courthousenews--2020-12-16--Biden Picks Buttigieg to Lead Transportation Department

( CN ) — With his pending presidency now cemented by the Electoral College , President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a slate of nominees Tuesday , including the first openly gay cabinet secretary .
Biden nominated Pete Buttigieg , mayor of South Bend , Indiana , as his pick to lead the Department of Transportation after the two men fought a fierce battle for the Democratic nomination .
“ Mayor Pete Buttigieg is a patriot and a problem-solver who speaks to the best of who we are as a nation , ” Biden said in a statement released Tuesday .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transportation because this position stands at the nexus of so many of the interlocking challenges and opportunities ahead of us.
” Biden said major issues like jobs , infrastructure reconstruction and climate change are just some of the issues Buttigieg will have to tackle as transportation secretary .
“ I trust Mayor Pete to lead this work with focus , decency , and a bold vision — he will bring people together to get big things done , ” Biden said .
Buttigieg said he is looking forward to the challenges of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
“ This is a moment of tremendous opportunity — to create jobs , meet the climate challenge , and enhance equity for all , ” Buttigieg said on Twitter Tuesday evening .
“ I ’ m honored that the President-elect has asked me to serve our nation as Secretary of Transportation.
” The president-elect also filled out some environmental advisory positions in the White House on Tuesday , nominating former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency head Gina McCarthy .
McCarthy will serve as the senior White House adviser on climate change , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major influence as Biden has selected combating climate change as one of his chief platform planks .
Biden has pledged to help make the United States carbon neutral by 2050 , and McCarthy will help him implement policies that pertain to the domestic areas of climate change .
Biden has nominated John Kerry , former U.S. senator and secretary of state , as his climate czar to weigh in on how the issue affects foreign policy and national security , but McCarthy will concentrate on how to incorporate the issue into domestic policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the Obama administration — has been serving as the president of the Natural Resource Defense Council , one of the more prominent environmental and wildlife advocacy groups in the nation .
Ali Zaidi has been tapped to serve as McCarthy ’ s deputy in the White House , according to multiple reports .
Zaidi helped write the Biden campaign ’ s climate plan and has been serving as the deputy secretary for energy and environment in New York .
Biden will introduce Buttigieg tomorrow at a press conference in Delaware .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage more than once during a hotly contested primary season , but also forged a relationship built on mutual respect , according to several insiders .
Both men came across as moderates , particularly when compared with the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party as embodied by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders .
Progressives relentlessly attacked Buttigieg , allowing Biden to stay above the fray and eventually coast to the nomination .
Buttigieg then took a prominent role as a campaign surrogate , often appearing on Fox News to defend Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barbs at President Donald Trump .
Pundits floated Buttigieg ’ s name for several cabinet positions , including ambassador to China .
The mayor is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and was rumored to be tapped to lead the Department of Veteran Affairs , but the Biden team sees transportation as a sector where the administration can make innovative leaps to build infrastructure and fight climate change .
Buttigieg is unquestionably a gifted speaker , which underscores his rise from a small-city mayor to a viable presidential candidate who appeared after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track for the Democratic nomination .
Buttigieg is openly gay , is married to another man , which caused problems for the mayor in securing the approval of some wings of the Democratic Party during the nomination process .
Nevertheless , Buttigieg ’ s rise on the national scene and subsequent nomination as a major cabinet secretary represent a major victory for the LGTBQ community , according to advocates .
“ This will be a historic milestone for LGBTQ visibility , ” said Sarah Kate Ellis , the president of the Gay and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s experience and skills as a leader , manager and brilliant communicator , combined with his heartland roots and his unqualified commitment to diversity and equality , will improve the lives of all Americans .
”

With his pending presidency now cemented by the Electoral College, President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a slate of nominees Tuesday, including the first openly gay cabinet secretary.
(CN) — With his pending presidency now cemented by the Electoral College, President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a slate of nominees Tuesday, including the first openly gay cabinet secretary.
Biden nominated Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, as his pick to lead the Department of Transportation after the two men fought a fierce battle for the Democratic nomination.
“Mayor Pete Buttigieg is a patriot and a problem-solver who speaks to the best of who we are as a nation,” Biden said in a statement released Tuesday. “I am nominating him for secretary of Transportation because this position stands at the nexus of so many of the interlocking challenges and opportunities ahead of us.”
Biden said major issues like jobs, infrastructure reconstruction and climate change are just some of the issues Buttigieg will have to tackle as transportation secretary.
“I trust Mayor Pete to lead this work with focus, decency, and a bold vision — he will bring people together to get big things done,” Biden said.
Buttigieg said he is looking forward to the challenges of the position if the Senate agrees to confirm him.
“This is a moment of tremendous opportunity — to create jobs, meet the climate challenge, and enhance equity for all,” Buttigieg said on Twitter Tuesday evening. “I'm honored that the President-elect has asked me to serve our nation as Secretary of Transportation.”
The president-elect also filled out some environmental advisory positions in the White House on Tuesday, nominating former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency head Gina McCarthy. McCarthy will serve as the senior White House adviser on climate change, a position that figures to have a major influence as Biden has selected combating climate change as one of his chief platform planks.
Biden has pledged to help make the United States carbon neutral by 2050, and McCarthy will help him implement policies that pertain to the domestic areas of climate change. Biden has nominated John Kerry, former U.S. senator and secretary of state, as his climate czar to weigh in on how the issue affects foreign policy and national security, but McCarthy will concentrate on how to incorporate the issue into domestic policy.
McCarthy — who ran the EPA during the Obama administration — has been serving as the president of the Natural Resource Defense Council, one of the more prominent environmental and wildlife advocacy groups in the nation.
Ali Zaidi has been tapped to serve as McCarthy’s deputy in the White House, according to multiple reports. Zaidi helped write the Biden campaign’s climate plan and has been serving as the deputy secretary for energy and environment in New York.
Biden will introduce Buttigieg tomorrow at a press conference in Delaware. The two men faced off on the debate stage more than once during a hotly contested primary season, but also forged a relationship built on mutual respect, according to several insiders.
Both men came across as moderates, particularly when compared with the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party as embodied by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Progressives relentlessly attacked Buttigieg, allowing Biden to stay above the fray and eventually coast to the nomination.
Buttigieg then took a prominent role as a campaign surrogate, often appearing on Fox News to defend Biden during the campaign season and cast pointed barbs at President Donald Trump.
Pundits floated Buttigieg’s name for several cabinet positions, including ambassador to China. The mayor is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and was rumored to be tapped to lead the Department of Veteran Affairs, but the Biden team sees transportation as a sector where the administration can make innovative leaps to build infrastructure and fight climate change.
Buttigieg is unquestionably a gifted speaker, which underscores his rise from a small-city mayor to a viable presidential candidate who appeared after a messy win in Iowa to be on track for the Democratic nomination. Buttigieg is openly gay, is married to another man, which caused problems for the mayor in securing the approval of some wings of the Democratic Party during the nomination process.
Nevertheless, Buttigieg’s rise on the national scene and subsequent nomination as a major cabinet secretary represent a major victory for the LGTBQ community, according to advocates.
“This will be a historic milestone for LGBTQ visibility,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, the president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “Pete's experience and skills as a leader, manager and brilliant communicator, combined with his heartland roots and his unqualified commitment to diversity and equality, will improve the lives of all Americans.”


courthousenews--2020-12-16--White House Waters Down Definition of Critical Habitat for Endangered Species

( CN ) — With Inauguration Day looming , the lame-duck Trump administration continues to spend political capital on weakening the Endangered Species Act , the latest move a redefining of “ critical habitat ” as only referring to a given species ’ presently occupied ecosystem rather than its historical range .
While the move outraged conservationist groups and wildlife advocates , they also acknowledge that the incoming Biden administration is likely to render this latest move an exercise in futility .
“ We are going to be pushing the Biden administration to rescind everything the Trump administration has done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior policy analyst for the Center for Biological Diversity .
“ Joe Biden will need to work to lock in progress on these issues so future presidents can ’ t simply undo them with a stroke of the pen.
” Part of that , according to environmental activists , will require acts of Congress , which is why the special election in Georgia on Jan. 5 — which will determine whether the GOP hangs on to the Senate — is so paramount .
The Trump administration has been disastrous for endangered species , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has listed the fewest number of species since President Ronald Reagan , ” Kurose said .
“ It hasn ’ t designated critical habitat areas for species that need and have actively rolled back huge , fundamental parts of the Endangered Species Act itself , catering to industry at the expense of wildlife.
” Kurose also acknowledged the damage a one-term president can do is minimal , given that many of their policy prescriptions do not have sufficient time to take hold .
Nevertheless , the Trump administration ’ s attempts to weaken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severely threatened could have terrible real-world consequences , wildlife advocates say .
For instance , the Trump administration announced Tuesday that while monarch butterflies qualify to be listed under the Endangered Species Act , the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service has other priorities — it ’ s officially known as a “ warranted but precluded ” listing .
“ Today ’ s decision is an acknowledgment that monarch butterflies are in serious trouble , but it also delays critically needed action to help rescue the species , ” said Sylvia Fallon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense Council .
Monarch butterfly populations are in steep decline in the United States .
Recent counts show an 85 % decline in the eastern U.S. population that overwinters in Mexico and a 99 % decline in the western population that overwinters in California .
Advocates say the time is now to list the butterfly and designate areas of critical habitat for the species .
“ In acknowledging that listing is needed , but still avoiding that decision , the Trump administration has placed Monsanto profits above monarchs , ” said George Kimbrell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Food Safety .
“ The Biden administration must follow the law and science and protect them.
” Kimbrell mentions Monsanto because wildlife advocates and scientists believe the decline of Monarch butterflies is closely tied to the increased use of an herbicide to eradicate milkweed , which is critical to monarch butterfly reproduction .
The Trump administration has made much of deals to get farmers to plant more milkweed while also getting it to grow in other public places , but advocates say such programs are insufficient .
“ Monarchs are capable of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so they need the right conditions—including abundant milkweed and other nectar sources , ” Fallon said .
Better agricultural practices not so heavily reliant on pesticides is one area , but critical habitat designations are another important tool that is being taken off the table , advocates said .
Other species such as grizzly bears and whooping cranes need critical habitat designations to survive and flourish .
“ Habitat designations ensure species don ’ t just flourish , but they recover , ” Kurose said , adding recovery is the goal outlined by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ habitat designation definition fight began at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 , when the court told Fish and Wildlife it needed to define the term habitat in relation to the extremely endangered dusky gopher frog .
The frog was native to the Southeast and flourished in temporary ponds endemic to the area .
At the time of the ruling , the frogs only existed in one such pond in Mississippi , having extirpated from other areas of its traditional range .
Fish and Wildlife wanted to create other ponds on private land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the property owner , who said such a program impinged on property rights .
Tuesday ’ s designation takes up the property owner ’ s preferred interpretation of the critical habitat , in that it can only apply to where the animal or plant currently lives rather than a historical range .
Furthermore , while the monarch butterfly has been put on a waiting list , it is the Biden administration that will ultimately determine the duration of that wait .
Regarding critical habitat designations , the question becomes whether the Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration has a little more than a month to exert its sway .

With Inauguration Day looming, the lame-duck Trump administration continues to spend political capital on weakening the Endangered Species Act, the latest move a redefining of “critical habitat” as only referring to a given species’ presently occupied ecosystem rather than its historical range.
(CN) — With Inauguration Day looming, the lame-duck Trump administration continues to spend political capital on weakening the Endangered Species Act, the latest move a redefining of “critical habitat” as only referring to a given species’ presently occupied ecosystem rather than its historical range.
While the move outraged conservationist groups and wildlife advocates, they also acknowledge that the incoming Biden administration is likely to render this latest move an exercise in futility.
“We are going to be pushing the Biden administration to rescind everything the Trump administration has done,” said Stephanie Kurose, a senior policy analyst for the Center for Biological Diversity. “Joe Biden will need to work to lock in progress on these issues so future presidents can’t simply undo them with a stroke of the pen.”
Part of that, according to environmental activists, will require acts of Congress, which is why the special election in Georgia on Jan. 5 — which will determine whether the GOP hangs on to the Senate — is so paramount.
The Trump administration has been disastrous for endangered species, Kurose said.
“The Trump administration has listed the fewest number of species since President Ronald Reagan,” Kurose said. “It hasn’t designated critical habitat areas for species that need and have actively rolled back huge, fundamental parts of the Endangered Species Act itself, catering to industry at the expense of wildlife.”
Kurose also acknowledged the damage a one-term president can do is minimal, given that many of their policy prescriptions do not have sufficient time to take hold.
Nevertheless, the Trump administration’s attempts to weaken endangered species protections for species that are severely threatened could have terrible real-world consequences, wildlife advocates say.
For instance, the Trump administration announced Tuesday that while monarch butterflies qualify to be listed under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has other priorities — it’s officially known as a “warranted but precluded” listing.
“Today’s decision is an acknowledgment that monarch butterflies are in serious trouble, but it also delays critically needed action to help rescue the species,” said Sylvia Fallon, a senior director at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Monarch butterfly populations are in steep decline in the United States. Recent counts show an 85% decline in the eastern U.S. population that overwinters in Mexico and a 99% decline in the western population that overwinters in California.
Advocates say the time is now to list the butterfly and designate areas of critical habitat for the species.
“In acknowledging that listing is needed, but still avoiding that decision, the Trump administration has placed Monsanto profits above monarchs,” said George Kimbrell, the executive director of the Center for Food Safety. “The Biden administration must follow the law and science and protect them.”
Kimbrell mentions Monsanto because wildlife advocates and scientists believe the decline of Monarch butterflies is closely tied to the increased use of an herbicide to eradicate milkweed, which is critical to monarch butterfly reproduction.
The Trump administration has made much of deals to get farmers to plant more milkweed while also getting it to grow in other public places, but advocates say such programs are insufficient.
“Monarchs are capable of rebounding, but in order to do so they need the right conditions—including abundant milkweed and other nectar sources,” Fallon said.
Better agricultural practices not so heavily reliant on pesticides is one area, but critical habitat designations are another important tool that is being taken off the table, advocates said.
Other species such as grizzly bears and whooping cranes need critical habitat designations to survive and flourish.
“Habitat designations ensure species don’t just flourish, but they recover,” Kurose said, adding recovery is the goal outlined by the Endangered Species Act itself.
The habitat designation definition fight began at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018, when the court told Fish and Wildlife it needed to define the term habitat in relation to the extremely endangered dusky gopher frog.
The frog was native to the Southeast and flourished in temporary ponds endemic to the area. At the time of the ruling, the frogs only existed in one such pond in Mississippi, having extirpated from other areas of its traditional range.
Fish and Wildlife wanted to create other ponds on private land in Louisiana. That prompted a lawsuit by the property owner, who said such a program impinged on property rights.
Tuesday’s designation takes up the property owner’s preferred interpretation of the critical habitat, in that it can only apply to where the animal or plant currently lives rather than a historical range. Furthermore, while the monarch butterfly has been put on a waiting list, it is the Biden administration that will ultimately determine the duration of that wait.
Regarding critical habitat designations, the question becomes whether the Biden administration views that designation as final as the Trump administration has a little more than a month to exert its sway.


courthousenews--2020-12-16--DNA Damage Found in Keystone Species Exposed to Roundup

( CN ) — The smallest changes in our ecosystem might go unnoticed but can still create significant consequences for the food chain .
Ask the lowly water flea , which suffers significant DNA damage from even small amounts of the weed killer glyphosate over a long period of time .
The daphnia sit on the low end of the food chain , but as most school-age children learn , everything is connected in some way .
Researchers from the University of Birmingham who studied the daphnia revealed Tuesday that exposure to relatively low levels of the active ingredient in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — levels deemed safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — caused DNA damage and other harmful impacts to a test group of plankton .
They published their findings in the journal Microbiome .
Besides the DNA damage , the researchers found glyphosate caused embryonic development failure , interfered with metabolic functions and harmed all the bacteria and protozoa that live in the gut .
Lead researcher Dr. Luisa Orsini from the University of Birmingham ’ s school of biosciences said research on Roundup has been controversial since it first appeared on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Claims that it causes diseases and disorders ranging from cancer to autism stack up against industry-paid reports arguing that the product has no untoward effects , ” Orsini said in a statement accompanying the study .
“ The problem is that much of the evidence is rooted in outdated toxicity tests which only look at the number of animals that die on exposure to extremely high concentrations of these chemicals .
These tests also overlook the pathological effects arising from long-term exposure to low doses.
” For Roundup to alter an organism ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially in a species like plankton that is key to the food chain of freshwater ecosystems , means that the chemicals can harm more than just pests in a critical way , Orsini said in emailed comments .
That ’ s definitely alarming considering that the chemical reactions are on a molecular level that are constant across species , like humans .
The study was done in part with the U.K .
Environment Agency , a nondepartmental public body that seeks to bring new standards for regulatory agencies when looking at chemicals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the research will be able to help identify the most harmful chemicals that make their way into the environment .
“ We can ’ t stop environmental contamination in one step , but by identifying the worst offenders , we can work with industrial partners in a more targeted and effective way , ” said Orsini .
“ Other studies have found some of the effects we document , but we take a comprehensive ( system biology ) approach revealing all implications of long-term exposures to low doses of the herbicide , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not the only and will not be the last to show that Roundup is not safe.
” The sentiment is not a new one .
In 2015 , the World Health Organization ’ s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen .
Roundup manufacturer Monsanto condemned the IARC report , pointing to regulatory bodies in the United States , Canada , the European Union , Japan , and Australia that reached a contrasting determination on glyphosate .
Monsanto — which is now owned by Germany-based chemical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal fights over its herbicide for years , which many plaintiffs blaming the weed killer for their cancers .
In 2019 , a six-person jury awarded California resident Ed Hardeman $ 80 million , finding he developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma from long-term exposure to Roundup .
Hardeman used the product on his lawn for years .
A federal judge later sharply reduced the jury ’ s award .
Talks of a settlement between Bayer and 4,000 other plaintiffs with similar claims stalled this past August , after lawyers representing half the plaintiffs told a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to pull out of the $ 10 billion deal .
Bayer ’ s lawyer characterized the delay as “ a slight hiccup ” in negotiations .

The smallest changes in our ecosystem might go unnoticed but can still create significant consequences for the food chain. Ask the lowly water flea, which suffers significant DNA damage from even small amounts of the weed killer glyphosate over a long period of time.
(CN) — The smallest changes in our ecosystem might go unnoticed but can still create significant consequences for the food chain. Ask the lowly water flea, which suffers significant DNA damage from even small amounts of the weed killer glyphosate over a long period of time.
The daphnia sit on the low end of the food chain, but as most school-age children learn, everything is connected in some way.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham who studied the daphnia revealed Tuesday that exposure to relatively low levels of the active ingredient in Roundup for a long period of time — levels deemed safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — caused DNA damage and other harmful impacts to a test group of plankton.
They published their findings in the journal Microbiome.
Besides the DNA damage, the researchers found glyphosate caused embryonic development failure, interfered with metabolic functions and harmed all the bacteria and protozoa that live in the gut.
Daphnia exposed to Roundup is weak, the chitin shell that protects the soft body is malformed and does not protect the soft body of the animal, which looks unhealthy . The animal has only one aborted egg in the brood pouch. (University of Birmingham)
Lead researcher Dr. Luisa Orsini from the University of Birmingham’s school of biosciences said research on Roundup has been controversial since it first appeared on the market as a commercial herbicide.
“Claims that it causes diseases and disorders ranging from cancer to autism stack up against industry-paid reports arguing that the product has no untoward effects,” Orsini said in a statement accompanying the study. “The problem is that much of the evidence is rooted in outdated toxicity tests which only look at the number of animals that die on exposure to extremely high concentrations of these chemicals. These tests also overlook the pathological effects arising from long-term exposure to low doses.”
For Roundup to alter an organism’s metabolism and other vital functions, especially in a species like plankton that is key to the food chain of freshwater ecosystems, means that the chemicals can harm more than just pests in a critical way, Orsini said in emailed comments.
That’s definitely alarming considering that the chemical reactions are on a molecular level that are constant across species, like humans.
The study was done in part with the U.K. Environment Agency, a nondepartmental public body that seeks to bring new standards for regulatory agencies when looking at chemicals and their impact on biodiversity.
Orsini said the research will be able to help identify the most harmful chemicals that make their way into the environment.
"We can't stop environmental contamination in one step, but by identifying the worst offenders, we can work with industrial partners in a more targeted and effective way,” said Orsini.
“Other studies have found some of the effects we document, but we take a comprehensive (system biology) approach revealing all implications of long-term exposures to low doses of the herbicide,” Orsini said by email. “We are not the only and will not be the last to show that Roundup is not safe.”
The sentiment is not a new one.
In 2015, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. Roundup manufacturer Monsanto condemned the IARC report, pointing to regulatory bodies in the United States, Canada, the European Union, Japan, and Australia that reached a contrasting determination on glyphosate.
Monsanto — which is now owned by Germany-based chemical giant Bayer — has been in ongoing legal fights over its herbicide for years, which many plaintiffs blaming the weed killer for their cancers.
In 2019, a six-person jury awarded California resident Ed Hardeman $80 million, finding he developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma from long-term exposure to Roundup. Hardeman used the product on his lawn for years.
A federal judge later sharply reduced the jury’s award.
Talks of a settlement between Bayer and 4,000 other plaintiffs with similar claims stalled this past August, after lawyers representing half the plaintiffs told a federal judge they believed the company was trying to pull out of the $10 billion deal.
Bayer’s lawyer characterized the delay as “a slight hiccup” in negotiations.


Top Eight

Your Tuesday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News Top eight stories for today including California is quickly stockpiling body bags and prepping emergency morgues to aid hospitals swamped with Covid-19 patients ; New findings on Moderna ’ s Covid-19 vaccine confirm its high efficacy rate and could lead to imminent approval for emergency use ; President-elect Joe Biden traveled to Atlanta to campaign for a pair of Democratic Senate hopefuls , and more .
Sign up for the CNS Top Eight , a roundup of the day ’ s top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Moderna ’ s Covid-19 vaccine released Tuesday confirm its high efficacy rate and could lead to imminent approval for emergency use .
2 . )
Three weeks before a pair of Georgia runoff elections decides control of the Senate , President-elect Joe Biden made a trip to Atlanta on Tuesday to campaign for Democratic hopefuls Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff at a drive-in rally .
3 . )
In announcing Tuesday it will give the public access to noteworthy cases via audio livestream , the federal court system will move a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least in 13 districts .
4 . )
The Senate on Tuesday approved Thomas Kirsch , 51-44 , to serve on the Seventh Circuit , filling a vacancy left behind by Justice Amy Coney Barrett when she was elevated to the Supreme Court in October .
5 . )
Reacting to a devastating number of post-Thanksgiving deaths , California Governor Gavin Newsom said Tuesday the state is quickly stockpiling body bags and prepping emergency morgues to aid hospitals swamped with Covid-19 patients .
6 . )
Across the Golden State , fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dread one thing all too well : the crush of traffic getting in and out of venue parking lots .
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A ’ s baseball teams have a solution : gondolas going over bumper-to-bumper traffic and onto the stadium grounds .
7 . )
While a state election law complaint proceeds in federal court , a New York political party asked a circuit panel to block new rules requiring it to pick a presidential candidate to gain ballot access .
8 . )
Under new proposed European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Google could face massive fines if they repeatedly fail to take down content deemed dangerous and break fair competition practices .

Top eight stories for today including California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state is quickly stockpiling body bags and prepping emergency morgues to aid hospitals swamped with Covid-19 patients; New findings on Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine confirm its high efficacy rate and could lead to imminent approval for emergency use; President-elect Joe Biden traveled to Atlanta to campaign for a pair of Democratic Senate hopefuls, and more.
Your Tuesday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News
Top eight stories for today including California is quickly stockpiling body bags and prepping emergency morgues to aid hospitals swamped with Covid-19 patients; New findings on Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine confirm its high efficacy rate and could lead to imminent approval for emergency use; President-elect Joe Biden traveled to Atlanta to campaign for a pair of Democratic Senate hopefuls, and more.
Sign up for the CNS Top Eight, a roundup of the day’s top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday.
National
1.) New findings on Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine released Tuesday confirm its high efficacy rate and could lead to imminent approval for emergency use.
Registered Nurse Kath Olmstead gives volunteer trial participant Melissa Harting of Harpersville, N.Y., a blinded study experimental vaccine for COVID-19 developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc. at the United Health Services facility, Monday, July 27, 2020, in Binghamton, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
2.) Three weeks before a pair of Georgia runoff elections decides control of the Senate, President-elect Joe Biden made a trip to Atlanta on Tuesday to campaign for Democratic hopefuls Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff at a drive-in rally.
President-elect Joe Biden speaks at a drive-in rally for Georgia Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
3.) In announcing Tuesday it will give the public access to noteworthy cases via audio livestream, the federal court system will move a few rungs closer to the 21st century — at least in 13 districts.
(AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File)
4.) The Senate on Tuesday approved Thomas Kirsch, 51-44, to serve on the Seventh Circuit, filling a vacancy left behind by Justice Amy Coney Barrett when she was elevated to the Supreme Court in October.
President Donald Trump looks toward Amy Coney Barrett before Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas administers the Constitutional Oath to her on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, after Barrett was confirmed by the Senate earlier in the evening. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Regional
5.) Reacting to a devastating number of post-Thanksgiving deaths, California Governor Gavin Newsom said Tuesday the state is quickly stockpiling body bags and prepping emergency morgues to aid hospitals swamped with Covid-19 patients.
FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2020, file photo, a sign reminding people to wear a mask stands along the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, Calif. After a punishing fall that left hospital struggling, some Midwestern states are seeing a decline in new coronavirus cases. But the signs of improvement are offset by the infection’s accelerating spread on both coasts. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
6.) Across the Golden State, fans of sports, music and theater know and dread one thing all too well: the crush of traffic getting in and out of venue parking lots. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A’s baseball teams have a solution: gondolas going over bumper-to-bumper traffic and onto the stadium grounds.
Rendering of a gondola project linking Union Station in downtown Los Angeles with Dodger Stadium. (Art courtesy Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit)
7.) While a state election law complaint proceeds in federal court, a New York political party asked a circuit panel to block new rules requiring it to pick a presidential candidate to gain ballot access.
Voters line up in front of the Yonkers Public Library in Yonkers, N.Y., on Oct. 24, 2020 as the first day of early voting in the presidential election begins across New York state. (Mark Vergari/The Journal News via AP)
International
8.) Under new proposed European Union rules, tech giants like Facebook and Google could face massive fines if they repeatedly fail to take down content deemed dangerous and break fair competition practices.


courthousenews--2020-12-15--Study: Ventilation Key to Limiting Virus Risks to Plant Workers

( CN ) — Working shoulder-to-shoulder in one large room , shouting at each other over loud machinery , meatpacking workers are at severe risk of contracting Covid-19 .
New research found ventilation is key to preventing major outbreaks at these plants .
Meatpackers account for 0.16 % of the U.S. population , but they make up 1 % of all Covid-19 cases in the U.S. , roughly 166,000 , said Felicia Wu , a Michigan State University toxicology professor who presented a study Tuesday in which she and her colleagues developed a Covid-infection risk model for the meatpacking industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some of the largest Covid-19 outbreaks in the U.S. have occurred at meatpacking plants .
The biggest was this spring at Smithfield Foods ’ pork plant in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , in which 1,294 workers and hundreds of their close contacts came down with the virus and four workers died .
Though the company shut down the plant at the urging of elected officials , it was only for two weeks as President Trump issued an executive order in late April deeming meatpacking plants essential businesses that should stay open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Americans .
Through open-records requests , the news organization ProPublica found Trump cribbed the order from a draft written by the North American Meat Institute , a trade group that represents companies that process 95 % of beef , pork and veal and 70 % of turkey products in the U.S. Smithfield ’ s plant , which can process up to 20,000 hogs per day , is one of 12 large-scale meatpacking plants forced to temporarily shutter this year due to coronavirus outbreaks with disastrous results for the industry , Wu said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Analysis ’ annual conference .
“ Because farmers can not easily take their animals and go to another meatpacking plant because they may be spread far apart , or overloaded with animals , they ’ ve actually had to euthanize a large number of livestock , ” Wu said in a virtual symposium .
Margaret Beestra , an Ohio State University graduate student , discussed her interviews of 28 Ohio farmers for her study on how the pandemic affected them at the conference and cited a CBS News headline from May stating , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Pigs as Meat Plants Remain Closed.
” She said as a workaround to the plant closures , some of the farmers she talked to got creative : A few had customers come to their farms and sold them hogs or cows , while one built a small butchering facility on site .
She said butcher shops in the Midwest are now booked years in advance by farmers who panicked when Covid-19 outbreaks forced meatpacking plants to temporarily close .
The prices of meat in grocery stores has fluctuated wildly throughout the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August , the price of 15-pound briskets at an HEB grocery store in Houston went from $ 45 to $ 75 the next week then back to $ 45 .
Wu said some meatpacking plants tried to take precautions to protect their workers early in the pandemic , only to learn the measures were not very effective as research on the virus evolved .
In April , Tyson Foods put thin plastic coverings between assembly line workers at one of its meatpacking plants , Wu said .
“ That was when we believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they might fall fairly easily to the ground … Now , however , we know a primary route of transmission is aerosol transmission so…these plastic sheets actually do not protect workers from Covid-19 infection , ” Wu said .
She and her team created a model to estimate the viral load of coronavirus in meatpacking plants based on the half-life of the virus , the rate at which humans breathe , how much virus is expelled when an infected person breathes , talks or coughs and the air-exchange rates .
“ What we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate is crucial to reducing the viral load to minimize infection risk , ” Wu said , adding that air exchange is also crucial for the buses that are commonly used to transport meatpacking plant workers , many of whom are immigrants , to and from work .
Asked if ventilation can be easily adjusted in U.S. meatpacking buildings , Wu said if the building is up to code it should be relatively easy to improve ventilation rates .
“ It ’ s much more of a problem in individual houses…For example if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even if you opened up all the windows , the most you could achieve is maybe three complete air exchanges in an hour , ” Wu said .
But well-ventilated buildings can achieve six complete air exchanges per hour or more , Wu noted .
“ So that certainly is a possibility , but it completely depends on retrofitting and what infrastructure for ventilation is already there , ” she said , adding that she hopes to publish her research quickly to put companies and plant managers on notice of her findings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have received for their numerous Covid outbreaks , Wu said there has not really been much substantive changes in working conditions because the nature of the work can not accommodate social distancing .
“ So what can we promote ?
she said .
“ Enforcing effective mask wearing and other protective gear , improved ventilation and air-exchange rates in both the meatpacking and transportation buses , [ and ] enforcement of sick leave for symptomatic and diagnosed cases .
”

Working shoulder-to-shoulder in one large room, shouting at each other over loud machinery, meatpacking workers are at severe risk of contracting Covid-19. New research found ventilation is key to preventing major outbreaks at these plants.
(CN) — Working shoulder-to-shoulder in one large room, shouting at each other over loud machinery, meatpacking workers are at severe risk of contracting Covid-19. New research found ventilation is key to preventing major outbreaks at these plants.
Meatpackers account for 0.16 % of the U.S. population, but they make up 1% of all Covid-19 cases in the U.S., roughly 166,000, said Felicia Wu, a Michigan State University toxicology professor who presented a study Tuesday in which she and her colleagues developed a Covid-infection risk model for the meatpacking industry.
"That's staggeringly high," she said.
Along with prisons and nursing homes, some of the largest Covid-19 outbreaks in the U.S. have occurred at meatpacking plants. The biggest was this spring at Smithfield Foods' pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in which 1,294 workers and hundreds of their close contacts came down with the virus and four workers died.
Though the company shut down the plant at the urging of elected officials, it was only for two weeks as President Trump issued an executive order in late April deeming meatpacking plants essential businesses that should stay open to provide a continued supply of protein for Americans. Through open-records requests, the news organization ProPublica found Trump cribbed the order from a draft written by the North American Meat Institute, a trade group that represents companies that process 95% of beef, pork and veal and 70% of turkey products in the U.S.
Smithfield's plant, which can process up to 20,000 hogs per day, is one of 12 large-scale meatpacking plants forced to temporarily shutter this year due to coronavirus outbreaks with disastrous results for the industry, Wu said, speaking at the Society for Risk Analysis' annual conference.
"Because farmers cannot easily take their animals and go to another meatpacking plant because they may be spread far apart, or overloaded with animals, they've actually had to euthanize a large number of livestock," Wu said in a virtual symposium.
Margaret Beestra, an Ohio State University graduate student, discussed her interviews of 28 Ohio farmers for her study on how the pandemic affected them at the conference and cited a CBS News headline from May stating, "Farmers Will Have to Euthanize Millions of Pigs as Meat Plants Remain Closed."
She said as a workaround to the plant closures, some of the farmers she talked to got creative: A few had customers come to their farms and sold them hogs or cows, while one built a small butchering facility on site.
She said butcher shops in the Midwest are now booked years in advance by farmers who panicked when Covid-19 outbreaks forced meatpacking plants to temporarily close.
The prices of meat in grocery stores has fluctuated wildly throughout the year due to the plant closures. In August, the price of 15-pound briskets at an HEB grocery store in Houston went from $45 to $75 the next week then back to $45.
Wu said some meatpacking plants tried to take precautions to protect their workers early in the pandemic, only to learn the measures were not very effective as research on the virus evolved.
In April, Tyson Foods put thin plastic coverings between assembly line workers at one of its meatpacking plants, Wu said.
"That was when we believed Covid-19 was primarily transmitted through droplets so they might fall fairly easily to the ground ... Now, however, we know a primary route of transmission is aerosol transmission so…these plastic sheets actually do not protect workers from Covid-19 infection," Wu said.
She and her team created a model to estimate the viral load of coronavirus in meatpacking plants based on the half-life of the virus, the rate at which humans breathe, how much virus is expelled when an infected person breathes, talks or coughs and the air-exchange rates.
"What we found in our model, the air-exchange rate is crucial to reducing the viral load to minimize infection risk," Wu said, adding that air exchange is also crucial for the buses that are commonly used to transport meatpacking plant workers, many of whom are immigrants, to and from work.
Asked if ventilation can be easily adjusted in U.S. meatpacking buildings, Wu said if the building is up to code it should be relatively easy to improve ventilation rates.
"It's much more of a problem in individual houses...For example if you have people coming into your house, even if you opened up all the windows, the most you could achieve is maybe three complete air exchanges in an hour," Wu said.
But well-ventilated buildings can achieve six complete air exchanges per hour or more, Wu noted.
"So that certainly is a possibility, but it completely depends on retrofitting and what infrastructure for ventilation is already there," she said, adding that she hopes to publish her research quickly to put companies and plant managers on notice of her findings.
Despite the bad press meatpacking companies have received for their numerous Covid outbreaks, Wu said there has not really been much substantive changes in working conditions because the nature of the work cannot accommodate social distancing.
"So what can we promote? she said. "Enforcing effective mask wearing and other protective gear, improved ventilation and air-exchange rates in both the meatpacking and transportation buses, [and] enforcement of sick leave for symptomatic and diagnosed cases."


courthousenews--2020-12-15--Senate Confirms Amy Coney Barrett Replacement on Seventh Circuit

WASHINGTON ( CN ) — The Senate on Tuesday approved Thomas Kirsch , 51-44 , to serve on the Seventh Circuit , filling a vacancy left behind by Justice Amy Coney Barrett when she was elevated to the Supreme Court in October .
Kirsch , a member of the Federalist Society , previously served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana for three years .
First nominated by President Donald Trump in 2017 , Kirsch faced a divisive confirmation hearing this November with Republicans quick to praise his record and experience while Democrats expressed skepticism over the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmation makes the Seventh Circuit the only all-white bench in the nation .
President Barack Obama nominated Myra Selby , the first woman and Black judge to serve on the Indiana Supreme Court , to fill a vacancy on the court in 2016 .
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — only newly minted as leader at the time — blocked Selby in short order after President Trump was ushered into the White House .
Coney Barrett was later nominated and confirmed for the circuit seat .
Erinn Martin , policy counsel for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under Law , lamented the nomination in a statement Tuesday evening .
“ The confirmation of Thomas Kirsch , the fifth white nominee to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in less than four years , would represent an egregious step backwards as it would cement the Seventh Circuit as the only all-white appellate bench in the country , ” she said .
“ It is past time for the federal courts to reflect the rich racial , ethnic and gender diversity of the country.
” Kirsch , a Harvard Law School and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a partner at Winston and Strawn and a federal prosecutor specializing in white-collar crime and fraud .
In the interpretation of the law , Kirsch is a self-professed originalist .
During his confirmation hearing in November , he told lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would reconcile disputes over federal statutes by weighing the intent of the law at the time it was issued .
This position rankled Democrats on the committee .
In one taut exchange with Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse , the Democrat pressed Kirsch to explain how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Education , which eradicated segregation in public schools .
The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment was adopted in 1868 , and Whitehouse noted that it was exceedingly unlikely “ anyone in that environment ” would have expected it would eventually require integrated schools , particularly in the South .
“ Indeed for 100 years it wasn ’ t seen that way until the Supreme Court decided in Brown v. Board Education that that had to go .
That segregation in schools was an offense to the Constitution as well as to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitehouse said during the remote hearing .
“ I assume you would have been a no vote with Brown ?
” Kirsch told the committee in terms of statutory interpretation he would take the “ text of the statute and apply the ordinary meaning of the text at the time it was written.
” “ Brown has addressed the Equal Protection Clause in numerous cases , but as a judge , my responsibility would be to apply Supreme Court precedent .
My job would not be to change the law .
I believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislator .
I would impose my judgment , not my will , whether I agree or disagree with the law , ” he said .
But cases do not typically appear at the Supreme Court first .
They usually snake their way up through the circuit courts .
“ You ’ re going to sit on a circuit court .
The circuit court is going to hear cases of first impression that then the Supreme Court will ultimately review , ” Whitehouse remarked to Kirsch in November .
“ You don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is determined under Supreme Court precedent — the reason we have circuit court judges is to sort through the stuff that doesn ’ t ineluctably follow from a Supreme Court precedent and make a decision.
” Based on his testimony , Whitehouse said he was concerned Kirsch would try to divine the intent of the people who wrote the law and in effect , would have been a dissenting vote in Brown .
Working to reassure the committee , Kirsch testified he would “ not go with the intent , but the language @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Lindsey Graham , chair of the committee , was able to redeem Kirsch after noting that the Brown decision was only reached because it was shown that the “ separate but equal ” centerpiece girding the 14th Amendment did not actually ensure equal protection at all .
This , Graham explained , meant Brown was a ruling rooted in textualism and therefore Kirsch was not misaligned in his response to the Democratic senator .
During his nomination , Indiana Republican Senators Mike Braun and Todd Young praised Kirsch , noting his experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among public officials .
With “ sound judicial temperament , ” Senator Braun said Kirsch would apply statutes instead of creating his own from the bench .

The Senate on Tuesday approved Thomas Kirsch, 51-44, to serve on the Seventh Circuit, filling a vacancy left behind by Justice Amy Coney Barrett when she was elevated to the Supreme Court in October.
WASHINGTON (CN) — The Senate on Tuesday approved Thomas Kirsch, 51-44, to serve on the Seventh Circuit, filling a vacancy left behind by Justice Amy Coney Barrett when she was elevated to the Supreme Court in October.
Kirsch, a member of the Federalist Society, previously served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana for three years. First nominated by President Donald Trump in 2017, Kirsch faced a divisive confirmation hearing this November with Republicans quick to praise his record and experience while Democrats expressed skepticism over the president’s pick.
Kirsch’s confirmation makes the Seventh Circuit the only all-white bench in the nation.
President Barack Obama nominated Myra Selby, the first woman and Black judge to serve on the Indiana Supreme Court, to fill a vacancy on the court in 2016.
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — only newly minted as leader at the time — blocked Selby in short order after President Trump was ushered into the White House. Coney Barrett was later nominated and confirmed for the circuit seat.
Erinn Martin, policy counsel for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, lamented the nomination in a statement Tuesday evening.
"The confirmation of Thomas Kirsch, the fifth white nominee to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in less than four years, would represent an egregious step backwards as it would cement the Seventh Circuit as the only all-white appellate bench in the country," she said. "It is past time for the federal courts to reflect the rich racial, ethnic and gender diversity of the country."
Kirsch, a Harvard Law School and Indiana University graduate, previously served as a partner at Winston and Strawn and a federal prosecutor specializing in white-collar crime and fraud.
In the interpretation of the law, Kirsch is a self-professed originalist. During his confirmation hearing in November, he told lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would reconcile disputes over federal statutes by weighing the intent of the law at the time it was issued.
This position rankled Democrats on the committee.
In one taut exchange with Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the Democrat pressed Kirsch to explain how he would assess Brown v. Board of Education, which eradicated segregation in public schools.
The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment was adopted in 1868, and Whitehouse noted that it was exceedingly unlikely “anyone in that environment” would have expected it would eventually require integrated schools, particularly in the South.
“Indeed for 100 years it wasn’t seen that way until the Supreme Court decided in Brown v. Board Education that that had to go. That segregation in schools was an offense to the Constitution as well as to our moral and civil fabric,” Whitehouse said during the remote hearing. “I assume you would have been a no vote with Brown?”
Kirsch told the committee in terms of statutory interpretation he would take the “text of the statute and apply the ordinary meaning of the text at the time it was written.”
“Brown has addressed the Equal Protection Clause in numerous cases, but as a judge, my responsibility would be to apply Supreme Court precedent. My job would not be to change the law. I believe that’s the job of the legislator. I would impose my judgment, not my will, whether I agree or disagree with the law,” he said.
But cases do not typically appear at the Supreme Court first. They usually snake their way up through the circuit courts.
“You’re going to sit on a circuit court. The circuit court is going to hear cases of first impression that then the Supreme Court will ultimately review,” Whitehouse remarked to Kirsch in November. “You don’t need to be there if every case is determined under Supreme Court precedent — the reason we have circuit court judges is to sort through the stuff that doesn’t ineluctably follow from a Supreme Court precedent and make a decision.”
Based on his testimony, Whitehouse said he was concerned Kirsch would try to divine the intent of the people who wrote the law and in effect, would have been a dissenting vote in Brown.
Working to reassure the committee, Kirsch testified he would “not go with the intent, but the language of the statute.”
South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, chair of the committee, was able to redeem Kirsch after noting that the Brown decision was only reached because it was shown that the “separate but equal” centerpiece girding the 14th Amendment did not actually ensure equal protection at all.
This, Graham explained, meant Brown was a ruling rooted in textualism and therefore Kirsch was not misaligned in his response to the Democratic senator.
During his nomination, Indiana Republican Senators Mike Braun and Todd Young praised Kirsch, noting his experience prosecuting gangs, narcotics crimes and corruption among public officials. With “sound judicial temperament,” Senator Braun said Kirsch would apply statutes instead of creating his own from the bench.


courthousenews--2020-12-15--Georgia Cop Fired for Flying Confederate Flag Argues Against City Policy

ATLANTA ( CN ) — An attorney for a Georgia cop fired after parking her police cruiser under a Confederate flag in her front yard asked an 11th Circuit panel Tuesday to give her another chance to show the police department violated her free speech rights .
Roswell Police Sergeant Silvia Cotriss lost her job after an internal investigation determined that she violated police department and city policies by engaging in improper conduct impacting public confidence in the department .
Cotriss , who has said that she was simply trying to honor her Southern heritage by flying the flag on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded by suing Roswell and its police department for allegedly violating her First Amendment rights .
In a 45-minute hearing Tuesday that involved the type of hypothetical questioning one attorney said was “ reminiscent of a law school examination , ” a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit peppered counsel with questions about how the police department can balance the civil rights of its officers against its rules for the display of flags and symbols which might be “ unbecoming.
” “ If a police officer in the Roswell Police Department wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a patrol car in front of their home , is that considered conduct unbecoming of an officer ?
” U.S .
Circuit Judge Barbara Lagoa asked , referring to the Blue Lives Matter flag showing support for police .
“ What is conduct unbecoming of an officer ?
What flag can an officer fly in front of their home ?
Can they fly the American flag ?
Some people believe the American flag is racist , ” added Lagoa , a Donald Trump appointee .
Arguing on behalf of the city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Gary said that the context of the action and the divisiveness of the flag are really what ’ s at issue in this case .
“ [ Cotriss ] associated a divisive flag with the city of Roswell Police Department and she did it in a context at a time in which she literally endangered her fellow officers , ” Bean told the panel .
Bean said he did not think the city could have disciplined Cotriss for flying a Blue Lives Matter flag because “ there is not a history associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag such as there is with the Confederate flag.
” Cotriss ’ s actions came to the attention of the police department in July 2016 , after a citizen complained to the chief of police .
The complaint was made during a period of heightened racial tensions across the country in the wake of the police shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota .
A Georgia federal judge dismissed Cotriss ’ case last year , ruling that her display of the flag above her patrol car invited an “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police department .
U.S. District Judge William Ray II , a Trump appointee , ruled that her display of the flag was a matter of public concern due to the “ nationwide social and political context ” and that the city ’ s interest in operating an effective police department outweighed her interest in her right to free speech .
The 11th Circuit panel questioned Tuesday what level of notice officers have regarding the types of symbols and flags which might be considered improper .
“ Would you say that an officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct unbecoming policy that she could not fly the Nazi swastika flag on a 15-foot flagpole above her house on a very busy road displayed right next to her police cruiser ?
” asked U.S .
Circuit Judge Robin Rosenbaum , a Barack Obama appointee .
Arguing on behalf of Cotriss , attorney Regan Keebaugh of Radford & Keebaugh acknowledged that “ society has progressed to a point where it ’ s widely understood that it ’ s unacceptable for a police officer to display the Nazi flag.
” “ But it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer to fly a Confederate flag in a time of heightened racial tension ?
” asked Senior U.S .
Circuit Judge Ed Carnes , a George H.W .
Bush appointee .
“ Societal norms change , ” Keebaugh replied .
“ Ten years ago , maybe it was okay to do this but now it ’ s probably not .
But that just highlights the need for fair notice.
” But Bean said Cotriss should have known better .
“ She was a supervisor .
She had 20 years ’ experience .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
Three days before this incident was reported , police officers were shot in Dallas because of racial tensions , ” he said .
Keebaugh told the panel that the department ’ s policies were ambiguous , calling the matter a “ constitutionally untenable situation.
” “ You ’ ve got a city that ’ s clearly intent on regulating speech in this area but they ’ re really just refusing to tell their employees what they can and can ’ t do , ” Keebaugh said .
“ This court can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can regulate speech but if you ’ re going to do it , you ’ ve got to do it with precision.
” He proposed that the city issue a policy similar to the U.S. military ’ s policy preventing officers from displaying the Confederate flag on military property .
Although the military ’ s guidance does not specifically prohibit the Confederate battle flag from display , it is not listed among the flags allowed to be displayed .
The panel did not indicate when it will reach a decision in the case @

An attorney for a Georgia cop fired after parking her police cruiser under a Confederate flag in her front yard asked an 11th Circuit panel Tuesday to give her another chance to show the police department violated her free speech rights.
ATLANTA (CN) — An attorney for a Georgia cop fired after parking her police cruiser under a Confederate flag in her front yard asked an 11th Circuit panel Tuesday to give her another chance to show the police department violated her free speech rights.
Roswell Police Sergeant Silvia Cotriss lost her job after an internal investigation determined that she violated police department and city policies by engaging in improper conduct impacting public confidence in the department.
Cotriss, who has said that she was simply trying to honor her Southern heritage by flying the flag on a 15-foot flagpole in her yard, responded by suing Roswell and its police department for allegedly violating her First Amendment rights.
In a 45-minute hearing Tuesday that involved the type of hypothetical questioning one attorney said was “reminiscent of a law school examination,” a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit peppered counsel with questions about how the police department can balance the civil rights of its officers against its rules for the display of flags and symbols which might be “unbecoming.”
“If a police officer in the Roswell Police Department wants to fly a black and blue flag and have a patrol car in front of their home, is that considered conduct unbecoming of an officer?” U.S. Circuit Judge Barbara Lagoa asked, referring to the Blue Lives Matter flag showing support for police.
“What is conduct unbecoming of an officer? What flag can an officer fly in front of their home? Can they fly the American flag? Some people believe the American flag is racist,” added Lagoa, a Donald Trump appointee.
Arguing on behalf of the city, attorney Brenton Bean of Freeman, Mathis & Gary said that the context of the action and the divisiveness of the flag are really what’s at issue in this case.
“[Cotriss] associated a divisive flag with the city of Roswell Police Department and she did it in a context at a time in which she literally endangered her fellow officers,” Bean told the panel.
Bean said he did not think the city could have disciplined Cotriss for flying a Blue Lives Matter flag because “there is not a history associated with that type of statement and that flag such as there is with the Confederate flag.”
Cotriss’s actions came to the attention of the police department in July 2016, after a citizen complained to the chief of police. The complaint was made during a period of heightened racial tensions across the country in the wake of the police shootings of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.
A Georgia federal judge dismissed Cotriss’ case last year, ruling that her display of the flag above her patrol car invited an “obvious association” between the flag and the police department.
U.S. District Judge William Ray II, a Trump appointee, ruled that her display of the flag was a matter of public concern due to the “nationwide social and political context” and that the city’s interest in operating an effective police department outweighed her interest in her right to free speech.
The 11th Circuit panel questioned Tuesday what level of notice officers have regarding the types of symbols and flags which might be considered improper.
“Would you say that an officer did not have fair notice by the conduct unbecoming policy that she could not fly the Nazi swastika flag on a 15-foot flagpole above her house on a very busy road displayed right next to her police cruiser?” asked U.S. Circuit Judge Robin Rosenbaum, a Barack Obama appointee.
Arguing on behalf of Cotriss, attorney Regan Keebaugh of Radford & Keebaugh acknowledged that “society has progressed to a point where it’s widely understood that it’s unacceptable for a police officer to display the Nazi flag.”
“But it’s not widely understood for a police officer to fly a Confederate flag in a time of heightened racial tension?” asked Senior U.S. Circuit Judge Ed Carnes, a George H.W. Bush appointee.
“Societal norms change,” Keebaugh replied. “Ten years ago, maybe it was okay to do this but now it’s probably not. But that just highlights the need for fair notice.”
But Bean said Cotriss should have known better.
“She was a supervisor. She had 20 years’ experience. It’s not a close call for her. Three days before this incident was reported, police officers were shot in Dallas because of racial tensions,” he said.
Keebaugh told the panel that the department’s policies were ambiguous, calling the matter a “constitutionally untenable situation.”
“You’ve got a city that’s clearly intent on regulating speech in this area but they’re really just refusing to tell their employees what they can and can’t do,” Keebaugh said. “This court can tell the city of Roswell that you can regulate speech but if you’re going to do it, you’ve got to do it with precision.”
He proposed that the city issue a policy similar to the U.S. military’s policy preventing officers from displaying the Confederate flag on military property. Although the military’s guidance does not specifically prohibit the Confederate battle flag from display, it is not listed among the flags allowed to be displayed.
The panel did not indicate when it will reach a decision in the case.


courthousenews--2020-12-15--Biden Returns to Campaign Trail to Boost Georgia Senate Candidates

ATLANTA ( CN ) — Three weeks before a pair of Georgia runoff elections decides control of the Senate , President-elect Joe Biden made a trip to Atlanta on Tuesday to campaign for Democratic hopefuls Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff at a drive-in rally .
The outcome of the Jan. 5 election will determine which party will hold the Senate majority when Biden takes office next month and begins pushing his agenda .
A record turnout of 168,000 Georgia voters cast their ballots on the first day of early voting Monday , the same day the Electoral College confirmed Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Georgia awarded Biden all its 16 electoral votes , as he was the first Democrat to carry the Peach State since Bill Clinton in 1992 .
“ You all did something extraordinary in November , ” Biden said at the rally in Atlanta ’ s Pullman Train Yard , inciting honks and cheers from supporters .
“ You voted in record numbers .
You voted to improve the lives of every Georgian , and you voted as if your life depended on it .
Well guess what ?
Now you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams livened the crowd with fiery remarks to open the rally .
The Democrat , who registered hundreds of thousands of Georgians to vote after her narrow loss in the 2018 gubernatorial election , was called a “ hero ” by Biden .
The runoffs became necessary after all four Senate candidates failed to receive 50 % of the vote on Election Day .
Incumbent Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue have been painting Warnock and Ossoff , their respective opponents , as “ radical liberals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aim at Perdue and Loeffler on Tuesday for their inaction on economic relief legislation for those who have lost their jobs and businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ How is it that right now , in the midst of this crisis , our senators are not at work passing direct economic relief for the American people and support for small businesses ?
” Ossoff said .
“ David and Kelly should be in Washington delivering $ 1,200 checks for every single Georgian and $ 500 for every child in this state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need help now.
” Loeffler was appointed to her seat by Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp a year ago after former GOP Senator Johnny Isakson stepped down for health reasons .
Warnock pointed to her lack of an election win while criticizing his opponent at the rally .
“ She was appointed , ” Warnock said .
“ The people of Georgia are disappointed.
” Warnock spoke of his roots living in public housing in Savannah and Biden later said Warnock ’ s life was “ a story of never giving up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ossoff a “ fresh voice who will only do the work of the people.
” The president-elect started to cough and lose his voice as he closed his remarks by quoting the late Georgia congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis : “ The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society .
You must use it because it is not guaranteed .
You can lose it.
” Earlier in the day it was reported that Biden will nominate former South Bend mayor and Democratic primary rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary , drawing praise from the LGBTQ community but displeasure from South Bend ’ s chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement due to Buttigieg ’ s handling of the shooting of a Black man by a white police officer .
Biden did not answer questions about the Buttigieg reports while boarding his plane back to Delaware on Tuesday .
The former vice president held a pair of rallies in Georgia a week before the presidential election and won the state by a slim margin over Trump , who , after coming up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has resorted to taking unsuccessful legal actions challenging the results in Georgia and other states he narrowly lost .
Even though Trump ’ s recent appeal to overturn the Peach State ’ s election results was rejected by the Georgia Supreme Court , the president has continued to accuse Governor Kemp and Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger of carrying out a fraudulent election .
In a statement released ahead of Tuesday ’ s rally , the Trump campaign said Warnock and Ossoff “ represent the left-most fringe of the Democrat Party.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them is further proof that he is utterly in the grip of the extreme left , which is the driving force in today ’ s Democrat Party , ” the outgoing president ’ s campaign said .

Three weeks before a pair of Georgia runoff elections decides control of the Senate, President-elect Joe Biden made a trip to Atlanta on Tuesday to campaign for Democratic hopefuls Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff at a drive-in rally.
ATLANTA (CN) — Three weeks before a pair of Georgia runoff elections decides control of the Senate, President-elect Joe Biden made a trip to Atlanta on Tuesday to campaign for Democratic hopefuls Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff at a drive-in rally.
The outcome of the Jan. 5 election will determine which party will hold the Senate majority when Biden takes office next month and begins pushing his agenda.
A record turnout of 168,000 Georgia voters cast their ballots on the first day of early voting Monday, the same day the Electoral College confirmed Biden’s win over President Donald Trump. Georgia awarded Biden all its 16 electoral votes, as he was the first Democrat to carry the Peach State since Bill Clinton in 1992.
“You all did something extraordinary in November,” Biden said at the rally in Atlanta’s Pullman Train Yard, inciting honks and cheers from supporters. “You voted in record numbers. You voted to improve the lives of every Georgian, and you voted as if your life depended on it. Well guess what? Now you’re going to have to do it again.”
Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams livened the crowd with fiery remarks to open the rally. The Democrat, who registered hundreds of thousands of Georgians to vote after her narrow loss in the 2018 gubernatorial election, was called a “hero” by Biden.
The runoffs became necessary after all four Senate candidates failed to receive 50% of the vote on Election Day. Incumbent Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue have been painting Warnock and Ossoff, their respective opponents, as “radical liberals” in attack ads.
Ossoff took aim at Perdue and Loeffler on Tuesday for their inaction on economic relief legislation for those who have lost their jobs and businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“How is it that right now, in the midst of this crisis, our senators are not at work passing direct economic relief for the American people and support for small businesses?” Ossoff said. “David and Kelly should be in Washington delivering $1,200 checks for every single Georgian and $500 for every child in this state. Because people are hurting, and we need help now.”
Loeffler was appointed to her seat by Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp a year ago after former GOP Senator Johnny Isakson stepped down for health reasons. Warnock pointed to her lack of an election win while criticizing his opponent at the rally.
“She was appointed,” Warnock said. “The people of Georgia are disappointed.”
Warnock spoke of his roots living in public housing in Savannah and Biden later said Warnock’s life was “a story of never giving up on the American dream.” Biden called Ossoff a “fresh voice who will only do the work of the people.”
The president-elect started to cough and lose his voice as he closed his remarks by quoting the late Georgia congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis: “The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.”
On Tuesday evening, the Biden-Harris transition team announced that Biden will nominate former South Bend mayor and Democratic primary rival Pete Buttigieg to serve as his transportation secretary. The news drew praise from the LGBTQ community but displeasure from South Bend’s chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement due to Buttigieg’s handling of the shooting of a Black man by a white police officer.
The former vice president held a pair of rallies in Georgia a week before the presidential election and won the state by a slim margin over Trump, who, after coming up short in the recount he demanded, has resorted to taking unsuccessful legal actions challenging the results in Georgia and other states he narrowly lost.
Even though Trump’s recent appeal to overturn the Peach State’s election results was rejected by the Georgia Supreme Court, the president has continued to accuse Governor Kemp and Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger of carrying out a fraudulent election.
In a statement released ahead of Tuesday’s rally, the Trump campaign said Warnock and Ossoff “represent the left-most fringe of the Democrat Party.”
“That Joe Biden would campaign for them is further proof that he is utterly in the grip of the extreme left, which is the driving force in today’s Democrat Party,” the outgoing president’s campaign said.


courthousenews--2020-12-15--EU Takes on Big Tech Again, This Time With Tough Laws

( CN ) — Under new proposed European Union rules , tech giants like Facebook and Google could face massive fines if they repeatedly fail to take down content deemed dangerous and break fair competition practices .
The tough new draft legislation was unveiled Tuesday by the European Commission , the bloc ’ s executive arm , and was hailed as a landmark effort to impose a legal framework to the disorder of the digital world .
With these proposals , the EU is threatening to levy fines of between 6 % and 10 % of a company ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A core goal is to rein in the colossal powers of the big American tech companies like Google , Apple , Facebook and Amazon , whose practices are seen in Europe as stifling European competitors , disregarding the continent ’ s deeply held privacy concerns , operating as untrammeled profit engines and threatening democracy by allowing the spread of hate speech and disinformation .
These companies are dominant in Europe just as they are around the globe .
The rules propose a set of criteria tech companies must follow to ensure content deemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech and disinformation – is quickly removed .
The rules also envision placing restrictions on the data the biggest tech firms collect and forcing them to treat competitors more fairly .
This is the latest , and many say most aggressive , step the EU has taken in recent years to challenge U.S. tech companies , which are increasingly under pressure around the world and even in the United States for allegedly unfair practices stifling competition .
Over the past two months , the U.S. federal government and numerous U.S. states opened antitrust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal Trade Commission wants Facebook to sell Instagram and WhatsApp .
At a news briefing to unveil the rules in Brussels on Tuesday , Margrethe Vestager , a Danish politician and top EU official who ’ s led the bloc ’ s efforts to fight U.S. tech giants , said the EU is “ part of a global conversation about how to balance things because the important thing here is with size comes responsibility.
” The proposed rules have a long way to go before they may be adopted .
They will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the EU ’ s directly elected body , and the European Council , an EU policy-making institution made up of national leaders .
During that process , the rules could undergo major revisions and languish entirely .
Vestager said the fastest the rules could be made into law would be a year and a half .
Others , though , predict it could take much longer for such a broad set of groundbreaking proposals to be approved .
Still , many see the rules as a potential game changer .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change the internet , ” said Tiemo Wolken , a German Social Democratic member of the European Parliament , on Deutsche Welle , a German broadcaster .
He said the legislation finally provides “ clear rules ” to force platforms to moderate content and protect internet users .
He said the proposed huge fines could also “ change the behavior of big platforms.
” He said the European Commission ’ s previous efforts to sue tech companies and levy fines for unfair competition practices have proven to take too long and yielded mixed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high hopes for this new legislative tactic .
The responses from the U.S. tech companies and business interests were largely negative , though Facebook said the EU was “ on the right track to help preserve what is good about the internet.
” Facebook is under immense pressure to do more to protect users ’ data and remove content deemed dangerous on its social media platforms .
Google said in a statement that the proposals “ appear to specifically target a handful of companies and make it harder to develop new products to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brilliant , the head of international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , said in a statement that the proposed rules “ target American companies almost exclusively by imposing onerous new regulatory requirements backed by steep financial penalties.
” “ It seems Europe is intent on punishing successful companies that have made deep investments in Europe ’ s economic growth and recovery , ” he said .
“ Moreover , these measures will not improve Europe ’ s own competitiveness.
” Europeans see it very differently .
Thierry Breton , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an EU commissioner who helped develop the rules , said the EU does not intend to break up big American tech companies but it will insist those companies respect European values and play by fair rules .
“ We will never say this company or that company are too big , ” he said at a news conference with Vestager .
“ We don ’ t say that here in Europe .
We respect companies .
But we say that the bigger they are the more obligations they may have to fulfill what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU must “ act quickly ” because smaller companies are being hurt by the unfair market conditions .
Under the rules , the biggest companies on the internet will have to abide by special rules because they will be deemed to be so-called “ gatekeepers.
” Companies meeting this definition have more than 45 million individuals and more than 10,000 businesses using their platforms a month .
“ They are large players in terms of annual turnover , market capitalization and they are active in several member states , ” Vestager said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatekeepers so that they are in between a large number of businesses and an even larger number of individual users.
” She added : “ I think you can imagine how this combination of criteria can give gatekeepers an unfair advantage in a given service.
” She said complaints about the allegedly unfair practices of the biggest companies “ keep coming through our door ” and that the commission will continue to aggressively pursue challenges it has undertaken against Google , Amazon and Apple .
But she said new EU laws are needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is to do the same thing we have been doing in banking , in telecoms , in energy , ” she said .
“ To realize that antitrust will have to work with regulation so that we have a complete set of tools.
” The EU wants to restrict the use of data big tech companies gather from the businesses and people that use their platforms .
Vestager said the rules force tech companies to set up “ data silos ” that separate data from “ different business lines.
” “ A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they also gather enormous insights in the ups and downs of their competitor ; they will know who buys what , when , at what price , how do they pay , they know if you hesitated or you went straight to buy what you wanted , ” she said .
“ Gatekeepers shall no longer use the data they collect from all businesses that they host when competing against them.
” Also , big tech companies will need to allow competitors , such as startup tech companies , to use their platforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that the rules could force social media companies like Facebook make their social media platforms interoperable with other social media services .
Another innovation under these rules would force big tech companies to not favor their own services in search engines over those of competitors .
“ So , the point here is to oblige the gatekeeper to adjust the search algorithm to make sure rival offers will receive the same level of provenance as their own offers would do , ” she said .
In addition , all internet platforms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be required to remove content deemed to be harmful , illegal and dangerous .
“ A safe digital space is one that protects users from illegal and harmful content while preserving the freedom of expression , ” Vestager said .
“ Digital platforms will be required to swiftly remove illegal content , but in parallel to explain why to the user , why the content was removed and give him or her an option to complain about it.
” Tech companies would also be made to check the identities of people selling products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure people aren ’ t selling illegal products online .
“ On some of these platforms we had the feeling that some companies were operating with impunity , ” Breton said .
“ ‘ Well , I can do whatever I like including selling products and not having to worry about where they were produced or under which conditions.
’ ” Still , for many digital privacy advocates in Europe the proposed rules , even though they could become potentially the toughest in the world , do not go far enough .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an important step but falls short of putting forward an ambitious plan to break free from the centralized platform economy that defines people ’ s online experiences today , ” said Jan Penfrat , a senior policy advisor at European Digital Rights , a network of digital watchdog and advocacy groups , in a statement .
“ The result so far is a mixed bag of what seems like good intentions that met corporate and government lobby realities .
Much more work will be needed to achieve systemic changes and put people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world.
” Courthouse News reporter Cain Burdeau is based in the European Union .

Myron Brilliant, the head of international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement that the proposed rules “target American companies almost exclusively by imposing onerous new regulatory requirements backed by steep financial penalties.”
“It seems Europe is intent on punishing successful companies that have made deep investments in Europe’s economic growth and recovery,” he said. “Moreover, these measures will not improve Europe's own competitiveness.”
Europeans see it very differently.
Thierry Breton, a former French finance minister and businessman serving as an EU commissioner who helped develop the rules, said the EU does not intend to break up big American tech companies but it will insist those companies respect European values and play by fair rules.
European Commissioner for Europe fit for the Digital Age Margrethe Vestager talks during a news conference on Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, Pool)
“We will never say this company or that company are too big,” he said at a news conference with Vestager. “We don't say that here in Europe. We respect companies. But we say that the bigger they are the more obligations they may have to fulfill what is important to us.”
He said the EU must “act quickly” because smaller companies are being hurt by the unfair market conditions.
Under the rules, the biggest companies on the internet will have to abide by special rules because they will be deemed to be so-called “gatekeepers.” Companies meeting this definition have more than 45 million individuals and more than 10,000 businesses using their platforms a month.
“They are large players in terms of annual turnover, market capitalization and they are active in several member states,” Vestager said. “They are really operating as gatekeepers so that they are in between a large number of businesses and an even larger number of individual users.”
She added: “I think you can imagine how this combination of criteria can give gatekeepers an unfair advantage in a given service.”
She said complaints about the allegedly unfair practices of the biggest companies “keep coming through our door” and that the commission will continue to aggressively pursue challenges it has undertaken against Google, Amazon and Apple.
But she said new EU laws are needed to police the digital marketplace.
“This is to do the same thing we have been doing in banking, in telecoms, in energy,” she said. “To realize that antitrust will have to work with regulation so that we have a complete set of tools.”
The EU wants to restrict the use of data big tech companies gather from the businesses and people that use their platforms. Vestager said the rules force tech companies to set up “data silos” that separate data from “different business lines.”
“A gatekeeper gathers enormous amounts of data so they also gather enormous insights in the ups and downs of their competitor; they will know who buys what, when, at what price, how do they pay, they know if you hesitated or you went straight to buy what you wanted,” she said. “Gatekeepers shall no longer use the data they collect from all businesses that they host when competing against them.”
Also, big tech companies will need to allow competitors, such as startup tech companies, to use their platforms to reach potential clients. Another possibility is that the rules could force social media companies like Facebook make their social media platforms interoperable with other social media services.
Another innovation under these rules would force big tech companies to not favor their own services in search engines over those of competitors.
“So, the point here is to oblige the gatekeeper to adjust the search algorithm to make sure rival offers will receive the same level of provenance as their own offers would do,” she said.
In addition, all internet platforms, not just the biggest ones, would be required to remove content deemed to be harmful, illegal and dangerous.
“A safe digital space is one that protects users from illegal and harmful content while preserving the freedom of expression,” Vestager said. “Digital platforms will be required to swiftly remove illegal content, but in parallel to explain why to the user, why the content was removed and give him or her an option to complain about it.”
Tech companies would also be made to check the identities of people selling products on their platforms, a rule designed to ensure people aren't selling illegal products online.
“On some of these platforms we had the feeling that some companies were operating with impunity,” Breton said. “‘Well, I can do whatever I like including selling products and not having to worry about where they were produced or under which conditions.’”
Still, for many digital privacy advocates in Europe the proposed rules, even though they could become potentially the toughest in the world, do not go far enough.
“The commission’s proposal is an important step but falls short of putting forward an ambitious plan to break free from the centralized platform economy that defines people’s online experiences today,” said Jan Penfrat, a senior policy advisor at European Digital Rights, a network of digital watchdog and advocacy groups, in a statement. “The result so far is a mixed bag of what seems like good intentions that met corporate and government lobby realities. Much more work will be needed to achieve systemic changes and put people in control of their life in the digital world.”
Courthouse News reporter Cain Burdeau is based in the European Union.


Celebrity Endorsements

BROOKLYN — Professional football player Rob Gronkowski and boxer Floyd Mayweather are being sued in federal court in New York @ @ @ @ @ an allegedly fraudulent teeth whitening company .

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