Latest news with #Obama-appointed
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
CA drops ‘green' big-rig mandates, ending legal fight with Bill Barr-linked group
FIRST ON FOX: California has agreed to drop many of its Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) mandates dictating stringent emissions standards for big rigs, following a year-long court battle with an anti-regulations group whose legal arm is led by former Attorney General William Barr. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Air Resources Board (CARB) executive Steven Cliff agreed in court documents filed Friday to withdraw their ACF mandates, leading the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce (AmFree) to drop its legal challenge. In a document signed by Obama-appointed federal Judge Troy Nunley and obtained by Fox News Digital, Cliff and Bonta agreed to present a repeal proposal for the ACF requirements in a public hearing no later than Oct. 31. They also agreed not to retroactively enforce any such regulations. While a timeline in the court filing cited California had applied for an environmental waiver from the Biden administration in 2023, AmFree originally sued on ground that Sacramento's regulations violated the Clean Air Act because a waiver was never obtained. Dozens Of States Lobby Epa To Deny California Waiver Forcing Out-of-state Strucks To Comply With Green Mandate The regulations had been in effect since 2024, directing trucking firms to rapidly transition fleets from diesel to zero-emission vehicles. Read On The Fox News App At the time, Barr called the move a "threat to our American free enterprise" and suggested the restrictions would lead to "negligible" environmental benefits at best while causing negative economic repercussions. "This ruling is the final nail in the coffin of California's crazy attempt to eliminate the traditional trucking sector, and yet another example of Gavin Newsom's complete failure in California," said AmFree CEO Gentry Collins. "Even after the American public resoundingly voted to steer the country in a new direction last November, liberal states like California are hellbent on implementing a green agenda that consumers don't want and technology cannot support," said Collins, a former Iowa GOP official. Youngkin Declares Independence From California As Virginia Exits Emissions Pact "AmFree will remain vigilant, holding blue states to account for their misguided crusade that defies common sense and flies in the face of consumer choice and freedom, and ensuring that completely failed politicians like Gavin Newsom eager to run away from their liberal records are reminded of the disastrous policies that occurred on their watch." The group positions itself as a more free-market alternative to the pro-business stalwart U.S. Chamber of Commerce. An official for CARB noted that not all the elements of the ACF regulations are being dropped, and that the proposal will seek repeal of "certain elements" and move against enforcement of other requirements of the regulatory effort. "CARB remains committed to protecting public health using existing authorities as well as new and alternative approaches," the official told Fox News Digital. One major regional trucking outfit celebrated the news, telling Fox News Digital that firms across the country had a shared interest in seeing California's mandates be reversed. "Here in Alabama and also across America, we stand up every day for our members to defend free enterprise and stand against failed policies from states like California," said Alabama Trucking Association CEO Mark Colson. "We're proud to unite with AmFree and our allies on the ground in California to accomplish shared goals and get our economy roaring again." The nixing of the regs is only the latest in several sudden reversals of green mandates, as Congress has overturned at least three Biden-era EPA waivers that were officially granted to California to allow it to self-regulate its own emissions standards. But a Newsom spokesman said California's "nation-leading transition to cleaner cars and trucks doesn't end here." "We're years ahead of schedule in meeting our goals — with tens of thousands of zero-emission trucks on the road already," Daniel Villaseñor told Fox News Digital. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, praised the rollback of California's clean-cars mandate as a win to "protect American workers and consumers from radical and drastic policy." "The impact of California's waiver would have been felt across the country, harming multiple sectors of our economy and costing hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process," Moore Capito said. The big-rig regulations had required operators of several types of fleets to begin transitioning to zero-emissions tractor-trailers. Fox News Digital reached out to Bonta and CARB for article source: CA drops 'green' big-rig mandates, ending legal fight with Bill Barr-linked group
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Todd Chrisley makes first statement in Nashville following Trump pardon
Todd Chrisley spoke for the first time publicly following his presidential pardon and release from federal prison where he and his wife were serving years on bank fraud and tax evasion convictions. Todd and wife Julie Chrisley, the reality TV stars of "Chrisley Knows Best" will be returning to TV screens across the country, documenting their return to society upon their release, daughter Savannah Chrisley told reporters outside the Florida prison where her dad had been kept, ABC News reported. Attorneys Alex Little and Zack Lawson, along with Todd and Savannah Chrisley, gathered for a news conference May 30 at a Nashville hotel to answer questions about the couple's pardon. Julie Chrisley, who was also pardoned by the president, was not at the news conference. "I want to thank President Trump," Todd Chrisley said. He thanked daughter Savannah for fighting for his release. "It's honestly felt like a dream to have them at home," Savannah Chrisley said. More: 'Trump knows best': Todd and Julie Chrisley get presidential pardon. Will they be back on TV? What to know The couple was released from federal prison May 28 after they were each sentenced to serve time for bank fraud and tax evasion. President Donald Trump announced the pardon for the couple when White House communications advisor Margo Martin posted a video clip of him calling their children to give them the news May 27. Todd Chrisley had been imprisoned at FPC Pensacola, in Florida, while Julie Chrisley was incarcerated in Kentucky at FMC Lexington. The Chrisleys were first indicted in federal court in Georgia in August 2019, four years after the couple made the move to Davidson County's Belle Meade. During their trial, prosecutors said the Chrisleys defrauded banks of more than $36 million in fraudulent loans and each personally recieved millions in proceeds, according to court records. Julie was sentenced to seven years while Todd was sentenced to 12 in prison. They reported to prison in January 2023. U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross ordered the couple to forfeit more than a combined $22 million they recieved as a result of the crimes they were convicted of. Trump's pardon wipes the debt clean since it was part of the court order and not a civil matter. The couple's daughter Savannah Chrisley was critical of the trial and the sentences handed down to her parents. The couple's attorney, Alex Little, said his clients were targeted for their politics and conservative values. "That's what you get from an Obama-appointed judge,' Savannah Chrisley said in federal court in Atlanta in September 2024, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Julie Chrisley apologized during that same hearing. 'I apologize for my actions and what led me to where I am today,' Julie Chrisley said then in federal court. Savannah Chrisley recently appeared on Lara Trump's Fox News program pushing for a pardon for her parents. Lara Trump is the president's daughter-in-law. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Todd Chrisley makes first statement in Nashville after Trump pardon
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Obama-nominated judge allows lawsuit targeting Musk's role with DOGE to proceed, drops claims against Trump
An Obama-appointed federal judge has largely rejected the Trump administration's request for the dismissal of a DOGE-related legal challenge, though she did dismiss President Donald Trump as a defendant, while otherwise allowing the wranglings to proceed. "Defendants seek to dismiss President Trump as a defendant because the court may not enjoin the President in the performance of his official duties," a memorandum opinion notes, adding, "The court agrees." The memorandum opinion and order are signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Elon Musk 'Disappointed' By Trump's Spending Bill, Says It Undermines What Doge Is Doing "Defendants' motion to dismiss Count I against President Donald J. Trump, in his official capacity as President of the United States, is GRANTED. Defendants' motion to dismiss Count I against all other defendants and Count II is DENIED," the order declares. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Justice Department spokesperson said, "This Department of Justice has vigorously defended President Trump's ability to conduct official duties and will continue to do so whenever those actions are challenged in federal court." Read On The Fox News App Desantis Goads Congress To Follow Fl's Doge Blueprint As Musk's Cuts Still Wait For Vote More than a dozen states lodged a legal challenge regarding Elon Musk's work on Trump's DOGE cost-cutting initiative earlier this year. "This Court should restore constitutional order and, consistent with the Appointments Clause, enjoin Mr. Musk from issuing orders to any person in the Executive Branch outside of DOGE and otherwise engaging in the actions of an officer of the United States, and declare that his actions to date are ultra vires and of no legal effect," the complaint filed in February declared. Spacex's Starship Flight 9 Ends In Failure After Booster Loss: 'Success Comes From What We Learn' After heavily focusing on the effort, Musk later noted that he planned to reduce how much time he spends on it. Last week he declared in a tweet, "Back to spending 24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms," noting that he needed to focus on various business endeavors. "The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized," he noted on Tuesday, according to the Washington Post. "I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least."Original article source: Obama-nominated judge allows lawsuit targeting Musk's role with DOGE to proceed, drops claims against Trump
NDTV
7 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Trump Administration Set To End $100 Million In Federal Contracts With Harvard
According to a letter sent to federal agencies by the US government, the latter plans to cancel $100 million of the federal government's remaining contracts with Harvard. It also asked the agencies to "find alternative vendors" for the future, in its latest offence on the school. 'Going forward, we also encourage your agency to seek alternative vendors for future services where you had previously considered Harvard,' the letter said. Per The New York Times, the letter stated that it is a "complete severance of the government's longstanding business relationship with Harvard." Moreover, federal agencies are required to respond with a list of contract cancellations by June 6th. The Trump administration on Thursday barred Harvard University's ability to enrol international students. The administration also said that it would be doing so as an ongoing investigation into the university by the Department of Homeland Security. A letter has been sent to the university by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. However, in the letter sent to Harvard University, it was mentioned that, if the university wants the opportunity of regaining Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification before the upcoming academic school year back, they should provide the "information required" within "72 hours". 'We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action,' Dr. Garber wrote in a statement last week, adding that it 'imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams.' US President Donald Trump posted about it on Monday, stating, "We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard so that we can determine, after a ridiculous expenditure of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, how many radicalised lunatics, troublemakers all, should not be let back into our Country. Harvard is very slow in the presentation of these documents, and probably for good reason!" Following this, and as a response to Harvard causing a delay in providing the information, the Department of Homeland Security then revoked the Ivy League's ability to take in foreign students. However, this move was temporarily blocked by an Obama-appointed federal judge. Harvard had argued saying that the revocation of its certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program was a 'clear retaliation' to the government's policy demands. Trump had also threatened to redirect $3 billion in federal grants from the university to trade schools on Monday. Earlier, he had frozen $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, after the latter rejected demands from the Trump administration. 'The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,' Harvard President Alan Garber wrote in a message to the community. He added: 'No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.'
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Meet Allison D Burroughs, judge who blocked Trump's SEVP action against Harvard
US District Judge Allison Dale Burroughs on Friday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a ban on international students at Harvard University by suspending the school's SEVP certification. She ruled that the government can't enforce the ban, which it imposed the day before. The Obama-appointed judge's ruling came hours after Harvard sued the government in a Boston federal court. Burroughs has granted the university a temporary restraining order, finding that it would sustain 'immediate and irreparable injury' if the Department of Homeland Security directive went into effect. This means Harvard will not be forced to stop enrolling international students immediately. The TRO will remain in place until the court rules on Harvard's request for a longer-lasting injunction. A hearing on that request is set for May 29. Read More: Barron Trump got rejected by Harvard? Claims surface after university's SEVP revoked Allison Dale Burroughs is a US District Judge for the District of Massachusetts, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014 and confirmed in January 2015. Born in Boston in 1961, she graduated cum laude from Middlebury College (BA, 1983) and the University of Pennsylvania Law School (JD, 1988). Her legal career spans clerking for Judge Norma Shapiro (1988–89), serving as an Assistant US Attorney in Pennsylvania (1989–95) and Massachusetts (1995–2005), and practicing as a partner at Nutter McClennen & Fish (2005–14), where she handled complex criminal and civil cases. Read More: How China reacted as Donald Trump blocked foreign students' enrollment at Harvard University In 2017, she issued a TRO against Trump's Executive Order 13769, blocking the removal of travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, turning Boston Logan Airport into a safe haven. She also presided over a Harvard-MIT lawsuit challenging an ICE rule requiring international students to leave the US if taking online-only classes during COVID-19.
