The Supreme Court has ruled that lawsuits brought by municipalities against major oil companies can move forward in state courts, allowing environmental advocates to hold the companies accountable for the effects of climate change. The ruling is a blow to the oil companies, who had been trying to avoid trials in state courts, and is a major setback for them. The outcome of the trials remains to be seen.
Posts tagged as “Joe Biden”
President Joe Biden is set to appoint Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a senior West Wing official and longtime Democratic Party activist, as his 2024 re-election campaign manager. Chavez Rodriguez currently serves as a senior adviser and assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and has a long history of involvement in Democratic politics. The decision to appoint Chavez Rodriguez is expected to be formally announced in the coming weeks.
Julie Su’s Senate Confirmation Hearing for Labor Secretary Nomination to Test Closely Divided Senate
Julie Su’s Senate Confirmation Hearing for Labor Secretary Nomination to Test Closely Divided Senate
Julie Su, the current deputy labor secretary and a civil rights attorney, is set to testify at her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday for the position of labor secretary. If confirmed, she would be the first Asian American in the Biden administration to serve in the Cabinet. The outcome of the hearing will be closely watched as it could have a major impact on the Biden administration's labor policies.
Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis has appointed a special master to investigate Fox News' handling of court-ordered discovery in a defamation lawsuit brought against the network by Dominion Voting Systems. The lawsuit alleges Fox News promoted false claims about Dominion's voting machines rigging the 2020 election, and the trial began Tuesday morning. This is the first major defamation case against a media company to go to trial since the Supreme Court ruled in 1964, and is expected to be closely watched by media companies and First Amendment advocates.
Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News have reached a settlement in the $1.6 billion defamation case, with Fox News paying $787.5 million to settle the lawsuit. The case was filed in 2021 after Fox News repeatedly promoted false claims about Dominion's voting machines rigging the 2020 election. The resolution of the case is a major victory for Dominion, who sought to hold Fox News accountable for its false claims.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has spoken out in defense of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) after key Senate Republicans voiced their opposition to temporarily replacing her on the Judiciary Committee. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) argued that Republicans would not be willing to help Democrats advance controversial or unqualified nominees, while Gillibrand argued that Feinstein should be allowed to decide when she leaves office. The situation has left Democrats in a difficult position, as several of President Joe Biden's judicial nominees are currently being held up in the committee.
Mitch McConnell is set to return to the Senate on Monday to decide whether to remove Dianne Feinstein from the Senate Judiciary Committee, a decision which could have major implications for President Biden's plans and the 2022 Senate race. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has defended Feinstein's ability to serve in the Senate, saying that a senator should be able to make their own judgments about when they're retiring. McConnell's decision is expected soon.
President Joe Biden has expressed concern over the recent leak of classified US documents, and has indicated that the Justice Department's investigation of the leaker is "getting close" to a conclusion. The FBI has reportedly narrowed the number of people they believe could be responsible, and the investigation is being conducted by the Intelligence Committee and the Justice Department. It is unclear what the consequences for the leaker may be, or what impact the leak may have on US foreign policy.