Overlawyered » Barney Frank

Dodd-Frank “conflicts minerals” provision devastates Congolese

Walter Olson — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:03:23 +0000

The “Loi Obama” or Obama Law — as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform act of 2010 has become known in the [central African] region — includes an obscure provision that requires public companies to indicate what measures they are taking to ensure that minerals in their supply chain don’t benefit warlords in conflict-ravaged Congo. The provision came about in no small part because of the work of high-profile advocacy groups like the Enough Project and Global Witness, which have been working for an end to what they call “conflict minerals.”

Unfortunately, the Dodd-Frank law has had unintended and devastating consequences, as I saw firsthand on a trip to eastern Congo this summer. …

Tags: Barney Frank, free trade, international human rights, Securities and Exchange Commission

Dodd-Frank “conflicts minerals” provision devastates Congolese is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

May 2 roundup

Walter Olson — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:39:04 +0000

In suit over weird, elaborate online hoax, court allows fraudulent-misrepresentation claim despite lack of motive of tangible gain [Chi Trib]
Service animal rodeo: “A trained rat probably would have had a good case in California” [AP/Statesman-Journal] Broward County, Fla. backs lonely widow’s right to keep “prescription Chihuahua” against rules of condo board [AOL, Sun-Sentinel] Oklahoma: “Depressed Woman Fights to Keep Therapy Kangaroo” [Newser] Earlier on recent change in federal rules;

Should lawmakers screen bills for constitutionality? Ms. Lithwick has trouble sticking to a position [AEternitatis]
Human-relations complaint leads to arrest of U.K. man for singing “Kung Fu Fighting” [MSNBC]
Barney Frank: Yes, let’s talk about med-mal reform [The Hill] Ringing the bell: Roundups of more big med-mal verdicts [White Coat, more]
“Expert Witnesses Stripped Of Immunity From Negligence Suits In The UK” [Erik Magraken]
“Sustainability”: an empty idea? Or perhaps actively wrongheaded? [David Friedman via David Henderson]

Tags: Barney Frank, Dahlia Lithwick, expert witnesses, hate speech, medical malpractice, music and musicians, service animals, United Kingdom

May 2 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

October 14 roundup

Walter Olson — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:27:12 +0000

Gulf spill fund flooded with dubious claims [Fred Smith, CEI]
If these cases go forward, it will make it economically unfeasible for anyone to make vaccines in this country” [NYT quoting Beck on Bruesewitz v. Wyeth preemption case now before SCOTUS]
Barney Frank’s evolving views on Fannie/Freddie oversight [Mankiw, Globe]
$5.2 million legal bills to Michael Jackson estate [TMZ]
Frederick, Maryland pizzeria owner asked to pay $200K for unsolicited faxes [Gazette; my WSJ take four years ago]
UK: “Migration Watch” may sue critic [David Allen Green via Richard Wilson, more]
Parody of cheesy law firm promotes TV series “Breaking Bad” ["Better Call Saul", autoplays video/audio]
N.J.: “Drowns while fleeing cops, family sues for $50M” [five years ago on Overlawyered]

Tags: Barney Frank, BP Transocean oil spill, libel slander and defamation, mortgages, preemption, restaurants, United Kingdom, vaccines

October 14 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

January 20 roundup

Walter Olson — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:19:41 +0000

Renewed attention to Amirault case contributed to Coakley’s political nosedive [e.g., Jacob Weisberg of Slate via Kaus, earlier] First time a Massachusetts prosecutor has paid a political price over that episode?
Many, many Democratic elected officials call for rethinking/renegotiating Obamacare rather than trying to force it through [e.g. Barney Frank] Blue Mass blogger: talk radio fueled ire at Coakley, let’s have FCC shut it down [Graham]
“Big Brother and the Salt Shaker” [NY Times "Room for Debate", Food Liability Law, earlier on NYC initiative and more] NYU’s Marion Nestle “loves” being called a nanny statist, so we’ll just go right on calling her that [Crispy on the Outside]
Terror suspects win right to seek compensation from UK government over restrictions on their activities [Canadian Press]
“Men Without Hats. Meaning no hard hats. Meaning The Safety Dance never met OSHA requirements. No wonder it was shut down.” [Tim Siedell a/k/a Bad Banana]
Italian judge orders father to go on paying $550/month living allowance to his student daughter, who is 32 [Guardian/SMH, earlier on laws mandating support of adult children]
Two informants vie for potential bonanza of whistleblower status against Johnson & Johnson [Frankel, AmLaw Litigation Daily]
“Polling Firm Says John Edwards Is Its Most Unpopular Person Ever” [Lowering the Bar]

Tags: Barney Frank, broadcasters, child abuse, child support, Italy, John Edwards, Massachusetts, nanny state, OSHA, prosecutorial abuse, safety, salt, terrorism, United Kingdom, whistleblowers

January 20 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Intimidation through subpoena

Walter Olson — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:33:09 +0000

Lawyers know how to do it, but then, so do members of Congress.

Tags: Barney Frank, subpoenas, U.S. House of Representatives

Intimidation through subpoena is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Barney Frank and the healthy TARP banks

Walter Olson — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:16:05 +0000

As Thom Lambert (via Larry Ribstein) makes clear, the Massachusetts Democrat either doesn’t understand the nature of the bank program, or does understand it and has chosen to demagogue the issue anyway (cross-posted from Point of Law).

Tags: banks, Barney Frank, Massachusetts, TARP

Barney Frank and the healthy TARP banks is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system