Justice Department lawyers have argued that the president’s top aides have “absolute immunity” from congressional subpoenas and cannot be forced to testify.
Before the court could hear the case, however, House Democrats withdrew the Kupperman subpoena in early November. They said they would instead rely on the outcome of a similar case that is further along in judicial proceedings, involving a subpoena issued to former White House counsel Donald McGahn.
With Kupperman’s dilemma resolved, Judge Richard Leon of U.S. District Court in Washington declared the case moot and dismissed the lawsuit.
— Paul Duggan
NORTH CAROLINA
Diocese of Charlotte releases list on abuse
A Catholic diocese in North Carolina on Monday published a list of 14 clergy who it says have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse in the nearly 50 years since the diocese was established.
The Diocese of Charlotte also listed six clergy members who served the area before the diocese was formed in 1972, and 23 clergy members from the diocese who were accused of misconduct while working for the church in other places.
Of the 14, nine are dead, according to the diocese’s list. Of the remaining five, two were convicted, the diocese said. The others were removed, dismissed or left the ministry.
The Charlotte Diocese serves more than 400,000 Catholics in 46 counties in western North Carolina. It defines a credible allegation as “one that has the semblance of truth; one supported by information worthy of belief. It is not a finding of guilt.”
— Associated Press
CALIFORNIA
Judge blocks law on required arbitration
A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked a new California law outlawing mandatory arbitration agreements that critics say can make it more difficult for workers to sue their bosses for sexual harassment.
U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller halted enforcement of the law, which had been set to take effect Wednesday, until she considers a request by the California Chamber of Commerce and other business groups for a preliminary injunction on Jan. 10.
About two-thirds of California’s nonunion, private-sector workplaces have mandatory arbitration policies, according to a recent study by the Economic Policy Institute.
Employers generally like the agreements because arbitration moves more quickly and costs less than going to court. Labor groups say the pacts leave employees at a disadvantage because they don’t have attorneys and rely on arbitrators who are often selected and paid for by the companies.
The business groups argued that the increasingly common practice is protected under federal law, is effective, fair to both sides and better than the alternative of going to court with employee grievances.
Federal law and some U.S. Supreme Court decisions restrict state governments from banning the agreements, but supporters said the California law just makes them optional. Employees could still choose to sign them but could not be punished for refusing.
The chamber said employers who relied on the federal law in good faith could have faced the potential for prosecution and imprisonment of up to six months under California’s law.
The law would not affect existing arbitration agreements and would only apply to people hired after Jan. 1, 2020.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law this year after it was vetoed twice by his predecessor, fellow Democrat Jerry Brown.
— Associated Press
2019-12-31 00:10:00Z
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2019/12/30/201410ea-2b4b-11ea-bcb3-ac6482c4a92f_story.html
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