DL Open Thread: Thursday, January 12, 2023
Could We See Vince McMahon Strutting Down King Street? There’s always a Delaware Connection, and we should be thankful for that. Vince McMahon, who had resigned from the WWE Board, and as CEO, last summer, following multiple confirmed incidents of sexual abuse and multiple payouts, forced his way back into power. Because he owns over 80% of the voting stock. Hence, the lawsuit:
WWE Inc. chief Vince McMahon—who returned to the company in early January after resigning amid a wave of sexual harassment allegations—is facing investor litigation over claims that he pushed aside the board to illegally install himself as chairman.
A shareholder sued McMahon in Delaware’s Chancery Court, accusing him of wielding his 81% voting control to oust three board members, replace them with loyalists, and push through bylaw changes that would “impose his will on the board and WWE.”
The dispute Tuesday comes about six months after McMahon stepped down as chairman and CEO in the face of allegations that he had paid $12 million over more than 15 years to keep a lid on sexual harassment accusations by women both within and outside the company.
According to the proposed class action, McMahon timed his return to seize control of upcoming negotiations over the company’s expiring media rights, the “lifeblood” of the business, and forced his way back by leveraging a threat to withhold support for any deal reached without his participation.
But the move to “take complete personal control over any major corporate decision” by “adding his cronies to the board” violates Delaware law, the suit says.
Abortion Pills Next Up In The MAGAts’ Line Of Fire:
The rise of abortion pills has been a particular sore point for many antiabortion advocates, frustrated that the fall of Roe has not succeeded in halting abortions in states where the procedure is banned. Galvanized by a recent decision by the Food and Drug Administration to allow retail pharmacies to dispense abortion pills in states where abortion is legal, as well as an emerging network distributing abortion pills illegally, some hard-line Republicans are seeking ways to further crack down on the procedure.
Many state legislatures will be looking to further restrict abortion pills during their 2023 sessions. In Texas, lawmakers are considering a variety of creative and extreme proposals, including one that would require internet providers to block abortion-pill websites in the same way they can target child pornography.
While mainstream antiabortion groups have steered clear of prosecuting pregnant women who use abortion pills, they are eager to crack down on those involved in pill networks. Texas Right to Life, the largest antiabortion group in the state, has created a team of advocates assigned to investigate citizens who might be distributing abortion pills illegally.
Brazil Rioters Plotted In Plain Sight–On Social Media:
MIAMI (AP) — The map was called “Beach Trip” and was blasted out to more than 18,000 members of a public Telegram channel called, in Portuguese, “Hunting and Fishing.”
But instead of outdoor recreation tips, the 43 pins spread across the map of Brazil pointed to cities where bus transportation to the capital could be found for what promoters promised would a huge “party” on Jan. 8.
The post was one of several thinly coded messages circulating on social media ahead of Sunday’s violent attack on the capital by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro looking to restore the far-right leader to power.
It’s also now a potentially vital lead in a fledgling criminal investigation about how the rampage was organized and how officials missed clues to a conspiracy that, like the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol two years ago, appears to have been organized and carried out in plain view.
And like the attack in the U.S., the Brazilian riots demonstrate how social media makes it easier than ever for anti-democratic groups to recruit followers and transform online rhetoric into offline action.
Congress Actually Takes Down A Blatant Tax Scam. Of course, it was weakened by lobbyists, but still, a victory’s a victory:
Tucked into the massive, $1.7 trillion government spending bill signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 29, a provision in the law seems poised to accomplish what thousands of audits, threats of hefty penalties and criminal prosecutions could not: shutting down a booming business in “syndicated conservation easements,” which exploit a charitable tax break that Congress established to preserve open land.
Under standard conservation easements, landowners give up development rights for their acreage, often an appealing, bucolic space. In return, they receive a charitable deduction equal to the property’s development value, and the public benefits by the preservation of the land, which in some cases is made available as a park.
But as ProPublica first described in 2017, aggressive promoters built a lucrative industry through “syndicated” deals. These promoters snatched up idle land (a long-vacant golf course near a trailer park, in one example examined by ProPublica) and hired an appraiser willing to claim that it had huge, previously unrecognized development value — perhaps for luxury vacation homes or a solar farm — which they contended made it worth many times its purchase price. The promoters then sold stakes in a massive conservation easement deduction to rich investors, who made a quick profit by claiming charitable write-offs that were four to six times their investment. The promoters reaped millions in fees.
The new measure will limit taxpayers’ deduction to two and a half times their investment. That will effectively eliminate the profits that drive syndicated deals while allowing traditional conservation easements to continue.
Carney Fellates Delaware Prosperity Partnership At Chamber Dinner:
Gov. Carney remarked the state’s commitment to its businesses and creating jobs in the First State, specifically applauding the Delaware Prosperity Partnership for making progress in each area amid the pandemic.
The Delaware Prosperity Partnership came as the result of an executive order issued by Gov. Carney in January 2017 which sought to enhance the resources available for job creation and economic growth with the state’s business community and the Delaware Economic Development Office.
Gov. Carney thanked Delaware State Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Nick Lambrow for being a vital part in the partnership and stated that the initiative’s “results speak for themselves.”
What do you want to talk about?
The results that supposedly speak for themselves haven’t said a word.
The ‘results that speak for themselves’ are exempt from FOIA.
The combined Delaware Republican Senate and House Caucuses are 21 white men and 1 white woman- 37th RD State Representative Ruth Briggs King. Word going around Georgetown is that that loan woman is building a new home outside her district and she will be resigning at the end of this year’s Session. That will give the R’s an opportunity to wipe out the blemish on their caucus and be all white male.
A Virginia bill would deem a pregnant person’s fetus a passenger in a car, thereby allowing the vehicle to use the car pool lane on highways.
Nice try. If using a car pool lane, fetus might have to prove that they/them is being driven to/from work.
But good luck getting it to share the driving.
I for one am looking for urgent updates on the Legislative Hall roof replacement. Inquiring minds want to know.