The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed lawsuits against Hawaii, Michigan, New York, and Vermont, alleging their climate-related actions contradict federal authority and the Trump administration’s energy agenda. The lawsuits challenge Hawaii and Michigan’s planned litigation against fossil fuel companies and New York and Vermont’s “superfund” laws requiring fossil fuel companies to contribute to state-based climate funds. The DOJ argues these state actions improperly regulate out-of-state emissions and interfere with the Clean Air Act. Legal experts express concern over this unprecedented move, viewing it as an aggressive tactic to support the fossil fuel industry and potentially intimidate states from pursuing climate action.
Read More
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration, joining nineteen other states in challenging Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to sensitive personal data within the Treasury Department. The lawsuit alleges this access, granted by the Trump administration, constitutes the largest data breach in US history, violating federal law and raising serious concerns about data misuse. Tong aims to remove Musk from his DOGE position, arguing his appointment bypassed Senate confirmation. Simultaneously, Connecticut is pursuing legal action against a proposed federal funding freeze and the revocation of birthright citizenship.
Read More
The Department of Justice’s reported plan to force Google to sell off Chrome is a move that raises many questions. The sustainability of an independent Chrome browser is a serious concern. Existing independent browsers like Mozilla Firefox heavily rely on revenue sharing agreements with Google, illustrating the challenges of competing without the backing of a tech giant. A standalone Chrome would likely need to become even more advertiser-friendly or accept continued financial support from larger companies, potentially negating any improvements to the current market dynamics. The absence of details in the reports regarding consumer benefits further fuels these doubts.
The timing of the DOJ’s action is also questionable.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood