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Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Intel CEO to meet with Trump at White House, WSJ reports
After President Trump called for his resignation last week, Intel (INTC) CEO Lip-Bu Tan is set to meet with Trump at the White House Monday, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Yahoo Finance Tech Editor Dan Howley discusses the latest. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Morning Brief. But Dan, I do want to follow up and ask you about what's going on with Intel and its CEO Lip-Bu-Tan, who is reportedly going to be meeting with Trump today on a very different issue. Yeah, this is basically Trump trying to oust him. Uh he said that he had to leave the company, uh that he was, you know, quote unquote very conflicted. And this kind of goes back to his days with Cadence. Uh Cadence just settled a uh a suit with the government basically saying that they had provided some materials to a university that the government believes has links to the Chinese military. And so, you know, they settled, uh and then Senator Tom Cotton has come forward and said, look, you know, this is this is a big deal. Uh someone should, you know, look deeper into this. Uh Lip-Bu-Tan has some investments in Chinese companies. He is a US citizen. Uh and so, you know, there's this kind of back and forth as to, you know, does does do his prior uh, you know, uh kind of instances of investing in Chinese companies make him uh good for being Intel CEO or not. Related Videos Russia deal will be 'a canary for the markets' on US–China talks Trump's Nvidia, AMD China deal: National security risks persist Trump Says 'Not Up to Me' to Make a Deal With Putin Trump to Take Control of DC Police Department, Deploy National Guard Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs live updates: Trump says gold will not face a tariff; Nvidia, AMD agree to unusual revenue deal
President Trump on Monday said imports of gold (GC=F) to the US would not face a tariff. "Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump wrote on social media. Gold futures were little changed after Trump's post. Prices for the metal were sliding on Monday. The White House had said last week that the administration would issue a new policy clarifying whether gold bars would be subject to duties after a US government agency said they would, prompting chaos and confusion in the market. Elsewhere on Monday, Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) agreed to pay the US 15% of the revenue for AI-related chip sales to China, adding a monetization layer to the Trump administration's tariff policy that has reoriented global trade relationships. The New York Times reported that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang agreed to the arrangement, which is "essentially making the federal government a partner in Nvidia's business in China," at a meeting with President Trump on Wednesday and that licenses for the chip sales followed on Friday. On Monday morning, AMD confirmed that "initial" China licenses for AI chips were approved. "To call this unusual or unprecedented would be a staggering understatement," Stephen Olson, a former US trade negotiator, told Bloomberg. "What we are seeing is in effect the monetization of US trade policy in which US companies must pay the US government for permission to export. If that's the case, we've entered into a new and dangerous world." The chips include Nvidia's H20 AI accelerator and AMD's MI308 chips, which the Trump administration had previously targeted with export controls. Also on Sunday, Trump urged China to quadruple soybean purchases ahead of an Tuesday deadline for the countries to extend their truce from sky-high tariffs on each other. Asked if he'd extend that deadline, Trump said Monday, "We'll see what happens," but added that China has been "dealing quite nicely" with the US. Trump's latest sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs hit US trade partners last week. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world. Trump says, 'Gold will not be Tariffed!' President Trump posted on social media that gold will not be subject to tariffs after a surprise US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ruling sparked confusion over whether the precious metal faced duties. "A Statement from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America: Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday afternoon. On Friday, the Financial Times reported that CBP classified Swiss one-kilogram and 100-ounce bars of gold as subject to 39% tariffs recently imposed on Switzerland by the Trump administration. Gold futures (GC=F) declined 2.5% early on Monday as investors awaited clarity from the White House over its trade position on the precious metal amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. Small US firms paying Trump tariffs face $202B annual hit Small US businesses are struggling to comply with President Trump's new tariffs. These companies, which are the source of more than half of the country's job creation are also finding it hard to cope with the growing financial strain from higher import costs. Bloomberg News: Read more here. Trump on China extension: We'll see what happens President Trump said China has been "dealing quite nicely" with the US, a possible hint that his administration is preparing to extend the countries' trade truce past a deadline that expires Tuesday. "We'll see what happens," he said during a White House press conference, adding, "They've been dealing quite nicely." The countries have held multiple rounds of trade talks during the 90-day suspension of sky-high tariffs on each other. Both sides have hailed progress in those talks. An extension into the fall could potentially set up a Trump meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which Trump has suggested could happen before the end of the year. Swiss government to meet pharma firms to discuss US tariffs The Swiss government is due to meet this week with leaders from Swiss pharmaceutical companies Roche and Novartis, which have faced pressure from President Trump to lower their drug prices in the US. The meeting comes as Switzerland aims to negotiate for a lower tariff rate than the 39% rate the Trump administration imposed last week. And should Trump follow through on pharmaceutical tariffs as well, Roche and Novartis are considered to be more exposed, as they have comparatively fewer US manufacturing sites. From Reuters: Read more here. New gold tariffs are in effect. Will Costco gold bars be affected? Gold (GC=F) has been surging all year, and buying gold bars from Costco is just about the easiest way to get your hands on the precious metal — if you're lucky enough to find them in stock. However, the surprising announcement of additional tariffs on gold bars by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) left many wondering if the duties applied to Costco's gold bars as well. Yahoo Finance's Hal Bundrick reports: Read more here. US consumers to bear brunt of tariff hit: Goldman Goldman Sachs GS) says that President Trump's tariffs are only beginning to raise prices for shoppers, adding more uncertainty to the Treasury market where investors are unsure about how quickly interest rates will be cut. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Nvidia, AMD to pay 15% on China AI chip sales in US deal Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) have agreed to give 15% of their revenue from AI chip sales in China to the US government. This deal helps them get export licenses but is an unusual step that might worry both companies and Beijing. Nvidia will share 15% of earnings from its H20 AI accelerator in China, while AMD will do the same for its MI308 chip. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Why Trump's soybean ask of China is 'highly unlikely' China is the world's largest soybean buyer, with nearly a quarter of those purchases coming from the US (and most of the rest coming from Brazil). President Trump's statement that he hopes "China will quickly quadruple its soybean orders" would require China to import the vast majority of its soybeans from the U.S. "It's highly unlikely that China would ever buy four times its usual volume of soybeans from the US," Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting, told Reuters. Read more here. US gold futures fall as traders await clarification on tariffs US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Swiss economy seen weathering Trump's tariff shock for now Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Commentary: Tariffs are denting profits, and maybe soon your portfolio With over two-thirds of companies having reported earnings, Yahoo Finance found more than four dozen large firms saying tariffs are impacting their businesses in some material way. Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports: Read more here. A 240-year-old Swiss watchmaker's race to beat Trump's tariff deadline It was a chaotic week for the 240-year-old Swiss watch manufacturer DuBois et fils, as the company rushed to ship watches before President Trump's surprise 39% tariff rate on Switzerland went into effect on Thursday. It was a race against time for DuBois CEO Thomas Steinemann and his company to ship five high-end watches to the US before blocking orders on its US website. Overall, the US accounts for 17% of Switzerland's watch exports. As of April, goods from the country faced a much lower 10% tariff rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. Tariffs are starting to squeeze farmers' profits President Trump has said he loves farmers, but his policies are starting to ripple across the agriculture industry. Trump's tariff policies, in particular, are beginning to raise the cost of machinery and fertilizers, weighing on profits. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. The US has slapped a 39% tariff on Switzerland, leaving the country's leaders reeling Bloomberg took a deep dive looking at how the tariff negotiations between the Trump administration and Switzerland began with promise, but eventually led to the US slapping a devastating 39% levy on the country: Read more here. Trump says US court ruling against tariff authority 'would be 1929 all over again' Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. Carney is patching up ties with Mexico in face of Trump threats Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working to repair relations with Mexico as both nations prepare for the fallout from US tariffs. Canrey recently met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and various corporate executives. Bloomberg reports: Read more from Bloomberg here. Swiss plane maker Pilatus halts business jet deliveries to US over tariffs Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus said it temporarily stopped deliveries of its PC-12 and PC-24 business jets to the US after President Trump imposed a punishing 39% tariff rate on imports from Switzerland. "The new customs tariff imposed by the US authorities represents a significant competitive disadvantage for Pilatus," the privately held company said. From Reuters: Read more here. Under Armour forecasts downbeat quarterly sales, shares drop Under Armour (UA) stock slumped 12% before the bell on Friday after the sportswear maker forecast second-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates. The company is grappling with muted demand in North America due to still-high inflation and tariff uncertainty. Reuters reports: Read more here. China defends buying Russian oil after Trump's tariff threat China defended its purchase of Russian oil on Friday, pushing back against President Trumps threat to impose higher tariffs on Beijing for buying energy from Moscow. Trump warned both China and India this week and said he would impose higher tariffs on the nations if they didn't stop buying oil from Russia. The US president followed through on his threat by slapping an additional 25% tariff on India, bringing the total to 50%. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Gold bar tariff surprise gives new blow to Switzerland The US has imposed tariffs on imports of 1kg and 100oz gold bars, unleashing fresh turmoil in the global bullion market. The move threatens trade from Switzerland and other major refining centers. US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that these gold bars are now subject to tariffs, contradicting earlier industry expectations. The Financial Times first reported this change. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Trump says, 'Gold will not be Tariffed!' President Trump posted on social media that gold will not be subject to tariffs after a surprise US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ruling sparked confusion over whether the precious metal faced duties. "A Statement from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America: Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday afternoon. On Friday, the Financial Times reported that CBP classified Swiss one-kilogram and 100-ounce bars of gold as subject to 39% tariffs recently imposed on Switzerland by the Trump administration. Gold futures (GC=F) declined 2.5% early on Monday as investors awaited clarity from the White House over its trade position on the precious metal amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. President Trump posted on social media that gold will not be subject to tariffs after a surprise US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ruling sparked confusion over whether the precious metal faced duties. "A Statement from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America: Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday afternoon. On Friday, the Financial Times reported that CBP classified Swiss one-kilogram and 100-ounce bars of gold as subject to 39% tariffs recently imposed on Switzerland by the Trump administration. Gold futures (GC=F) declined 2.5% early on Monday as investors awaited clarity from the White House over its trade position on the precious metal amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. Small US firms paying Trump tariffs face $202B annual hit Small US businesses are struggling to comply with President Trump's new tariffs. These companies, which are the source of more than half of the country's job creation are also finding it hard to cope with the growing financial strain from higher import costs. Bloomberg News: Read more here. Small US businesses are struggling to comply with President Trump's new tariffs. These companies, which are the source of more than half of the country's job creation are also finding it hard to cope with the growing financial strain from higher import costs. Bloomberg News: Read more here. Trump on China extension: We'll see what happens President Trump said China has been "dealing quite nicely" with the US, a possible hint that his administration is preparing to extend the countries' trade truce past a deadline that expires Tuesday. "We'll see what happens," he said during a White House press conference, adding, "They've been dealing quite nicely." The countries have held multiple rounds of trade talks during the 90-day suspension of sky-high tariffs on each other. Both sides have hailed progress in those talks. An extension into the fall could potentially set up a Trump meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which Trump has suggested could happen before the end of the year. President Trump said China has been "dealing quite nicely" with the US, a possible hint that his administration is preparing to extend the countries' trade truce past a deadline that expires Tuesday. "We'll see what happens," he said during a White House press conference, adding, "They've been dealing quite nicely." The countries have held multiple rounds of trade talks during the 90-day suspension of sky-high tariffs on each other. Both sides have hailed progress in those talks. An extension into the fall could potentially set up a Trump meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which Trump has suggested could happen before the end of the year. Swiss government to meet pharma firms to discuss US tariffs The Swiss government is due to meet this week with leaders from Swiss pharmaceutical companies Roche and Novartis, which have faced pressure from President Trump to lower their drug prices in the US. The meeting comes as Switzerland aims to negotiate for a lower tariff rate than the 39% rate the Trump administration imposed last week. And should Trump follow through on pharmaceutical tariffs as well, Roche and Novartis are considered to be more exposed, as they have comparatively fewer US manufacturing sites. From Reuters: Read more here. The Swiss government is due to meet this week with leaders from Swiss pharmaceutical companies Roche and Novartis, which have faced pressure from President Trump to lower their drug prices in the US. The meeting comes as Switzerland aims to negotiate for a lower tariff rate than the 39% rate the Trump administration imposed last week. And should Trump follow through on pharmaceutical tariffs as well, Roche and Novartis are considered to be more exposed, as they have comparatively fewer US manufacturing sites. From Reuters: Read more here. New gold tariffs are in effect. Will Costco gold bars be affected? Gold (GC=F) has been surging all year, and buying gold bars from Costco is just about the easiest way to get your hands on the precious metal — if you're lucky enough to find them in stock. However, the surprising announcement of additional tariffs on gold bars by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) left many wondering if the duties applied to Costco's gold bars as well. Yahoo Finance's Hal Bundrick reports: Read more here. Gold (GC=F) has been surging all year, and buying gold bars from Costco is just about the easiest way to get your hands on the precious metal — if you're lucky enough to find them in stock. However, the surprising announcement of additional tariffs on gold bars by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) left many wondering if the duties applied to Costco's gold bars as well. Yahoo Finance's Hal Bundrick reports: Read more here. US consumers to bear brunt of tariff hit: Goldman Goldman Sachs GS) says that President Trump's tariffs are only beginning to raise prices for shoppers, adding more uncertainty to the Treasury market where investors are unsure about how quickly interest rates will be cut. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Goldman Sachs GS) says that President Trump's tariffs are only beginning to raise prices for shoppers, adding more uncertainty to the Treasury market where investors are unsure about how quickly interest rates will be cut. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Nvidia, AMD to pay 15% on China AI chip sales in US deal Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) have agreed to give 15% of their revenue from AI chip sales in China to the US government. This deal helps them get export licenses but is an unusual step that might worry both companies and Beijing. Nvidia will share 15% of earnings from its H20 AI accelerator in China, while AMD will do the same for its MI308 chip. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) have agreed to give 15% of their revenue from AI chip sales in China to the US government. This deal helps them get export licenses but is an unusual step that might worry both companies and Beijing. Nvidia will share 15% of earnings from its H20 AI accelerator in China, while AMD will do the same for its MI308 chip. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Why Trump's soybean ask of China is 'highly unlikely' China is the world's largest soybean buyer, with nearly a quarter of those purchases coming from the US (and most of the rest coming from Brazil). President Trump's statement that he hopes "China will quickly quadruple its soybean orders" would require China to import the vast majority of its soybeans from the U.S. "It's highly unlikely that China would ever buy four times its usual volume of soybeans from the US," Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting, told Reuters. Read more here. China is the world's largest soybean buyer, with nearly a quarter of those purchases coming from the US (and most of the rest coming from Brazil). President Trump's statement that he hopes "China will quickly quadruple its soybean orders" would require China to import the vast majority of its soybeans from the U.S. "It's highly unlikely that China would ever buy four times its usual volume of soybeans from the US," Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting, told Reuters. Read more here. US gold futures fall as traders await clarification on tariffs US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Swiss economy seen weathering Trump's tariff shock for now Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Commentary: Tariffs are denting profits, and maybe soon your portfolio With over two-thirds of companies having reported earnings, Yahoo Finance found more than four dozen large firms saying tariffs are impacting their businesses in some material way. Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports: Read more here. With over two-thirds of companies having reported earnings, Yahoo Finance found more than four dozen large firms saying tariffs are impacting their businesses in some material way. Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports: Read more here. A 240-year-old Swiss watchmaker's race to beat Trump's tariff deadline It was a chaotic week for the 240-year-old Swiss watch manufacturer DuBois et fils, as the company rushed to ship watches before President Trump's surprise 39% tariff rate on Switzerland went into effect on Thursday. It was a race against time for DuBois CEO Thomas Steinemann and his company to ship five high-end watches to the US before blocking orders on its US website. Overall, the US accounts for 17% of Switzerland's watch exports. As of April, goods from the country faced a much lower 10% tariff rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. It was a chaotic week for the 240-year-old Swiss watch manufacturer DuBois et fils, as the company rushed to ship watches before President Trump's surprise 39% tariff rate on Switzerland went into effect on Thursday. It was a race against time for DuBois CEO Thomas Steinemann and his company to ship five high-end watches to the US before blocking orders on its US website. Overall, the US accounts for 17% of Switzerland's watch exports. As of April, goods from the country faced a much lower 10% tariff rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. Tariffs are starting to squeeze farmers' profits President Trump has said he loves farmers, but his policies are starting to ripple across the agriculture industry. Trump's tariff policies, in particular, are beginning to raise the cost of machinery and fertilizers, weighing on profits. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. President Trump has said he loves farmers, but his policies are starting to ripple across the agriculture industry. Trump's tariff policies, in particular, are beginning to raise the cost of machinery and fertilizers, weighing on profits. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. The US has slapped a 39% tariff on Switzerland, leaving the country's leaders reeling Bloomberg took a deep dive looking at how the tariff negotiations between the Trump administration and Switzerland began with promise, but eventually led to the US slapping a devastating 39% levy on the country: Read more here. Bloomberg took a deep dive looking at how the tariff negotiations between the Trump administration and Switzerland began with promise, but eventually led to the US slapping a devastating 39% levy on the country: Read more here. Trump says US court ruling against tariff authority 'would be 1929 all over again' Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. Carney is patching up ties with Mexico in face of Trump threats Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working to repair relations with Mexico as both nations prepare for the fallout from US tariffs. Canrey recently met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and various corporate executives. Bloomberg reports: Read more from Bloomberg here. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working to repair relations with Mexico as both nations prepare for the fallout from US tariffs. Canrey recently met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and various corporate executives. Bloomberg reports: Read more from Bloomberg here. Swiss plane maker Pilatus halts business jet deliveries to US over tariffs Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus said it temporarily stopped deliveries of its PC-12 and PC-24 business jets to the US after President Trump imposed a punishing 39% tariff rate on imports from Switzerland. "The new customs tariff imposed by the US authorities represents a significant competitive disadvantage for Pilatus," the privately held company said. From Reuters: Read more here. Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus said it temporarily stopped deliveries of its PC-12 and PC-24 business jets to the US after President Trump imposed a punishing 39% tariff rate on imports from Switzerland. "The new customs tariff imposed by the US authorities represents a significant competitive disadvantage for Pilatus," the privately held company said. From Reuters: Read more here. Under Armour forecasts downbeat quarterly sales, shares drop Under Armour (UA) stock slumped 12% before the bell on Friday after the sportswear maker forecast second-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates. The company is grappling with muted demand in North America due to still-high inflation and tariff uncertainty. Reuters reports: Read more here. Under Armour (UA) stock slumped 12% before the bell on Friday after the sportswear maker forecast second-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates. The company is grappling with muted demand in North America due to still-high inflation and tariff uncertainty. Reuters reports: Read more here. China defends buying Russian oil after Trump's tariff threat China defended its purchase of Russian oil on Friday, pushing back against President Trumps threat to impose higher tariffs on Beijing for buying energy from Moscow. Trump warned both China and India this week and said he would impose higher tariffs on the nations if they didn't stop buying oil from Russia. The US president followed through on his threat by slapping an additional 25% tariff on India, bringing the total to 50%. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. China defended its purchase of Russian oil on Friday, pushing back against President Trumps threat to impose higher tariffs on Beijing for buying energy from Moscow. Trump warned both China and India this week and said he would impose higher tariffs on the nations if they didn't stop buying oil from Russia. The US president followed through on his threat by slapping an additional 25% tariff on India, bringing the total to 50%. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Gold bar tariff surprise gives new blow to Switzerland The US has imposed tariffs on imports of 1kg and 100oz gold bars, unleashing fresh turmoil in the global bullion market. The move threatens trade from Switzerland and other major refining centers. US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that these gold bars are now subject to tariffs, contradicting earlier industry expectations. The Financial Times first reported this change. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. The US has imposed tariffs on imports of 1kg and 100oz gold bars, unleashing fresh turmoil in the global bullion market. The move threatens trade from Switzerland and other major refining centers. US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that these gold bars are now subject to tariffs, contradicting earlier industry expectations. The Financial Times first reported this change. Bloomberg reports: Read more here.
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Attorney for Hopewell vice mayor says lawsuit based on 'political disagreement,' not misconduct
Calling it 'political disagreement, not actionable misconduct,' the attorney for Hopewell Vice Mayor Rita Joyner has asked a federal court to throw out former Hopewell City Manager Concetta Manker's almost $7 million wrongful termination lawsuit against Joyner. The paperwork was filed Aug. 8 in U.S. District Court in Richmond at the same time that the city of Hopewell filed its own motions to dismiss the suit. Manker, who was fired May 1 along with City Clerk Brittani Williams, filed the suit July 7 and is asking for a total of $6.85 million in damages, including punitive damages against Joyner, Mayor Johnny Partin Jr., and councilors Ronnie Ellis of Ward 4 and Susan Daye of Ward 5. Manker accuses Joyner of racism, citing several examples where the vice mayor reportedly said that Manker, who is Black, was 'Blacking up the city' by hiring people of color as major department heads. She also claims Joyner defamed her by calling her 'incompetent' in a 2024 email and stating that she hoped to get enough votes from the results of that November's election to have Manker fired. All four councilors who voted to fire Manker are White. Because Joyner was singled out for more than the others, she had to hire her own attorney and file a separate response. Joyner is represented by Virginia Beach-based attorney Anne Lahren. More: Judge continues Hopewell treasurer's case after her attorney asks to withdraw Vice mayor acted within 'authority' In the lawsuit, Manker cited Joyner for racism, defamation and blocking due process. In her response, Joyner's attorney said the vice mayor was acting totally within her authority as a Hopewell elected official and as one of seven people to whom the city manager is directly accountable. 'Joyner exercised her authority as an elected official to criticize Plaintiff's performance and advocate for a change in leadership consistent with the will of the voters,' the response stated. 'Plaintiff repeatedly characterizes Joyner's conduct as 'thwarting' her initiatives, opposing her policies, and expressing negative views about her job performance. These allegations, even if true, reflect political disagreement, not actionable misconduct.' None of Manker's allegations are 'a matter of law,' the response said. "The Complaint fails to allege facts sufficient to establish racial animus, deprivation of a protected property or liberty interest, or actionable defamatory statements,' it read. 'Moreover, Joyner's actions as an elected official – expressing criticism, participating in governance decisions, and communicating with constituents and the press about matters of public concern – are fully protected under both constitutional and state law doctrines, including qualified immunity and the First Amendment.' Because Manker's allegations represent 'disagreement with the political and policy choices of the City's duly elected leadership, rather than any legally cognizable wrongdoing,' the suit should be dismissed, according to the response. More: 'Sad and difficult case': First of 3 suspects in Hopewell child's shooting death sentenced Mirrors Hopewell's response Joyner's response jibes with the official position of Hopewell in the case. That response, filed by City Attorney Anthony Bessette, calls the allegations 'nothing more than legal conclusions, or where the allegations permit a court to infer no more than a possibility of misconduct. It stated that Manker was terminated because she 'was not performing at a level that met the City's legitimate expectations.' As for the claims of racism, the city's response called them 'flimsy. 'The race of the decision makers does not give rise to an inference of discrimination,' it read. 'This is particularly true where the same four councilors who voted to terminate Dr. Manker's employment voted to hire Michael Rogers, an African American male, to be the Interim City Manager. Because Dr. Manker was not replaced by someone outside of her protected class, there is no inference of race discrimination.' While the lawsuit alleges that Ellis blew 'a racist dog whistle' when he circulated campaign flyers saying it was time 'to take back our city,' it also claimed he improperly made the motion to reconsider a February vote to terminate Manker because he walked out of the meeting. Ellis is a battalion chief with the Hopewell Fire Department, and in that position, Manker claimed he directly reported to her; therefore, his motion was a violation of conflict-of-interest. Hopewell claims that Manker's termination was permissible because her contract was not originally in violation of the act. Virginia's Conflict-of-Interest Act [COIA] states that only contracts and purchases that run afoul of COIA can only be voided, and it is silent on any other legal transactions. 'The termination of Dr. Manker's contract is neither a contract nor a purchase made in violation of COIA,' the city's response said. 'Therefore, even if the vote violated COIA, the vote is not void or voidable.' No dates have been set for preliminary hearings on the lawsuit. Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@ or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI. This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Hopewell officials respond to former city manager's federal lawsuit Solve the daily Crossword
