Racial discrimination lawsuit
The Justice Department sues the Trump Management Corporation for alleged racial discrimination in 39 of its buildings across New York. The Government says Trump Management has refused to rent or negotiate rentals and required different rental terms and conditions, because of race or color, as well as misrepresenting to blacks that apartments were not available. Donald Trump denies the charges:
They are absolutely ridiculous. We have never discriminated, and we never would. There have been a number of local actions against us, and we have won them all…We proved in court that we did not discriminate.
Justice will not challenge state laws
The Justice Department will not challenge state laws that allow for the medical and recreational use of marijuana as long as the drug sales do not conflict with eight new federal enforcement priorities, including the distribution of marijuana to minors and sales that assist or act as cover for trafficking operations. Although the directive will apply nationwide, it will largely affect the 20 states and the District of Columbia that allow for medical marijuana use, and Colorado and Washington where state laws allow medical and recreational use by adults.
Prostitution memo to employees
A memo says that Justice Department employees who “accept commercial sex” undermine the agency’s efforts to combat human trafficking and invites blackmail, extortion, and leaks of sensitive information. Holder warns violators are subject to suspensions or termination and managers who fail to report suspected violations will also be subject to discipline. Contractors must also abide by the same rules.
Regardless of whether prostitution is legal or tolerated in a particular jurisdiction, soliciting prostitutes creates a greater demand for human trafficking victims and a consequent increase in the number of minor and adult persons trafficked into commercial sex slavery.
House panel subpoenas Justice Dept over bank prosecutions
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Hensarling sends the Justice Department and the U.S. Treasury Department subpoenas requesting documents that will help the panel understand whether banks might still be too big to fail and if this affects decisions to prosecute them criminally. The panel is also seeking information from both departments on whether the government retaliated against Standard & Poor’s for its 2011 decision to downgrade the government’s credit rating.
A spokesman for the Treasury department says they are cooperating with the House Committee, but sees the subpoenas as “unfortunate”
$7million bounty
The Justice Department declares Shekau wanted and places a $7m bounty on his head.
Abubakar Shekau is the leader of Jama’atu Ahl as-Sunnah il-Da’awati wal-Jihad, more commonly known as Boko Haram…There are reported communications, training, and weapons links between Boko Haram, al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), al-Shabaab, and al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, which may strengthen Boko Haram’s capacity to conduct terrorist attacks.
Shekau was previously the group’s second-in-command. In July 2010, Shekau publicly claimed leadership of Boko Haram and threatened to attack Western interests in Nigeria. Later that month, Shekau issued a second statement expressing solidarity with al-Qaida and threatening the United States. Under Shekau’s leadership, Boko Haram’s operational capabilities have grown.
Price gouging investigation
The US Department of Transportation is investigating five airlines (Delta, JetBlue, American, United and Southwest) for increasing fares following the Amtrak 188 crash of May 12th. The letter is due in 30 days and there is a separate investigation by the Justice department. According to a copy of the letter sent to Delta’s chief counsel the DOT wants a spreadsheet of the average fare by market, day, and fare class for flights on routes in the corridor from April 28th to May 26th. It also wants the number of tickets sold and passengers carried, as well as comparison data from last year, as well as ten other requests. Transportation Secretary Foxx:
The idea that any business would seek to take advantage of stranded rail passengers in the wake of such a tragic event is unacceptable. This department takes all allegations of airline price-gouging seriously, and we will pursue a thorough investigation of these consumer complaints.
The airlines have denied wrongdoing and have pledged to co-operate.