Bush signs Executive Order making it harder for Federal Gov't to sue big corporations

[sabra]

Cross Post from LBN: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2849345&mesg_id=2849345

Posting here for visibility...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117936100025805601.html

President Bush yesterday signed an executive order barring the federal government from using lawyers on a contingency-fee basis, an arrangement where lawyers don't get paid until a matter is resolved and then claim a portion of any winnings.

Such arrangements rarely occur on the federal level, but the action quickly sparked debate about the practice on a state level, where it is more commonly used by state attorneys general and has become part of a wider debate on the civil legal system.

The order states that lawyers hired by the federal government should be "compensated in amounts that are reasonable, not contingent upon the outcome of litigation or other proceedings."

...

The practice came under the national spotlight after states settled lawsuits with the tobacco industry in the 1990s. Significant portions of the settlements went to outside plaintiffs' attorneys hired by states. That created some conflicts of interest. For instance, former Texas Attorney General Dan Morales, who served the state when President Bush was governor, went to prison in a case related to the state's multibillion-dollar settlement with the tobacco industry. He admitted to falsifying a contract so a longtime friend and lawyer could profit from the settlement, according to the Associated Press.

...

But Rhode Island's attorney general, Patrick Lynch, said such a restriction on states would put them at a disadvantage when suing big corporations on behalf of citizens. Jon Haber, CEO of the American Association for Justice, a group of trial attorneys, said in a statement: "This executive order . . . removes from the federal government a powerful tool successfully used by state attorneys general to prosecute wrongdoers and hold them accountable in our courts."

edit: hat tip to Jim__, this is just at the Fed level, though sparking debate re: State level...

[ck4829]

1. K&R for more visibility

[whistle]

2. That will really help move the economy right along

:sarcasm:

[Cobalt Violet]

3. Yet another fascist move.

They're so willing to take away or rights to OUR courts.

[bdamomma]

10. they are chipping away at our court system.

I can see Cheney and Rove definitley involved in this whole operation.

[Jim__]

4. Is your title correct?

My reading of the article is that bush's EO only applies to federal attorneys. The article says it will spark debate at the state level. But, my reading is that this does not have any direct effect on states.

[sabra]

9. good point! Title updated... but I would imagine they would want it to

be at the state level too :-)

:hi:

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Congress can pass a law that could nullify the Executive Order and make it veto-proof

if they can make it a bipartison effort for the sake of upcoming re-election bids.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. So, what the f**k are we waiting for? For Bush to give away parts of

the U.S. to the Chinese by executive order? Would we really be surprised the day he does it? Or would we be not surprised when Congress does nothing about it?

[sakabatou]

7. Pro-business, con-citizen

[dogday]

8. Bush just keeps screwing America

we are all officially screwn ...

[bdamomma]

12. he just does not care about the American people

he is nothing or trying to act like a CEO, there is money to be made, greed and abuse of power at its highest criminal level.

[kestrel91316]

11. He has decided that he is Jesus Christ incarnate, and that he need

answer to NO ONE.

[bdamomma]

13. when is he going to carry that cross????

[Annces]

14. Put Bush in the trash bin

where he belongs.

[cascadiance]

15. IMPEACH HIM NOW! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !