuit dismissed on free-speech grounds. A trial to determine Trump’s eligibility is set for October 30, if the case reaches that stage. Unprecedented casesCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, filed the Colorado lawsuit on behalf of a group of Republican and unaffiliated voters in the state. This is one of three major challenges against Trump’s eligibility for the 2024 ballot – similar cases are pending in Minnesota and Michigan, where a different group filed lawsuits. Griswold, a Democrat, previously told the judge that she doesn’t have a position on Trump’s eligibility and would comply with the judge’s final decision.
Persons: Donald Trump, Sarah Wallace, Trump’s, Wallace, ” Wallace, ” Trump, Trump, Donald Sherman, State Jena Griswold, Griswold, Organizations: CNN, Colorado, Republican, Trump, State, Democrat, Constitution Locations: Colorado, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan
(AP) — The Mississippi sheriff who leads the department where former deputies pleaded guilty to a long list of state and federal charges for the torture of two Black men has asked a federal court to dismiss a civil lawsuit against him. Court records show that attorney Jase Dare asked to dismiss the lawsuit on Oct. 6, just one day after a settlement conference was filed with the court. A settlement conference is scheduled when the parties in a lawsuit try to settle a case before trial. One of those men was Pierre Woods, who was shot and killed by Rankin County deputies in 2019. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Persons: JACKSON, Michael Corey Jenkins, Eddie Terrell Parker, Bryan Bailey's, Jenkins, Parker's, Bailey, , Jase Dare, Malik Shabazz, Trent Walker, , Bryan Bailey’s, Walker, Parker, Hunter Elward, Pierre Woods, Rankin, Woods, Brett McAlpin, Dare, McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield, ___ Michael Goldberg Organizations: Prosecutors, Associated Press, U.S, Circuit, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: Miss, The Mississippi, Rankin, Elward, Richland, @mikergoldberg
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has dropped his $500 million lawsuit against Michael Cohen, his former lawyer and fixer who is now a key witness in a criminal case against him, Cohen and a Trump spokesperson said Thursday night. Trump has also accused Cohen of breaking a confidentiality agreement that he signed as a condition of his employment. That testimony was originally set for Oct. 3, but Trump rescheduled so he could attend the first three days of a separate New York civil fraud trial. A Trump spokesperson said Trump had decided “to temporarily pause" the suit against Cohen as he mounts another campaign for the White House and fights criminal charges in four separate jurisdictions, but said he would refile at a later date. “My legal team and I now look forward to turning our full attention to holding Mr. Trump accountable for his latest abuse of the legal system.
Persons: — Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Trump, , ” Cohen Organizations: Trump, GOP, White, Columbus, Washington D.C, Southern, of Locations: New York, Florida, York, Great State of New Hampshire, Washington, Georgia, of New York, Miami
The legal filings marked an escalation in the battle between the entertainment giant and DeSantis, a candidate for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Disney has sued DeSantis in federal court, claiming the governor violated its free speech rights by punishing it for expressing opposition to the law. Meanwhile, the governing district now controlled by DeSantis appointees has sued Disney in state court. Disney filed counterclaims that include asking a state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable. The DeSantis allies are arguing that one of the reasons the agreements should be invalidated is they weren't properly publicized.
Persons: Ron DeSantis ratcheted, DeSantis, Walt Disney, Disney, , Mike Schneider Organizations: Disney, Central, Governor Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Central Florida, , U.S, DeSantis
Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler is testifying before the House Financial Services Committee today. Republicans are increasingly apoplectic about the more than 40 rules Gensler has been proposing, especially now that he has begun adopting them. Gensler grilled for proposed and adopted rulesRepublicans will be particularly keen to talk about some of the bigger issues Gensler has been tackling. Some are hoping that a few Democrats will join the Republicans and ask Gensler to slow down. Now that he has begun adopting many of these rules, the financial services industry seems to be saying, "See you in court."
Persons: Gary Gensler, Gensler, That's, Biden, Kirsten Wegner, Wegner, Virtu, Doug Cifu, Cifu, What's Organizations: U.S . Treasury, Washington , D.C, Securities, Exchange, Financial Services, Senate Banking, Republicans, Gensler, Commission, Modern Markets, Trader's Magazine, SEC, Virtu Locations: Washington ,
California is taking some of the world’s biggest energy companies, including Shell, Exxon Mobil and Chevron, to court, accusing them of concealing the damage caused by fossil fuels on the state for more than half a century. The strategy has echoes of an earlier fight: states’ legal battle against Big Tobacco in the 1990s. It argues that the oil majors should pay fines for burying scientific evidence linking carbon emissions to greenhouse gases. In the 1990s, California and dozens of other states brought cases against the four biggest U.S. tobacco companies. The companies were also compelled to label cigarettes as potentially lethal, to change how and where they marketed them, and to disband the Tobacco Institute, the industry-funded trade group.
Persons: ” Rob Bonta Organizations: Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Big Oil, Big Tobacco, American Petroleum Institute, Prosecutors, Tobacco Institute Locations: California
[1/2] Former U.S. President Donald Trump departs from Trump Tower to give a deposition to New York Attorney General Letitia James who sued Trump and his Trump Organization, in New York City, U.S., April 13, 2023. James has accused Trump of repeatedly lying in financial statements to obtain better terms on loans and insurance. Last week, Trump accused James of ignoring the decision and Engoron of refusing to implement it, and said the trial should be delayed. She said even a brief delay "would likely wreak havoc" on the trial and other trials that Trump faces. James' lawsuit seeks to bar Trump and his adult sons Donald Jr. And Eric from running businesses in New York.
Persons: Donald Trump, Letitia James, Trump, Mike Segar, Donald Trump's, Letitia James's, James, Arthur Engoron, Trump's, Ivanka Trump, Engoron, Donald Jr, Eric, Karen Freifeld, Jonathan Stempel, Daniel Wallis, Chizu Organizations: U.S, Trump Tower, New York, Trump Organization, REUTERS, Companies Trump Organization, Trump, Thomson Locations: New, New York City, U.S, New York, Manhattan, Lago, Florida
The state of California on Friday filed one of the most significant cases against major oil companies for their role in perpetuating climate change. The oil companies named as defendants are BP , Chevron , ConocoPhillips , Exxon Mobil , and Shell . The state is seeking an abatement fund paid for by the defendants that will finance recovery efforts for the future damage of human-caused climate change. It also asks that the oil companies and their trade group pay a share of the damages from extreme weather disasters worsened by climate change. Shell, based in the U.K., maintained that its position on climate change "has been a matter of public record for decades."
Persons: Rob Bonta, Korey Silverman, Columbia University's, Silverman, Newsom, API's, Ryan Meyers, Roati Organizations: Exxon, American Petroleum Institute, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, Shell, Columbia, Climate Change, California Gov Locations: San Francisco , California, California, San Francisco, Chevron, Texas
And he retains the shield of the attorney general's office in legal battles still to come. The former deputies' accusation that Paxton abused his power to help Paul were at the core of Paxton's impeachment. The judge overseeing it said in August that she would set a trial date after the impeachment trial. THE DISCIPLINARY HEARINGAlso on hold during Paxton's impeachment trial was an ethics case brought by the state bar. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at: https://apnews.com/hub/ken-paxton
Persons: Ken Paxton, acquit Paxton, Joe Biden, Paxton, INVESTIGAITON Paxton, Nate Paul, Paul, Drew Wicker, Paxton’s, Wicker, Nate ”, general’s Austin, Dan Cogdell, Weeks, Cogdell, Donald Trump's, Brent Webster, he's, paxton Organizations: DALLAS, Texas, FBI, Republican, Lawmakers, U.S, Supreme, State Bar of Texas Locations: Paxton, Austin, Texas, Washington ,, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston
The U.S. government says the former Twitter's request to end oversight of its data privacy and security practices is “meritless” and owner Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the company since he has “first-hand knowledge” of the conduct being investigated. Political Cartoons View All 1154 ImagesThe FTC has been watching the company for years since Twitter agreed to a 2011 consent order alleging serious data security lapses. But the agency’s concerns spiked with the tumult that followed Elon Musk’s Oct. 27 takeover of the company. Twitter paid a $150 million penalty in May 2022, about five months before Musk’s takeover, for violating the 2011 consent order. An updated version established new procedures requiring the company to implement an enhanced privacy-protection program as well as beef up information security.
Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Elon Musk’s, , Andrew Sayler, Elon, Organizations: X Corp, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, U.S . Department of Justice, Twitter,
The documents were unearthed by the non-profit Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which counts billionaire George Soros’ Open Society Foundations among its financial backers, and its research was shared with media including The Guardian and the Financial Times. It is also backed by the US State Department, the UK Foreign Office and the Ford Foundation. The Financial Times said people familiar with the structures had claimed “parallel sets of books and a Russian doll of companies and funds” at the investment firm were used to mask the trades. When Hindenburg published its report in late January, it pitched 88 questions to Adani that cast doubt on his conglomerate’s financial health. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi, a prominent lawmaker from India’s main opposition Congress party, urged Modi to investigate the allegations put forward by the Financial Times and The Guardian and criticized his silence on the matter.
Persons: Gautam, “ Soros, George Soros, OCCRP, Narendra Modi, Adani, , OCCRP’s, Drew Sullivan, Hindenburg, , , SEBI, ” Adani, Modi, Rahul Gandhi, ” Gandhi, Michelle Toh, Rhea Mogul Organizations: London CNN, Adani, Guardian, Financial Times, CNN, Soros, US State Department, Foreign Office, Ford Foundation, Indian, Adani Group, Hindenburg Research, Society Foundations, Securities and Exchange Board of India, ” Reuters, India’s Locations: Adani, Bermuda, Russian, Mauritius, India, Mumbai
We visited four Subway in Southern California to figure out how Roark can fix the brand. So I visited four Subway stores near my Southern California home. It is one of hundreds of Subway stores that have been remodeled over the years. In 2021, The New York Times conducted its lab test and published a report stating that it found no tuna DNA in Subway tuna sandwiches. I ordered the tuna sandwich at a Subway in Santa Ana, California, an aging stand-alone store in a former adobe-style Taco Bell building.
Persons: Roark, Dunkin, Fred DeLuca, Jared Fogle, It's, haven't, Nancy Luna, Burger King, , Tim Powell, Powell Organizations: Roark Capital, Buffalo Wild Wings, Service, Subway, Royce, Owners, The New York Times, Chapman University Locations: Southern California, Wall, Silicon, Jersey, North America, Miami, Orange , California, Santa Ana , California, Orange
Atlanta CNN —Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows rolled the dice on Monday with his opening move in the sprawling Fulton County election subversion trial: he took the stand himself. If the judge agrees, the trial could end up moving from state court to federal court, a more advantageous legal spot for Meadows. The former chief of staff also grew somewhat exasperated as the prosecutor questioned why his role would include setting up a call to settle private litigation. “There is a role for the chief of staff to make sure those campaign goals and objectives are implemented at the federal level,” Meadows argued. Meadows quipped, “I can’t imagine I would be chief of staff for President Biden.”
Persons: Mark Meadows, Meadows, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Fani Willis, Trump, it’s, ” J, Tom Morgan, “ I’m, Jack, Steve Jones, Jones, Barack Obama, Monday’s, ” Jones, CNN Meadows, wasn’t, Willis, Brad Raffensperger, Trump’s, , ” Meadows, George Terwilliger, ” Terwilliger, John McEntee, William Barr, , Barr’s, Biden Organizations: Atlanta CNN — Former White House, White, Meadows, US, CNN, Georgia, Trump, Trump White House Locations: Fulton County, Meadows, Atlanta, DeKalb County , Georgia, Fulton, Cobb County , Georgia, United States, , Lafayette Park, Georgia
In special counsel Jack Smith’s election subversion case, Trump’s bid to put the trial off until after the election appears to have failed. Meanwhile, the criminal case against Trump in New York is also scheduled for March. For instance, prosecutor Molly Gaston pointedly confronted Trump attorney John Lauro with his own public statements during the hearing Monday. Chutkan, who early in the case against Trump made plain her decisions would be clear and final, told Lauro, “Mr. “I take seriously the request that Mr. Trump be treated like any other defendant, and I intend to do so,” Chutkan said.
Persons: CNN —, Donald Trump, Jack Smith’s, Meadows, Tanya Chutkan’s, Trump –, Chutkan, Juan Merchan, Trump, Michael Cohen, Brad Raffensperger, Bill Barr, ” Meadows, , , Barr’s, Joe Biden, Mark Meadows, Fani Willis ’, , George Terwilliger, John McEntee, surrogates, Molly Gaston, John Lauro, Lauro, Gaston, Mike Pence’s, ” Gaston, ” Chutkan, ” Lauro, “ Mr Organizations: CNN, Republican, Trump, New York, Georgia, , Fulton, Michigan, ” Trump White House, Prosecutors, Justice Department, J6 Locations: Georgia, Washington ,, Atlanta, Washington , DC, New York, Fulton County, Meadows, Washington, DC
Washington CNN —Former President Donald Trump will surrender on Thursday to be booked on more than a dozen charges stemming from his efforts to reverse Georgia’s 2020 election results, the fourth time this year the former president has faced criminal charges. Trump is expected to travel from his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club to Atlanta to turn himself in at the notorious Fulton County jail. And earlier this month, Trump was placed under arrest in Washington, DC, and arraigned on charges brought by Smith in his investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump falsely claimed victory after the 2020 election, and then tried to overturn the results in Georgia and other states. In a series of phone calls, he pressured Georgia election officials to help his efforts, including Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Drew Findling, Steven Sadow, Sadow, , Jack Smith’s, Smith, Fani Willis, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Willis, Brad Raffensperger, Joe Biden’s, Mike Pence Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Fulton, Trump, Peach State, Electoral Locations: Bedminster , New Jersey, Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, New York, Miami, Washington ,, Peach
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton allegedly used a fake name to take Uber rides to see his mistress, his impeachment alleges. According to House impeachment managers, Paxton shared the account with an Austin developer. According to impeachment managers, Paul employed the woman who Paxton was having an affair with. Paxton's attorney, Tony Buzzbee, claimed that House managers have been unable to produce evidence of a clear bribe. Paxton's impeachment trial is set for September 5.
Persons: Ken Paxton, Uber, Paxton, Republican Sen, Mitt Romney, he's, Dave P, Paxton's, Biden, Donald Trump, Nate Paul, Paul, Nate, Tony Buzzbee, Buzzbee Organizations: Service, Republican, Texas, Texas House, Obama, Austin Locations: Texas, Austin, Wall, Silicon
The claim that country music singer Jason Aldean sued the co-hosts of ABC’s “The View” for defamation originated from a satirical website. The Dunning Kruger Times describes itself as part of a network of “parody, satire and tomfoolery,” adding that “everything on this website is fiction” (ghostarchive.org/archive/Rybzc). There are no credible media reports of Aldean having filed such a suit in July 2023, when the claim began circulating online (ghostarchive.org/archive/KP5ah). A spokesperson for “The View” did not provide comment, while a representative for BBR Music Group, the agency that represents Aldean, did not respond to a request for comment. The claim stems from the satirical website Dunning Kruger Times.
Persons: Jason Aldean, Dunning Kruger, Whoopi, Aldean, , Dunning, Read Organizations: Washington Post, New York Times, Dunning Kruger Times, BBR Music, Reuters
The lawsuit says Kennedy's screenplay and "Stranger Things" have several similarities in their characters, plot, dialogue and themes. Kennedy accused an artist who developed concept art for both his project and "Stranger Things" of sharing his work with the Duffer Brothers. Netflix and the makers of "Stranger Things" denied the allegations in court filings and said the stories are "objectively different" by "virtually every imaginable measure." "Most glaringly, Stranger Things features a core group of children who fight off evil monsters while navigating teenage social issues," the defendants said. The case is Irish Rover Entertainment LLC v. Sims, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, No.
Persons: Ross, Matt Duffer, Mario Anzuoni, Jeffrey Kennedy's, Ross Duffer, Kennedy, Patrick Arenz, Robins Kaplan, Jeremy Osher, Boren Osher, David Grossman, Loeb, Kelly Klaus, Munger Tolles, Blake Brittain Organizations: REUTERS, Netflix, Rover Entertainment, Irish Rover, Irish Rover Entertainment, U.S, Central, Central District of, Luftman, Olson, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Los Angeles, Indiana, South Bend , Indiana, Central District, Central District of California, Washington
The Mississippi Supreme Court says it will not remove NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre as a defendant in a civil lawsuit that seeks to recover millions of dollars of misspent welfare money meant to help some of the poorest people in the United States. Favre asked the Supreme Court to overturn Peterson's decision. Attorneys for the state responded that Favre took $1.1 million in TANF money from Nancy New "for speeches he never made." State attorneys wrote in March that Favre's attorneys had given the court "a long press release" rather than legal arguments in trying to get him out of the lawsuit. The state attorneys wrote in May that the Mississippi Supreme Court does not grant appeals "based on whether a defendant is famous, or on speculations about the plaintiff's motives, or on fact disputes."
Persons: Brett Favre, of Famer Brett Favre, Favre, Faye Peterson, Favre's, Nancy New Organizations: NFL, The Mississippi Supreme, of Famer, Mississippi Department of Human Services, Hinds, of Human Services, Human Services, Nancy, USM Athletic Department Locations: Santa Clara, Calif, The Mississippi, United States, Mississippi
MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, contracted Virtual Dining Concepts, based in Orlando, Florida, to launch the MrBeast Burger concept in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. The MrBeast burger, of the virtual food delivery chain driven by YouTube celebrity Jimmy Donaldson, in New York, Feb. 24, 2021. Because of that harm, the lawsuit claims Donaldson has the right to end the breached contract and shut down the MrBeast burger business. For example, MrBeast Burger in New York has 2.1 stars on Yelp. In 2022, a physical MrBeast Burger opened at the American Dream mall in New Jersey, sending fans swarming the store on its debut.
Persons: MrBeast, MrBeast Burger, Jimmy Donaldson, Adam Friedlander, Donaldson, it’s, Burger, He’s, ” Donaldson, , Organizations: New, New York CNN, Court, of, Concepts, YouTube, The New York Times, Beast Investments, Burger, European Union, Investments Locations: New York, Southern, of New York, Orlando , Florida, European Union Canada, Thailand, Singapore, Mexico, Malaysia, New Jersey
There’s an investigation into election interference in Georgia, too. Mr. Trump has cast every investigation as politically motivated and legally meritless — and, with few exceptions, the Republicans looking to beat him next year have gone along. Ron DeSantisLike most of the Republican field, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has framed the charges as products of a corrupt justice system, while offering muted criticism of Mr. Trump’s actions. “The weaponization of federal law enforcement represents a mortal threat to a free society,” he wrote on Twitter after the indictment in the documents case.
Persons: Donald J, Trump, , There’s, , Ron DeSantis, Organizations: Republican, Twitter, CNN Locations: New York City, Georgia, Florida, Washington
White jazz artists were antiracists before the term was inventedMany of the tributes to Bennett mentioned his disdain for bigotry. Many White jazz artists were antiracists, long before the word was invented. Frank Sinatra, Bennett’s musical mentor, recorded with and relentlessly championed Black jazz artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. He hired a Black jazz bassist, Eugene Wright, and refused to play in segregated venues. There are countless photos of a beaming Bennett hanging out with Black jazz artists.
Persons: Tony Bennett, Ed Sullivan’s, Bennett, , Duke Ellington, , ’ ” Bennett, there’s, Jason Aldean, Aldean, Dick Gregory, Coretta Scott King, Rick Diamond, Bennett —, ” Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Bennett’s, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright, Benny Goodman, Jim Crow, Ellington, Louis Armstrong, don’t, It’s, that’s, Lionel Hampton, Goodman, Michael Ochs, Amy Winehouse, Winehouse, fidgety, “ We’ll, “ You’re, ” Winehouse, Lady Gaga, John Mayer, Elvis Costello, Bennett’s unflappability, Bennett wasn’t, Brubeck, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Bill Evans, Mark Allan, Greg Thomas, ” Thomas, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lil Nas, Wynton Marsalis, Bennett –, Anthony Dominick Benedetto, , Thomas, John Blake Organizations: CNN, Toronto Star, MLK, Atlanta Civic Center, US Army, Carnegie Hall, Michael Ochs Archives, Jazz, Studios Locations: New York, Tennessee, America, Atlanta, Nazi, African, British, Turkey, Japan, London, Aldean, American, Europe, United States
July 27 (Reuters) - A high-profile lawsuit by a California woman who claimed that Subway's tuna products contain ingredients other than tuna has been dismissed. The Oakland, California-based judge will rule later on Subway's request that Amin's lawyers be sanctioned for bringing a frivolous class action. Amin claimed to have ordered Subway tuna products more than 100 times before suing in January 2021, claiming that its tuna sandwiches, salads and wraps included other fish species, chicken, pork and cattle, or no tuna at all. Subway also faulted Amin's "ever-changing" theories to debunk its claim that its tuna products were "100% tuna." In opposing sanctions, Amin's lawyers said she had a "good faith, non-frivolous basis based on testing and evidence that there was something amiss" with Subway tuna.
Persons: Nilima Amin, Jon Tigar's, Amin, Amin's, Tigar, Jonathan Stempel, Jamie Freed Organizations: U.S, District, Subway, Court, Northern District of, Thomson Locations: California, Oakland , California, U.S, Northern District, Northern District of California
UK pension fund USS wins appeal over fossil fuel investments
  + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
The 82 billion-pound ($103 billion) Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) faced legal action from two of its members over its continuing investments in coal, natural gas and petroleum. Judge Sarah Asplin said in a written ruling that the parts of the lawsuit relating to USS investments in fossil fuels were an attempt to challenge the scheme's management and investment decisions which was "bound to fail". The attempt to bring the case on behalf of USS against its directors, which has also been attempted by environmental law charity ClientEarth against Shell (SHEL.L), will be keenly watched by other pension funds and environmental groups. The two academics bringing the case, Ewan McGaughey and Neil Davies, argued that fossil fuel investments pose a "significant and increasing" financial risk to USS that its directors were not addressing. However, lawyers representing USS argued the case should be dismissed as the scheme's investments in fossil fuels have not caused any loss to USS or the two academics, which is necessary for a derivative lawsuit to proceed.
Persons: Sarah Asplin, Ewan McGaughey, Neil Davies, David Grant, , Davies, Sam Tobin, Sarah Young, Mike Harrison Organizations: London's, Shell, McGaughey, Thomson Locations: London
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