Latest news with #TuckerAct
Newsweek
13-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Boeing Could Sue Over Donald Trump's New Air Force One Plane—Attorney
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump receiving a plane as a gift from Qatar's royal family could result in Boeing suing his administration, according to an attorney. Trump sparked ethical and legal criticism after considering whether to accept the Boeing 747-8, which will be retrofitted with state-of-the-art security and communications to serve as Air Force One. Qatari officials said the plane was being given by the Qatari Ministry of Defense to the Pentagon. However, Trump said the Boeing 747-8 jet will be used as the official presidential plane, and, according to multiple reports, after he leaves office, it will be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation. Newsweek reached out to Boeing via email for comment. Why It Matters Boeing was contracted to deliver a replacement for Air Force One in July 2018, with a deadline of last year. However, the company said it has experienced delays because of factors including the bankruptcy of a key supplier, staff turnover, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump said in February that he was "not happy with Boeing" and may purchase a plane elsewhere. President Donald Trump raises his fist while disembarking from Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on May 4, 2025. President Donald Trump raises his fist while disembarking from Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on May 4, 2025. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images What To Know Attorney Bradley P. Moss told Newsweek that "Boeing would almost certainly have a clear breach of contract lawsuit it could bring, given it remains contracted to produce the new Air Force One planes. That would get messy and heated very quickly." He added: "Boeing, as well as any contractors and subcontractors, would almost certainly stand to bring a civil action under the Tucker Act." This act allows individuals to sue the government in specific cases where the government has breached a contract, violated the law, or caused injury. "Indeed, if this 'gift' goes forward, it is practically axiomatic that some type of lawsuit will occur," Moss said. "Whether it will be strictly for monetary damages, or if an action for injunctive relief were to also take place, remains to be seen." However, Richard Painter, a chief ethics lawyer under former President George W. Bush, said that while Boeing could sue, it's "very unlikely." "Boeing perhaps could sue if it affects their contract to build Air Force One, but the contract is still in place so it's very unlikely they will sue," he told Newsweek. "If the plane is accepted and turned over to the Trump presidential library, a subsequent administration could sue to get it back, claiming the unconstitutional gift had become the property of the US government." What People Are Saying President Donald Trump, on Truth Social: "So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA." What Happens Next Qatari media attaché Ali Al-Ansari said the transfer remains "under consideration" and that "no decision has been made," according to ABC News.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Miller Barondess Represents Former EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland in Landmark Legal Victory Against U.S. Government
WASHINGTON, April 01, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Former European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland and the U.S. government have settled a dispute over attorneys' fees incurred during Sondland's testimony before the U.S. Congress in the 2019 impeachment proceedings against President Trump. The parties previously notified the U.S. Court of Federal Claims of their agreement, and the case has been dismissed with prejudice. Ambassador Sondland is represented by Mark A. Barondess of Miller Barondess, LLP. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims heard compelling testimony at trial confirming the existence of an oral agreement between Sondland and former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo regarding the payment of Sondland's attorneys' fees arising from his testimony during the impeachment proceedings. Uncontradicted evidence at trial established that Sondland was denied any legal representation by the government in preparation for his historic, globally televised testimony. The case, Sondland v. United States, Fed. Cl., No. 21-cv-2083, is significant as a rare example of the government being bound to an oral agreement. While the government can be held liable for an oral contract under the Tucker Act (28 U.S.C. § 1491), courts enforce such agreements only under very strict conditions and are generally reluctant to do so unless the facts are unusually compelling. Testimony at trial further revealed that the State Department had no established policy for covering legal fees for diplomats or other employees testifying before Congress until Sondland asserted his claim. The government subsequently enacted a policy capping legal fees at $300 per hour with a 120-hour limit. However, Sondland's legal fees amounted to approximately $1.8 million due to the scope and international significance of the proceedings. Following the trial and before closing arguments were scheduled, the government agreed to a seven-figure payment to settle Sondland's claims under the terms he originally proposed before trial. Judge Loren A. Smith stayed the case pending payment to Sondland. "Ambassador Sondland simply sought to hold the government accountable for the clear and unequivocal commitments made to him by former Secretary of State Pompeo and other State Department officials," said Mark Barondess. He further added, "We clearly proved the facts alleged in our Complaint at trial, and Ambassador Sondland is very pleased that the government recognized that." About Miller Barondess, LLP: Miller Barondess, LLP is a Los Angeles-based law firm that specializes in litigation, including trial, arbitration, and appellate proceedings in California and nationwide. The firm represents both plaintiffs and defendants across a wide range of sectors, including private equity, securities, financial services, intellectual property, patents, licensing and branding, technology and cybersecurity, real estate, healthcare, entertainment and music, sports, consumer products, insurance, retail, environmental, and government. With a reputation for winning bet-the-company litigation, the firm is frequently engaged to resolve pivotal issues before trial, and other law firms bring in Miller Barondess when their clients need a trial or appellate team. View source version on Contacts Media: Mark A. BarondessMiller Barondess, LLP+1 310-552-7574mbarondess@
