NLRB Claims Lack of Jurisdiction, Dismisses Northwestern Football Players’ Petition to Unionize

In the dismissal, the NLRB wrote, “the Board held that asserting jurisdiction would not promote labor stability due to the nature and structure of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).” The NLRB wrote that the dismissal is specific to this particular petition saying, “This decision is narrowly focused to apply only to the players in this case and does not preclude reconsideration of this issue in the future.”


Two Citigroup Subsidiaries reach $180 Million Hedge Fund Fraud Settlements

As part of to the settlements, Citigroup does not admit, nor deny the SEC charges. The proceeds of the agreement will be diverted to investors who were harmed by the funds. Both investments were sold through Citigroup Private Bank as well as through Smith Barney. Citigroup spokesperson Danielle Romero-Apsilos said in an emailed statement, “We are pleased to have resolved this matter,” although offering little elaboration.


Three More Birth-Defect Lawsuits add to GSK’s Zofran Tally as MDL Deadline Approaches

The lawsuits accuse GSK of “off-label” marketing, that is, it is prescribed for ailments (pregnancy) that is not mentioned in the drug’s official FDA labeling. Zofran’s 1991 FDA approval was for “treatment of nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy and surgery.” According to San Francisco attorney Rachel Abrams, speaking at a bar conference in the city regarding the lawsuits, “If they’re marketing and pushing a drug for a certain indication, and don’t have FDA approval for that indication, that’s a problem for GSK in and of itself.”


Connecticut High-Court Rules against Death Penalty

The Connecticut legislature voted in 2012 to abolish the death penalty, however, that measure only affected future crimes committed in the state. Calling it unconstitutional, Associate Justice Richard Palmer wrote the majority opinion, stating that the death penalty “no longer comports with contemporary standards of decency and no longer serves any legitimate penological purpose.”


New York’s “Responsible Banking” Law Ruled Unconstitutional

In U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Monday, Judge Katherine Polk Failla issued New York’s mayor Bill De Blasio a notable defeat of a law intended to regulate the community-mindedness of the many financial institutions that inhabit the city. New York’s city council passed the Responsible Banking Act (RBA) in 2012, requiring banks in the


Parent Company of Columbia House Records files for Bankruptcy

Much like A&P supermarkets and that company’s bankruptcy announcement last month, another piece of Americana is close to officially entering its historical enshrinement. Nearly everyone of a certain age has at least once in their life taken advantage/been taken advantage of the Incredible Deal™, 8 cassette tapes or CDs for a penny, by subscribing to


Florida Governor Settles Public-Records Transparency Lawsuit…Again

Recently re-elected Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott agreed to terms with Tallahassee attorney Steven Andrews regarding a dispute over public records disclosure involving a property close to the governor’s mansion. Andrews sued Scott in 2012 after the governor stated his intent to use state funds to buy a building near a property known as “The


How has Ferguson Changed a Year after Michael Brown’s Death?

On Saturday, Michael Brown Sr. led a group of about 100 marchers during a peaceful five-mile journey through the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, accompanied by a state-police escort. The peaceful march was intended to not only commemorate the anniversary of the controversial killing of his son by police officer Darren Wilson a year ago Sunday,