In The News

NBC: Old Law May Stall Trump Bid to Undo Obama Regulations

Suzy Khimm March 6, 2018
US courts are providing checks, balances and brakes on the Trump administration’s agenda to reverse policies of previous presidents. “In recent weeks, federal judges have blocked the administration's attempts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), postpone a rule giving low-income families broader access to housing in wealthier neighborhoods, and delay an...

Bloomberg: Trump on Trade Wars – “Easy to Win”

Joe Deaux, Andrew Mayeda, Toluse Olorunnipa and Jeff Black March 2, 2018
US President Donald Trump roiled US and global stock markets, sparking fears of trade retaliation in one day, with a plan for adding tariffs on steel and aluminum that was postponed and scheduled for later announcement. The plan would add 25 percent tariffs on steel and 10 percent on aluminum for an indefinite period with no details on exempted countries. Steel and aluminum are an intricate part...

Newsweek: NY Bank Regulator Scrutinizes Kushner

Jessica Kwong March 2, 2018
Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law to the US president, confronts charges of conflict of interest on numerous fronts. New York’s banking regulator is requesting details on loans to Kushner, his real estate company and family members from three banker including Deutsche Bank, reports Newsweek. This follows a New York Times report that Kushner received loans after meeting with top...

Quartz: US Tightens H1B Visa Process

Ananya Bhattacharya February 23, 2018
Skilled workers applying for the US H1B visa will face more scrutiny. Applicants will be expected to fill specialty roles in a specialty occupation, explains US Citizenship and Immigration Services. “Previously, the adjudicating officers did not have to review third-party contracts or the exact dates and place of third-party work,” reports Ananya Bhattacharya for Quartz. Workers will be required...

Lawfare: Mueller’s Indictment of Russian Hackers Highlights Stakes of Microsoft Case

Andrew Keane Woods February 20, 2018
Since the 9/11 attacks on New York City and Washington, DC, in 2001, the United States developed sophisticated surveillance techniques. Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russians and three Russian organizations for interfering in the 2016 presidential elections, describing elaborate efforts to avoid detection including virtual private networks and US travel to set up servers and accounts...

The New York Times: Banks Could Control Gun Sales if Washington Won’t

Andrew Ross Sorkin February 20, 2018
Jurisdictions that restrict gun sales, like Australia or Connecticut, soon experience fewer mass shootings, suicides and other shooting deaths. The United States has the highest rate of gun violence among developed nations, yet the National Rifle Association and Congress resist background checks and other controls. In the wake of a Florida school shooting that left 17 dead, Andrew Ross Sorkin of...

CNN: US Tariffs on Steel Would Hit China and Entire Global Trading System

Julia Horowitz February 19, 2018
The Trump administration, after complaining about China’s low prices for steel, has a deadline of April 11 for deciding on new steel tariffs. “However, China is not the top country from which the United States imports steel,” explains Julia Horowitz for CNN. “The United States imports most of its steel – 16% – from Canada. It imports 13% from Brazil, 10% from South Korea, 9% from Mexico and 9%...