June 2024 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

Ga. Judge Won't Recuse Over Closed-Door Chat In YSL Case
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

Ga. Judge Won't Recuse Over Closed-Door Chat In YSL Case <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1849228?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…> By Emily Johnson A Georgia state judge on Tuesday denied a motion to disqualify himself from continuing to preside over Atlanta rapper Young Thug's racketeering trial, calling the bid "insufficient" and rejecting the rapper's claim that the judge had "joined the prosecutors' team" by unethically having a closed-door conversation with prosecutors and a witness. Motion attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1849228?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1849228?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…>

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Megan Thee Stallion Escapes IP Suit Over 'Savage' Song
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

Megan Thee Stallion Escapes IP Suit Over 'Savage' Song <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849206?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Ivan Moreno A Manhattan federal judge concluded Tuesday that rapper and songwriter Megan Thee Stallion did not rip off music from a hip-hop producer to create her hit song "Savage" in 2020, saying the plaintiff failed to show that she and the other defendants had access to his composition or that the two songs are substantially or strikingly similar. Order attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849206?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849206?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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High Court Petition Asks Justices: What's A 'Willful' Kickback?
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

High Court Petition Asks Justices: What's A 'Willful' Kickback? <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1847236?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Hannah Albarazi Does a "willful" act under federal anti-kickback law require a defendant to know that the conduct violates the law? That's the question a whistleblower is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to answer in order to resolve what the petition calls a circuit split on a key question of federal fraud prosecutions. 2 documents attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1847236?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1847236?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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Fwd: Participate in the Mastercard Transatlantic Index USA Survey!
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

On the first day of Summer. It is significant given xNY.io - Bank.org is nearly certain that WorldBank.org's is led by/formally of Mastercard. Mastercard's interchange fraud has caused New York’s damage: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/people/a/ajay-banga ATM Plaintiffs Must Share New Data In Visa, Mastercard Suit <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1840272?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…> By Jared Foretek A D.C. federal judge ordered ATM operator plaintiffs on Wednesday to turn over updated data showing average interchange fees and transaction surcharges at the center of a discovery dispute in their long-running class action against Visa and Mastercard, telling the plaintiffs that she wanted to err on the side of "liberal discovery." Memorandum attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1840272?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1840272?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…> ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Mastercard Open Banking <obnoreply(a)mastercard.com> Date: Thu, Jun 20, 2024, 9:15 AM Subject: Participate in the Transatlantic Index USA Survey! To: <g(a)xny.io> [image: Fill Out the Survey] <https://connect.mastercard-emailb2b.com/e/163061/to-KuWPlBbH/tz9q7d/1495042…> We’re excited to support Open Banking Excellence (OBE) in their groundbreaking research! Have 15 minutes to share your analysis of the US open baking market? Take The Transatlantic Index USA survey from OBE. Share your insights and be part of the research by completing this short survey before the 28th of June 2024. *Share Your Insights <https://connect.mastercard-emailb2b.com/e/163061/4edzD41/tz9q7h/1495042484/…> →* Unsubscribe <https://connect.mastercard-emailb2b.com/unsubscribe/u/163061/8c1a8f346f352e…> from Open Banking email marketing communications from Mastercard. Unsubscribe <https://connect.mastercard-emailb2b.com/e/163061/acy-privacy-email-opt-out-…> from all future email communications from Mastercard. © 2024 Mastercard Company. All Rights Reserved. 434 W Ascension Way, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, UT 84123

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The National Congress of American Indians Resolution #ECWS-23-005 (National Congress of American Indians calls for offshore wind moratorium / The Biden administration is rushing to build out offshore wind farms. Tribes want to make sure they?re not sidelined or steamrolled in the process.)
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/24/23613848/national-congress-american-indi… The largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments is calling on the Biden administration to pause offshore wind projects. They want to ensure that tribes are included in project planning and that there are measures in place to protect their territories and traditional resources. ------- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iVhOy1hXrFRg7SP4tYHKQmouOlw2-8qZ/view?usp=… N A T I O N A L C O N G R E S S O F A M E R I C A N I N D I A N S The National Congress of American Indians Resolution #ECWS-23-005 TITLE: Offshore Wind Moratorium WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and WHEREAS, the government has a legal obligation to consult with Tribal Nations on any activities that may affect their lands or resources; and WHEREAS, the Biden administration encourages through the January 26, 2021 Memorandum, “Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships” to improve tribal engagements; and WHEREAS, the Biden administration in the November 30, 2022 Memorandum requires “Uniform Standards for Tribal Consultation”; and WHEREAS, the Biden Administration has embraced the need to expand tribal consultation to incorporate the essential importance of tribal co-stewardship and co- managment of traditional tribal lands and waters as recently as Assistant Secretary Bryan Newland’s statement before the General Assembly of NCAI on February 22, 2023; and WHEREAS, President Biden issued a Memorandum on December 1, 2022, titled, “Implementation of Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Indigenous Knowledge,” requires federal agencies to integrate Indigenous Knowledge as a line of evidence in federal decision-making; and WHEREAS, incorporating tribal Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge, through co-management of traditional lands and the associated life forms is critical to protecting tribal environment and is essential to Biden Administrations’ stated goal of respecting and including Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge in decision making; and WHEREAS, these policies must apply to energy development projects that may impact their traditional territories, cultural resources, or sacred sites; and WHEREAS, Tribal Nations must be included in the management, permitting and development of power purchase agreements and both consulted and included in determining the terms and conditions of the agreements; and WHEREAS, this includes negotiating fair compensation for the use of their lands and resources, inclusion in any revenues associated with such development of their traditional resources as well as ensuring that the development does not harm their environment or cultural heritage. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, NCAI resolves to support shared tribal jurisdictional authority over and tribal management of offshore renewable energy activities, aimed at empowering Native communities through socio-economic benefits such as job opportunities, revenue sharing, and support for tribal energy development projects; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI strongly urges the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to halt all scoping and permitting for offshore wind projects until completion of a comprehensive and transparent procedure adequately protecting tribal environmental and sovereign interests is developed and implemented; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution. CERTIFICATION The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2023 Executive Council Winter Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held February 20-23, 2023, in Washington, D.C., with a quorum present. Fawn Sharp, President ATTEST: _________________________________ Stephen Roe Lewis, Recording Secretary

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Is the Stock Market Setting Investors Up for a Tech Bust Similar to the Dot.com Bust?
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

https://wallstreetonparade.com/2024/06/is-the-stock-market-setting-investor… By Pam Martens and Russ Martens: June 20, 2024 ~ On Tuesday, a stock most Americans had never heard of four years ago – Nvidia – closed with a market cap of $3.34 trillion. That makes it the most valuable company in the world, overtaking Microsoft’s heady $3.32 trillion market cap. Nvidia’s share price (ticker NVDA) has soared 174 percent year-to-date while the S&P 500 is up just 15 percent. The much broader index, the Russell 2000, has flat-lined this year. (See chart above.) Without the gains from Nvidia, the S&P 500 would be reporting one-third less percentage increase year-to-date. Nvidia trades on the Nasdaq stock market. Its share price has been riding the artificial intelligence (AI) hype in a manner reminiscent of how the Nasdaq skyrocketed in value on the tech and dot.com mania of the late 1990s. That era did not end well, to put it mildly. The Nasdaq reached a closing high of 5,048.62 on March 10, 2000. The Nasdaq then proceeded to lose 78 percent of its value over the next 2-1/2 years, reaching a closing low of 1,114.11 on October 9, 2002. As late as February 2000, there was little recognition in mainstream media that the Nasdaq was on the cusp of entering one of the bloodiest selloffs in stock market history. CNNMoney reported as follows on February 29, 2000: “U.S. stocks rallied broadly Tuesday, sending every major market gauge higher and the Nasdaq composite index to its 12th record close of the year as investors snapped up technology shares expected to lead the economy’s growth.” The same news report quoted Legg Mason’s Chief Market Strategist at the time, Richard Cripps, as follows: “People want to own these (technology) stocks, and that’s what limits any significant drop on these stocks and it’s what puts pressure on the remainder of the market.” Less than two weeks later, investors began the stampede out of the market darlings. In 2017, the legendary investor, Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, penned his annual letter to shareholders. In it, he opined as follows: “Above all, it’s our market system – an economic traffic cop ably directing capital, brains and labor – that has created America’s abundance. This system has also been the primary factor in allocating rewards.” In fact, federal regulators turning a blind eye to market rigging has made the exact opposite of Buffett’s analysis the true reality. The stock market has become a bribed and blindfolded traffic cop, misallocating capital, brains and labor. And a whole platoon of crooked and blindfolded market cops have replaced the market’s efficient pricing mechanism with Dark Pools and trading platforms hiding out in the shadows here and abroad. For a deeper dive into these issues, see Related Articles below. Related Articles: Nvidia Hit a $3 Trillion Market Cap Last Week; Dark Pools Are Making Over 300,000 Trades in the Stock Weekly Is the New York Fed’s Trading Floor Near the Futures Exchange in Chicago Behind the Erratic Gyrations in the Stock Market? JPMorgan Chase and Its Regulators Are Hiding Dark Trading Secrets at the Largest and Riskiest U.S. Bank SEC: Citigroup Ran a Secret, Unregistered Stock Exchange for More than Three Years Goldman Sachs Is Quietly Trading Stocks In Its Own Dark Pools on 4 Continents Wall Street Banks Are Trading in Their Own Company’s Stock: How Is This Legal?

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Menendez Request On Pet Case Was Unique, Aide Testifies
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

Menendez Request On Pet Case Was Unique, Aide Testifies <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849409?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Cara Salvatore When Sen. Robert Menendez allegedly directed an aide to tell a U.S. attorney that an alleged bribe-giver facing prosecution deserved "all due process," it was the only criminal case Menendez ever singled out that way in their years working together, the aide testified Tuesday. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849409?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849409?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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Charges Dropped In NYC Mayor Straw Donor Case
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

Charges Dropped In NYC Mayor Straw Donor Case <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849152?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Stewart Bishop A New York state judge on Tuesday dismissed charges against a former development consultant and state employee, who was accused of being part of a conspiracy to funnel straw donor funds to New York City Mayor Eric Adams' 2021 campaign, after prosecutors agreed to drop the case. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849152?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849152?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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Cuomo's Ex-Aide Details Sex Harrassment Claims In New Suit
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

Cuomo's Ex-Aide Details Sex Harrassment Claims In New Suit <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849381?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Dorothy Atkins Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's onetime executive assistant has filed a civil lawsuit in New York state court, accusing Cuomo of "outrageous sex discrimination and retaliation" roughly two years after related misdemeanor charges over the alleged misconduct were dropped. Complaint attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849381?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849381?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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NY High Court Denies Trump's Gag Order Appeal
by Gunnar Larson 20 Jun '24

20 Jun '24

NY High Court Denies Trump's Gag Order Appeal <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849139?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Frank G. Runyeon New York state's highest court on Tuesday denied Donald Trump's rapid appeal of the gag order that limited his speech during his criminal hush money trial, finding it did not raise serious constitutional issues. 1 document attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849139?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/1849139?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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