Senate heads for showdown on Gorsuch
WASHINGTON — Republican and Democratic senators exchanged bitter accusations Tuesday as they headed toward an explosive confrontation over President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee that could change the Senate, and the court, for generations. “It should be unsettling to everyone that our colleagues across the aisle have brought the Senate to this new low,” Majority [&helli[...]
Senate to exit Washington for summer break
The Senate bolted for the exits Wednesday as the chamber abandoned work on cybersecurity legislation and headed home for an almost five-week vacation, leaving the bulk of this year’s business for a tumultuous session this fall. Senate leaders reached a deal to expedite a debate next month on legislation to disapprove President Barack Obama’s nuclear […]
Republican leader proposes gun background check bill
WASHINGTON — Backed by the National Rifle Association, the Senate’s No. 2 Republican leader introduced legislation Wednesday that would reward states for sending more information about residents with serious mental problems to the federal background check system for firearms purchasers. The bill by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, would also bolster programs for treating mentally ill […]
Senate passes amendment to ban torture as US policy
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a measure Tuesday aimed at ensuring that the United States never tortures detainees again. The Senate voted 78 to 21 to approve a defense bill amendment that bans torture. It was introduced by Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California. The amendment bolsters […]
Senate under pressure after House votes to end NSA program
WASHINGTON — After the House’s lopsided bipartisan vote to end the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records, the Senate is under considerable pressure to pass a similar measure. If it doesn’t, lawmakers risk letting the authority to collect the records expire June 1, along with other important counterterrorism provisions. The House bill, [&he[...]
Nominees face lame duck obstacles in Senate
WASHINGTON — So many nominees, so little time. President Barack Obama and his allies have a parade of people they’d like the Senate to confirm for judgeships, ambassadorial posts and other top jobs during the dwindling days that Democrats will run the chamber. But with Congress’ post-election lame duck session likely to last five weeks […]
Gillibrand takes on campus sexual assaults
Protecting college and university students from sexual assault is the goal of a new bipartisan bill introduced Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Among the group of senators announcing the proposed legislation was Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who has also fought for changes in the way the military handles sexual assault cases. She was joined by Anna, […]
Senators propose 12-cent gas tax increase
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two senators unveiled a bipartisan plan Wednesday to raise federal gasoline and diesel taxes for the first time in more than two decades, pitching the proposal as a solution to Congress’ struggle to pay for highway and transit programs. The plan offered by Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Bob Corker, R-Tenn., would […]
Senate backs judge who wrote drone memo
WASHINGTON — A former Justice Department official who helped craft the Obama administration’s legal rationale for using drones to kill suspected American terrorists abroad won preliminary Senate approval Wednesday to become a federal appeals court judge. The largely party-line 52-43 vote cleared the way for a final confirmation vote Thursday for David Barron, a Harvard […]
White House offers to show senators drone memo
WASHINGTON — Hoping to head off another confirmation battle, the White House said Tuesday that it will allow senators to review a secret paper justifying the drone strike on an American citizen written by one of President Barack Obama’s appellate court nominees. The White House is hoping the memo’s disclosure will lead to confirmation of […]
Minimum wage heads for likely Senate rejection
WASHINGTON (AP) — The push by President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats to raise the federal minimum wage seems ready to join the parade of issues that gets buried in Congress but — the party hopes — propels voters to the polls this November. Immigration. Renewing expired jobless benefits. Tighter curbs on guns. All of […]
GOP derails gender pay gap bill in Senate
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans derailed a Democratic bill Wednesday curbing paycheck discrimination against women, an effort that even in defeat Democrats hoped would pay political dividends in this fall’s congressional elections. Wednesday’s vote was 53-44 to halt GOP tactics aimed at derailing the legislation, but that fell seven short of the 60 votes Democrats […]
Case Digests
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Review of another judge’s actions: Opinion 22-153
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Charitable contributions: Opinion 22-150
- Second Circuit – Class action settlement: Moses v. The New York Times Company
- Fourth Department – Breach of contract: Hausrath Landscape Maintenance Inc. v. Caravan Facilities Management LLC
- Second Circuit – New York Child Victim’s Act: Kane v. Mount Pleasant CSD; Coe v. Eastport Union Free School
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Appointing law clerk: Opinion 22-149
- Fourth Department – Bill of particulars: Harris v. Rome Memorial Hospital, et al.
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Accusations against co-judge: Opinion 22-148
- Fourth Department – Medicaid: Washington Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Home v. NYS Dept. of Health
- Fourth Department – Criminal possession of a firearm: People v. Wilson
- Fourth Department – Promoting prostitution: People v. Watts
- Second Circuit – Class certification: Arkansas Teachers Retirement System V. Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Law News
- Fourth Department affirms $400K judgment in contract dispute
- Could legislation limiting non-compete agreements kick off a new era of workplace disputes?
- Fourth Department affirms decision in NY property dispute
- Greenlight Networks selects Buffalo-based attorney as general counsel
- Barclay Damon hires attorney Matt Smith
- Rochester man sues Geneseo police, alleging false arrest, assault
- The Daily Record’s Power List for Intellectual Property 2023
- NY ethics panel says judges can join NRA