Federal

Federal Judge Denies Dismissal of Charges Against Ex-Congressman George Santos Amid Continued Legal Battles

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NEW YORK — A U.S. District Judge has refused to drop charges against former Congressman George Santos, who faces multiple criminal allegations following his ousting from Congress. Santos, once a rising figure within the Republican House, pleaded not guilty to accusations that encompass a broad range of financial and identity theft related crimes. Santos, embroiled in controversy since his admission of embellishing his resume during his campaign, is charged with 23 criminal counts. These range from misrepresenting campaign donor information to illicitly obtaining unemployment benefits. According to federal authorities, Santos went as far as stealing … Read more

Federal Judge Denies SEC’s Bid to Regulate Corporate Cybersecurity in Landmark SolarWinds Case

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NEW YORK — In a landmark decision, a federal judge in Manhattan ruled against the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) attempt to regulate corporate cybersecurity practices, settling a significant lawsuit centered around the extensive SolarWinds cyberattack. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer concluded that the current statutory framework provides the SEC authority only over financial controls, not the broader scope of internal cybersecurity measures. This ruling came amid fears from various business sectors concerned about potential penalties from the SEC following breaches, particularly those executed by sophisticated hacking groups. Companies worried that stringent regulatory oversight … Read more

House Democrats, Led by Rep. Carbajal, Introduce Bill to Prevent Federal Abortion Ban Under Comstock Act

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Washington — In a straightforward legislative move, Representative Salud Carbajal, together with a coalition of nearly 100 Democratic colleagues from the House, has introduced a bill aimed at dismantling a long-standing but outdated federal law, potentially thwarting efforts to establish a federal ban on abortion. This legislation, known comprehensively as the Stop Comstock Act, redirects from using the 1873 Comstock Act as a basis for such restrictive measures. Originally, the Comstock laws sought to regulate morality by prohibiting the mailing of “obscene, lewd, or lascivious” materials, which during that era included contraception and abortion-related items. … Read more

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Hefty Compensation for Family Impacted by Mountain Valley Pipeline

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RICHMONR, Va. — A federal appeals court recently overturned a decision by a lower court, reinstating a significant monetary award to Virginia landowners impacted by the construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals supported the Terry family of Roanoke County, who contended that the compensation offered for their land seized for the pipeline was insufficient. The construction of the 303-mile natural gas pipeline, which has stirred controversy for its environmental and property rights implications, led to the condemnation of an eight-acre easement on the Terry family’s property. Initially, a … Read more