Afternoon Briefs: Judge irked by '60 Minutes' interview; Caesars sues insurers for pandemic losses
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Federal judge warns of trying Capitol riot case in media
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta of the District of Columbia on Tuesday warned prosecutors about trying a U.S. Capitol riot case in the media. Mehta said he was surprised to see a 60 Minutes interview in which former Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin for the District of Columbia said he thought there was evidence to support a charge of seditious conspiracy against some rioters. The judge also expressed concern about a New York Times article in which anonymous officials said seditious conspiracy charges were being considered in the case against some members of the Oath Keepers militia group. John Crabb, who leads the criminal division of the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., told the judge that the matters have been referred for internal investigation. (Law.com, NPR, Politico, BuzzFeed News)
Caesars sues insurers for more than $2B
Caesars Entertainment Inc. has sued dozens of insurers in Clark County, Nevada, to recover more than $2 billion in losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Caesars says it paid more than $25 million for all-risk coverage, but the insurers “have failed to pay a single penny for the business interruption.” (The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Law360)
Lawyer for Baltimore prosecutor says probe is frivolous
A lawyer for Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and her husband, Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby, is seeking the suspension of a federal investigation into the couple’s tax and business affairs. A letter sent to the Department of Justice by Reed Smith partner A. Scott Bolden said the investigation is frivolous and politically motivated. (The Baltimore Sun, the Washington Post, the letter)
Surgical mesh settlement is announced
The Boston Scientific Corp. has agreed to pay $188.6 million to settle claims that it used deceptive marketing to misrepresent the safety and risks of its transvaginal surgical mesh products. The settlement resolves allegations by 47 states and Washington, D.C. (Reuters, New York attorney general press release)
