Federal tobacco trial to begin

The Justice Department — this under the supposedly free-market, tort-reforming administration of George W. Bush — has delivered itself of the following remarkable pronouncement: “”the United States would be justified in seeking disgorgement of the proceeds from all [cigarette] sales to people of all ages from 1954 into the future.” As it is, it’s demanding a mere $280 billion in its baldly retroactive suit, this after Judge Gladys Kessler’s dismissal of the department’s Medicaid-recoupment claims. (Jacob Sullum, “Smoking in the Dark”, syndicated/Reason, Sept. 17; see Ron Scherer, “In the largest suit yet, US sues the tobacco industry”, Christian Science Monitor, Sept. 20). For more on the suit’s threat to First Amendment values, see Sept. 23, Oct. 13 and Oct. 25, 1999; for its status as an attempted end run around democracy, see Jan. 15-16, 2000; for other reactions at the time of its filing, see Sept. 29 and Oct. 26, 1999; plus our other posts, and most recently Jul. 16, 2004. More: Legal Times, Sept. 21.

Environmental impact laws: new bludgeon for unionists

Nice little power plant you’re planning there, wouldn’t want anything to happen to it: Municipal officials in California are charging that a powerful labor group, California Unions for Reliable Energy, is exploiting environmental protection laws to extract money for its members. The city council of Roseville wanted to press ahead with a $150 million power plant but was told by city managers that unless it signed a “project labor agreement” pledging to employ union workers CURE “would try to delay licensing for the gas-fired plant by raising environmental objections. Snubbing CURE could cost $15 million in extra red tape and other costs and put the project 18 months behind schedule.”

CURE says it is only utilizing its legal rights (which it possesses in common with every other potential objector) to ensure that plants comply with environmental guidelines. But “critics say CURE abandons its green crusades once power-plant developers agree to use union labor,” a charge the group denies. Even a Sierra Club official is critical of the group, while Riverside council member Steve Adams referred to its actions as “borderline extortion or racketeering.” And: “The California Energy Commission, which licenses new plants, has launched an inquiry following a complaint by Assembly Republicans.” (Dale Kasler, “Pressure by labor group alleged”, Sacramento Bee, Sept. 19).

Choosing our school? Remember we’re the schoolmaster

Under a new clause added to handbooks distributed earlier this month at the 289 schools run by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, parents and students “must agree to not sue the archdiocese, their parish or school over disciplinary and academic measures such as expulsion or being held back.” (David Andreatta, “Holy Outrage”, New York Post, Sept. 15)(via Amy Welborn, who comments).

U.K.: compensation-culture roundup

It isn’t just the fox-hunt ban: “According to the British Horse Society, dozens of pony trekking centres and riding schools are being forced to close because of spiralling insurance costs and customer claims. Some riding schools have seen insurance costs increase five-fold in the past five years.” (Richard Alleyne, “Injury claim culture ‘is killing off our riding schools'”, Daily Telegraph, Jul. 14). “Children’s charities have been forced to cancel activities and shut down centres because of a big rise in insurance premiums as a result of the fear of parents making compensation claims for trivial incidents,” reports the Daily Telegraph; the prospect of U.S.-style litigiousness spreading to Britain is widely blamed (David Bamber, “School trips and charities hit by soaring insurance costs”, Daily Telegraph, Aug. 29). A sanitized childhood without cuts and scrapes is too dire to contemplate, thinks Quentin Letts (“A child has a right to dirt and bruises”, Daily Telegraph, Aug. 22). David Davis, shadow Home Secretary, sounded the alarm last month in the Spectator (“Victim nation”, Aug. 28). And insurance broker AON has published a report on the problem entitled “Blame, Claim and Gain” (PDF). For more, see many entries on our U.K. page. P.S. More from the Telegraph, from May (Joshua Rozenberg, “Is there a compensation culture?”, May 20). And from September (Liz Lightfoot, “Adventure pursuits ‘too risky for schools'”, Sept. 28).

Next at Point of Law: presidential debate

For its monthly Featured Discussion, our sister website Point of Law has lined up a debate on legal reform and the presidential race. Could John Kerry “go to China” and bring about a significant overhaul of the malpractice system? Would a second GWB term result in more progress toward nationwide reform than has the first? Ron Chusid D.O. of Doctors for Kerry will face off against our own Ted Frank. Look for things to get started Monday; the discussion will be found here (bumped Sept. 20).

Welcome Romenesko readers

Jim Romenesko’s widely read media-watch weblog, sponsored by the Poynter Institute, links to our Wednesday commentary with the following blurb: “U.S. News screw-up: Why doesn’t mag reveal sources?” (see left column)

Also, I keep getting web-based publicity of a more personal nature. The co-blogger of Jane Galt (who is a perfect hostess, by the way) recounts my evenings out, so does James Taranto, Andrew Tobias discusses my political sentiments, and — is nothing too private? — Martin Grace has a comment on my sleeping habits.

Juror #4’s little nip

Juror #4 did seem awfully convivial and garrulous, didn’t he? Not to say scatterbrained. The reason became clearer after the verdict when he admitted that his Poland Spring water bottle had been half filled with vodka. But the judge declined to upset the defendant’s conviction: “There is apparently no law against drinking while serving as a juror and deliberating the fate of a fellow New Yorker.” (Michael Wilson, “Retiree Found Guilty, Juror Found Tipsy, and Verdict Stands”, New York Times, Sept. 16). Fool in the Forest has more (Sept. 17).

Libel: the damage winning can do

About a year ago the conservative magazine National Review (disclosure: I’ve written for them and for a while served as a contributing editor on their masthead) was sued by a Muslim activist who claimed to have been defamed by an article containing inaccuracies about his connection to a controversial gathering. The communications director for the local chapter of the Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) expressed the hope that the lawsuit would “deter hate-mongers from undermining the character and work of those who do not share their extremist views.” The magazine eventually succeeded in getting the suit thrown out and even got a small payment from the plaintiff, but its libel insurance policy carried a $50,000 deductible, and its total expenses exceeded $65,000. It’s opened an appeal for contributions to cover the resulting hole in its budget — a “post-defense defense fund”. As Voltaire put it, “I was never ruined but twice: once when I lost a lawsuit and once when I won one.”