Tag: lawsuits

U.S. lawmakers propose legislation to allow citizens to sue ICE. A CT senator is leading the way

As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations are spreading across the nation, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is proposing legislation to allow people to sue ICE agents for violating their civil and constitutional rights.

The proposal comes amid the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old mother in Minneapolis and widespread protests against ICE operations under President Donald Trump’s administration. Under Blumenthal’s proposal, the legislation would allow cases to be heard in civil court.

Under current law, federal law enforcement officers have qualified immunity from civil cases, shielding them from lawsuits. But federal law enforcement are not shielded from prosecution for committing crimes, he said.

The Accountability for Federal Law Enforcement Act, co-introduced by Blumenthal and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) in December, would authorize states to bring civil actions against federal agencies whose violations of the law pose an imminent and substantial risk to public safety or constitutional rights. Blumenthal said he introduced the legislation before the controversial killing of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis.

“Individual victims of excessive force should have recourse also. They do against local and state law enforcement, but not against federal officers,” Blumenthal said at a press conference on Friday. “I’m introducing legislation that will give everyday Americans recourse. A remedy in court when their rights our violated. In amends the 1983 statute to provide rights in court for people when they are abused by violation of the law by federal officers. Just like they can sue local and state officers when they are abused.”

The Connecticut Democrat called the legislation “overdue” and said that there is precedent in a 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case. In Webster Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, the court held that some lawsuits against federal officers can be warranted. Since the case 50 years ago, recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have narrowed that ruling, leaving many victims of federal misconduct without meaningful recourse.

“It has been narrowed and cut back by successive Supreme Court decisions. We need to make it real and provide recourse and remedies so that rights can be vindicated. When people are shot or dragged out of cars and injured or denied a lawyer when they are retained often result in trauma and injury. These violations must be addressed,” Blumenthal said.

The Accountability for Federal Law Enforcement Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts), Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).

Blumenthal said that some Republicans may also support the legislation.

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The $134 Billion Betrayal: Inside Elon Musk’s Explosive Lawsuit With OpenAI

Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft has evolved into a high-stakes dispute over whether OpenAI stayed true to the mission it was founded on or quietly outgrew it while relying on that original promise.

Musk is seeking between $79 billion and $134 billion in damages, a figure derived from an expert valuation that treats his early funding and contributions as foundational to what OpenAI later became. While the number is enormous, the heart of the case is simpler: Musk argues he helped create and fund a nonprofit dedicated to AI for the public good, and that OpenAI later abandoned that commitment in a way that amounted to fraud.

According to Musk’s filings, his roughly $38 million in early funding was not just a donation but the financial backbone of OpenAI’s formative years, supplemented by recruiting help, strategic guidance, and credibility. His damages theory, prepared by financial economist C. Paul Wazzan, ties those early inputs to OpenAI’s current valuation of around $500 billion.

The claim is framed as disgorgement rather than repayment, with Musk arguing that the vast gains realized by OpenAI and Microsoft flowed from a nonprofit story that attracted support and trust, only to be discarded once the company reached scale, according to TechCrunch. 

Much of the public attention has centered on internal documents uncovered during discovery, particularly private notes from OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman in 2017.

One line has become central to Musk’s argument: “I cannot believe that we committed to non-profit if three months later we’re doing b-corp then it was a lie.”

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Top US court to review suit against German chemicals giant

The US Supreme Court will hear an appeal by German chemical company Bayer on a Roundup-related case in which a man was awarded $1.25 million, claiming the herbicide gave him blood cancer.

The court made the announcement regarding Monsanto Co. v. Durnell in a statement on Friday, with a verdict expected by July. Bayer is currently facing thousands of similar lawsuits.

Roundup originally belonged to the now-defunct American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation Monsanto, which was purchased by Bayer in 2018.

At the heart of the case is whether Bayer and other manufacturers should be held liable if they comply with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rulings on product warnings, while still running afoul of state laws requiring warnings on goods that may be carcinogenic.

Bayer argues that the EPA has determined that glyphosate, the main component of the controversial herbicide, is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans, and approved Roundup labels without cancer warnings.

In a statement on Friday, Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said that “it is time for the US legal system to establish that companies should not be punished under state laws for complying with federal warning label requirements.”

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ACLU Sues to Halt Trump ICE Crackdown in Minnesota

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Trump administration Thursday, seeking a court order to halt what it says are unconstitutional immigration enforcement tactics by federal agents in Minnesota, as stepped-up Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the Twin Cities have drawn heightened scrutiny and public backlash.

The class-action lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, names Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other federal officials and asks a judge to block what the plaintiffs describe as unlawful stops and arrests that they say have swept up U.S. citizens and legal residents.

The ACLU is representing Somali immigrants Mubashir Khalif Hussen, Mahamed Eydarus, and Javier Doe, a Hispanic American.

The suit seeks a statewide injunction against what it calls “unlawful policies and practices,” including allegations of racial profiling.

The filing also alleges federal agents are arresting people for immigration reasons without warrants or probable cause, including U.S. citizens and those with valid status.

It also claims that arrests are being made without evidence of flight risk.

Such actions, plaintiffs’ claim, violate the Fourth Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause, and federal law, as police may not detain individuals solely on the basis of appearance.

The ACLU said the case challenges “suspicionless stops,” “warrantless arrests,” and “racial profiling” tied to an expanded federal deployment in Minnesota.

Under 8 U.S.C. Section 1357(a)(2), an immigration officer may make a warrantless immigration arrest only if the officer has reason to believe the person is in the United States in violation of immigration law and the person “is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained for his arrest.”

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Trump admin quietly restores some funding to Planned Parenthood after lawsuit

The Trump administration has backed down on a portion of the funding it has denied to Planned Parenthood, restoring tens of millions of dollars to the abortion giant in the face of a lawsuit.

Last year, the federal government froze $120 million in federal Title X “family-planning” grants to organizations suspected of not complying with the administration’s executive orders against involvement with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The move did not specifically target Planned Parenthood or abortion, but covered approximately $20 million received by Planned Parenthood locations across a dozen states. 

The abortion lobby and others sued, and Politico reports that the far-left American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has withdrawn its lawsuit in response to the Trump administration quietly restoring the funding in question last month. In a December 19 court filing, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said without elaboration that “the review is completed, and all grants at issue for Plaintiff’s members have been restored […] this matter can be voluntarily dismissed in light of the restoration of the remaining grants.”

“More than 800 service sites were unable to provide Title X services. Hundreds of thousands of patients were unable to get Title X services. So the impact was tremendous,” responded Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU’s “Reproductive Freedom Project.” “So damage certainly was done as a result of their unlawful withholding of the funds.”

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‘Bonkers’ Lawsuit Levels Shocking Allegations Against Kyrsten Sinema

Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is facing a rather wild and crazy lawsuit that the ex-wife of her former bodyguard filed against her, claiming Sinema’s infamous independent streak impacted her husband’s fidelity. The world of politics is truly insane. I bet nobody had this on their 2026 BINGO card. I know the year just started, but we’re already off to a very weird start.

Heather Ammel, a mom of three and the former blushing bride of Sinema’s ex-bodyguard, has accused the Arizona politician of wrecking their 14-year-long marriage by carrying on a lengthy affair with him during trips where they criss-crossed the globe. But that’s not all. Ammel also says Sinema talked her ex-hubby into doing psychedelics. Who knew being a politician involved so much sex, drugs, and rock and roll?

“Prior to [Sinema’s] actions, Plaintiff and Mr. Ammel were happily married and genuine love and affection existed between them,” the lawsuit states. “As a direct and proximate result of [Sinema’s] intentional and unlawful actions, such marital love and affection was alienated and destroyed.”

Ammel filed the lawsuit from her home state of North Carolina, which remains one of the few states in the country with a “homewrecker law” that allows people to sue their former spouse’s mistresses. As a Catholic, I fully support laws that hold adulterers accountable for their actions. In the eyes of God, adultery constitutes a mortal sin, one that removes a person from a state of grace. The Church treats it as such a serious crime against the Lord because it defiles a sacrament that reflects the relationship between Christ and the Church.

Matthew Ammel, a veteran diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder who sustained several traumatic brain injuries due to mutiple deployments to the Middle East, first started working with Sinema and her security team in 2022. A year later, the head of the former senator’s security team stepped down from his position after raising concerns that she was “having sexual relationships with other security members,” according to the lawsuit.

“She encouraged Mr. Ammel to leave with her, but Mr. Ammel decided to stay due to the financial security,” his ex-wife’s lawsuit claims, referring to the former head of Sinema’s security team.

Not long after the resignation, Ammel and Sinema took a trip to Napa Valley, California. The pair acknowledged that “it would have appeared as if they were on a romantic getaway” to outside observers. God tells us in Scripture to avoid even the appearance of evil, so even if they were not sexually intimate, the picture such a trip paints does not look good.

Sinema, a professed bisexual, started communicating with Matthew more frequently, catching the eye of Heather, who discovered the two exchanging Signal messages even when he was at home with his family. That’s definitely a bad sign.

“The messages exceeded the bounds of a normal working relationship and were of romantic and lascivious natures,” the lawsuit goes on to say. “Plaintiff discovered messages which included a picture of [Sinema] wrapped in a towel.”

Sinema allegedly offered to help Matthew with his mental health challenges and even suggested he try MDMA, the “love drug,” more commonly known as either molly or ecstasy. Sinema has long advocated for the use of psychedelics since she left the Senate in January 2025.

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Bank Sues Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot for Refusing to Pay Bill for 17 Months

JPMorgan Chase Bank is suing former Chicago Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot for letting her $11K credit card bill go unpaid for 17 months.

The media has learned that Lightfoot, who became the first Democrat Chicago Mayor not reelected to city hall in about 40 years, was served with a subpoena at her $900,000 Chicago home in October, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Chase ultimately decided in March that her $11,000 bill would be a charge-off, but her last payment of $5,000 on the debt was made on August 7, 2024, according to the bank’s records.

The bank reported that Lightfoot has had the card since 2005.

Lightfoot seems to be struggling to pay her bills despite claiming $402,414 in adjusted gross income in 2021 alone. The Tribune also notes that records show Lightfoot took out $210,000 in early distributions from her retirement account. She also earned $216,000 during each of her four years in office.

The ex-mayor seemed to have just as much trouble paying the bills for the city when she was mayor. As she was headed out of office in 2024, for instance, the city was suffering under an $85 million budget shortfall.

Lightfoot’s next appearance in court for her credit card debt is scheduled late this year.

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Minnesota AG Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Announce They’re Suing Trump Admin. to End Surge of ICE Agents – ICE Director Responds to Lawsuit

Minnesota’s top ‘law enforcement’ official and the two Twin City mayors today took a dramatic and unconstitutional step in their efforts to send ICE agents packing from the state following last week’s deadly ICE self-defense shooting.

As KTSP reported, crooked Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her have jointly sued the Trump administration over DHS agents enforcing immigration law in the Twin Cities.

The lawsuit filed by the trio seeks to completely end the so-called “unprecedented surge” of more than 2,000 federal agents deployed by the DHS.

The filing also alleges that the federal government has violated the 10th Amendment of the Constitution by removing Minnesota’s “right’ to police itself.”

During a press conference announcing the lawsuit, Ellison accused the DHS agents of causing “serious harm” and said the Trump Administration has launched a federal invasion.

“The deployment of thousands of armed, masked DHS agents to Minnesota has done our state serious harm,” Ellison alleged. “This is essentially a federal invasion of Minnesota and the Twin Cities, and it must stop.”

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Greenland mining firm hires Trump-tied lobbyists amid US invasion threats

The company suing Greenland for the right to mine rare earth minerals has hired a lobbying firm deeply connected to the Trump administration, increasing the threat of US action against the territory.

This article was originally published by ¡Do Not Panic!

Energy Transition Minerals announced yesterday that it hired Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm run by Brian Ballard, a major donor and fundraiser for Trump, to assert what it says are its claims on the territory. Attorney General Pam Bondi, along with Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, were both hired by Trump straight out of Ballard Partners.

The news comes as the White House steps up its rhetoric over Greenland, saying this week that it was exploring all options to take control of the territory, including a military invasion.

Energy Transition Minerals, an Australian mining company, was given a license nearly twenty years ago to explore the Kvanefjeld deposit, which contains over 11 million metric tons of rare earth minerals, including large quantities of uranium. The size of Kvanefjeld makes it the largest thorium deposit, the second-largest uranium deposit and overall the third-largest rare earths deposit in the world.

In a world hungry for new energy sources, Kvanefjeld’s significance can’t be overstated.

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Bayer’s Monsanto sues Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna over mRNA technology

Bayer’s Monsanto has sued COVID-19 vaccine makers Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna for allegedly misusing its messenger RNA (mRNA) technology in manufacturing their vaccines.

The lawsuit in the Delaware federal court was confirmed by a Bayer spokesperson on Tuesday, local time.

The patent infringement lawsuits said the companies copied technology developed by Monsanto in the 80s for strengthening mRNA in crops in order to stabilise the genetic material used in their vaccines.

Bayer separately filed a similar lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson in New Jersey federal court, arguing that a DNA-based process J&J used in manufacturing its shots infringed the patent.

A Moderna spokesperson said the company was aware of the lawsuit and would defend itself.

Spokespeople for Pfizer, BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson did not immediately respond to Reuters’s requests for comment.

Bayer’s complaints add to a web of patent lawsuits over the blockbuster COVID-19 shots, which include an ongoing lawsuit filed by Moderna against Pfizer in 2022.

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