Michael Jordan has testified in a landmark NASCAR antitrust case, stating he felt compelled to sue to force changes in a business model he believes shortchanges teams and drivers. Jordan, co-owner of 23XI, joined Front Row Motorsports in the lawsuit against NASCAR. He aargued for a more equitable revenue split similar to the NBA. Heather Gibbs, co-owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, also testified, highlighting the pressure teams face under the current system.
The Justice Department has failed to secure a new indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James after a judge dismissed the previous mortgage fraud prosecution encouraged by President Donald Trump. Prosecutors went back to a grand jury in Virginia after a judge’s ruling halting the prosecution of James and another longtime Trump foe, former FBI Director James Comey, on the grounds that the U.S. attorney who presented the cases was illegally appointed. Thursday's failed indictment against James is the latest setback for the Justice Department in its bid to prosecute the frequent political target of the Republican president.
The attorney for two teams suing NASCAR has described series chairman Jim France as a "brick wall" in negotiations over a new revenue-sharing model. The case involves 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports. They are the only teams that refused to sign new charter agreements in September 2024. Charters guarantee a spot in races and a payout from NASCAR. The teams argue the deal lacked their requests and was presented as "take it or leave it." NASCAR spent over two years in negotiations, but the teams claim the final offer was unsatisfactory.
The New York Times is suing to try to stop the Pentagon from imposing new rules on journalists who cover the military. Most mainstream news outlets refused to agree to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's policy this fall. As a result, they lost credentials to work in the Pentagon. The Times says in the suit filed Thursday that the rules violate the Constitution's freedom of speech and due process provisions because the rules give Hegseth the power to determine on his own whether a reporter should be banned. There's no immediate comment from the Pentagon on the lawsuit.
A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from making widespread immigration arrests in the nation’s capital without warrants or probable cause that the person is an imminent flight risk. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington granted a preliminary injunction sought by civil liberties and immigrants rights groups in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. An email to the department after hours Tuesday was not immediately returned. Plaintiffs’ attorneys argued federal officers were frequently patrolling and setting up checkpoints in Washington, D.C., neighborhoods with large numbers of Latino immigrants and then stopping and arresting people indiscriminately.
Protesters, journalists and faith leaders who sued over the aggressive tactics of federal immigration agents in the Chicago area are seeking to end their legal challenge. In a court filing Tuesday, they noted that the Trump administration's “Operation Midway Blitz” has largely ended. The attorneys also pointed to a blistering opinion by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis last month that outlined her findings in issuing a preliminary injunction restricting federal agents' use of force. An appeals court had put Ellis' order on hold, so it's fate has been up in the air.
Two gymnasts who say they were sexually abused at an elite academy in Iowa have filed lawsuits against the sport’s oversight bodies, alleging Sean Gardner preyed on girls despite repeated complaints about the coach's behavior. The lawsuits, filed Monday, allege USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Center for SafeSport were told about “inappropriate and abusive behaviors” as early as December 2017 when Gardner was a coach in Mississippi. The lawsuits allege the organizations failed to “properly investigate,” revoke Gardner’s coaching credentials, report him to law enforcement or take other actions to protect athletes. Gardner was able to get a coaching job at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa, in 2018, where his abuse allegedly continued for years.
A Texas landlord's case before the U.S. Supreme Court is challenging the U.S. Postal Service's exemption from lawsuits over lost or mishandled mail. The landlord alleges her mail was deliberately withheld for two years. The Postal Service argues that allowing such lawsuits could lead to a flood of litigation. During oral arguments last month, a government lawyer warned of numerous lawsuits if the court rules in the landlord's favor. However, the landlord's attorney claims such cases would be rare. The Supreme Court's decision could redefine the Postal Service's liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
Real estate software company RealPage has agreed to stop sharing nonpublic information between landlords as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice. Federal prosecutors had accused RealPage of helping property managers illegally drive up rents across the country. The DOJ announced the settlement Monday, more than a year after federal prosecutors filed the antitrust lawsuit under President Joe Biden. Officials accused RealPage of facilitating “algorithmic coordination,” saying its popular software let landlords coordinate without ever having to gather in a “smoke-filled room.” RealPage would not have to pay any damages or admit any wrondoing. The company says it's pleased to settle the matter.
Chicago has entered what many consider an uneasy phase of a Trump administration immigration crackdown that has already led to thousands of arrests. While a U.S. Border Patrol commander known for leading intense and controversial surges moved on to North Carolina, federal agents are still arresting immigrants across the nation’s third-largest city and suburbs. A growing number of lawsuits stemming from the crackdown are winding through the courts. Authorities are investigating agents’ actions, including a fatal shooting. Activists say they are not letting their guard down in case things ramp up, while many residents in the Democratic stronghold where few welcomed the crackdown remain anxious.