Afternoon briefs: TRO lifted against Mary Trump publisher; Jeffrey Epstein associate arrested
President Donald Trump. Photo from Shutterstock.com.
Appeals court lifts TRO against Mary Trump publisher
A New York appeals court on Wednesday lifted a temporary restraining order that blocked Simon & Schuster from publishing a tell-all book by Mary Trump, President Donald Trump’s niece. The Appellate Division’s Second Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court left in place the TRO against Mary Trump pending a hearing on a preliminary injunction. Donald Trump’s brother, Robert, is asking the court to stop publication because of a confidentiality agreement signed by Mary Trump. (The New York Law Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the July 1 opinion)
Jeffrey Epstein associate is arrested
Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of financier Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested Thursday and accused of helping recruit and groom underage girls for the convicted sex offender. Epstein hanged himself in August 2019 while he was in jail awaiting trial on new sex-trafficking charges. (The New York Times, the Washington Post, the indictment)
$19M settlement reached in Harvey Weinstein lawsuits
A proposed $19 million settlement will resolve two lawsuits against convicted rapist and film producer Harvey Weinstein, his production company and his brother. The New York attorney general’s suit alleged that the Weinstein Co. violated state law by failing to protect employees from Weinstein’s sexual harassment. The second suit, a would-be class action lawsuit by several women, accused Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault. Lawyers Douglas Wigdor and Kevin Mintzer said in a statement that the proposed deal is “a complete sellout” and unfair to their clients, partly because Weinstein won’t have to pay any money and takes no accountability for his actions. Wigdor and Mintzer also say insurance companies and corporate directors will be released from liability, affecting opt-out plaintiffs who want to litigate. (Reuters, the Associated Press, press releases here and here)
11th Circuit blocks order allowing many Florida felons to vote
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Atlanta has stayed a judge’s ruling allowing Florida felons with outstanding fees or fines to vote if they can’t afford to pay. The 11th Circuit stayed the decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle of Tallahassee, Florida, pending an en banc appeal. Florida voters restored voting rights to many former felons in 2018, but the state passed a law barring felons from voting if they had failed to pay all their legal financial obligations stemming from the felony conviction. (The Tampa Bay Times, the Orlando Sentinel, Courthouse News Service, the July 1 order)
