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Bloomberg News
Reporter in Washington DC, covering the federal courts for Bloomberg News
PROFILE
Tom Schoenberg
Guest
FROM Tom Schoenberg
To the Point
Tobacco Companies Must Admit They Lied, Judge Rules Six years ago, tobacco companies were convicted of racketeering because they conspired to hide the health risks of cigarette smoking. Now the judge in that case has ordered them to do more than warn potential smokers. They'll have to admit that they lied. "All cigarettes cause cancer, lung disease, heart attacks and premature death" is just one of the so-called "corrective statements" proposed by the Justice Department. US District Judge Gladys Kessler has ruled that this and others must be part of cigarette marketing. Tom Schoenberg is federal courts reporter for Bloomberg News .
Which Way, L.A.?
Will the Courts Decide Another Presidential Election? Twelve years after Bush versus Gore , there's still dispute about the US Supreme Court's split decision giving George W. Bush the presidency of the United States. Will the final decision be up to the courts this coming November? Republicans around the country have passed new election-law procedures aimed at what they insist is widespread "voter fraud." Democrats insist they're violating the voting rights of the poor and minorities. Some 32 legal challenges are now pending — 21 of them in swing states, including Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania — any one of which has enough electoral votes to decide a close election.
To the Point
Will the Courts Decide Another Presidential Election? Remember Bush versus Gore ? That was the Florida case that gave George W. Bush the presidency — on a split decision by the US Supreme Court. Republican fears about "voter fraud" and Democratic accusations of "voter suppression" could make this year's electoral outcome messier still. New rules for voting have been struck down in some crucial swing states, but upheld in others. Some 32 challenges are now pending -- 21 of them in swing states, including Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania -- any one of which has enough electoral votes to decide a close election in November. We hear about Voter ID, early- and absentee-voting and the civil rights of the poor and minorities.
Recommended
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
Left, Right & Center
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?