Legal News Roundup: August 26

Posted in In the news on August 26, 2020

Here’s a roundup of some major legal stories from the past week.

Ohio Representatives Seek to Impeach Governor DeWine

THE HILL – Three Republicans in the Ohio House have prepared articles of impeachment against GOP Governor Mike DeWine. Representatives John Becker, Nino Vitale and Paul Zeltwanger allege that DeWine violated residents’ civil liberties with orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. It is unlikely that the impeachment will be successful. A majority of the Ohio House would need to approve the resolution. Then, two-thirds of the Ohio Senate would have to vote to convict DeWine.

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Post Office Faces Multistate Lawsuit

Forbes – New York Attorney General (AG) Letitia James led a coalition of states and cities in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. The action escalates a legal attack from over 20 state attorneys general on controversial USPS changes causing widespread mail delays and fears about mail-in ballots. DeJoy paused some of the changes through the election “to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail,” but AGs have continued with legal challenges.

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Judge Rejects Maxwell’s Request

Reuters – A U.S. judge rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s request to be moved into the general population at the Brooklyn jail where she is awaiting trial on charges she aided Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of girls. Maxwell cited numerous issues at the detention center, including “onerous” conditions like round-the-clock surveillance, numerous body scans and isolation. She has pleaded not guilty to helping Epstein recruit and later abuse three girls from 1994 to 1997, and committing perjury by denying her involvement under oath.

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Lawsuits Over Wildlife Refuge Drilling Plan

THE HILL – Environmental and indigenous groups are suing the Trump administration over plans to open up an area in an Alaska wildlife refuge to drilling. The lawsuits claim the federal government failed to follow environmental laws requiring thorough impact assessments. The administration wants to drill on 1.56 million acres of the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge totals 19.3 million acres.

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