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May 16 – According to the New York Times, the Trump administration is considering establishing a $1.7 billion fund to compensate allies investigated by the Justice Department during former President Bidens term, a move that would create a moral, legal, and political minefield for Republicans and Justice Department leadership. According to three people familiar with the matter, this unusual plan has not yet been finalized or approved. Democrats and former administration officials have criticized the plan as a massive, taxpayer-funded secret political fund. The proposal is a response to various allegations brought by President Trump against the federal government he controls. He has sought compensation for leaked tax returns during his first term, post-leave investigations into his handling of classified documents, and investigations into potential ties between his 2016 campaign and Russia. The idea of establishing a government fund to pay Trumps political allies has gained increasing support internally as the Justice Department and the White House attempt to resolve Trumps $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, which he filed in January. Officials familiar with the details revealed that establishing a compensation fund for Trumps allies, but not for the president himself, could provide a short-term solution, allowing the president to obtain tangible benefits from the lawsuit before a judge dismisses it.Market news: BlackRocks private credit fund valuation is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.According to SEC filings, Berkshire Hathaway reduced its stake in Chevron (CVX.N) by 35.2%, down to 84.4 million shares.SEC filings show that Berkshire Hathaway has sold off all of its Amazon (AMZN.O) shares.S&P: As a major net exporter of crude oil and an emerging producer of refined products, Nigeria has been less affected by the Middle East conflict.

Hershey, Nestle, and Cargill win the dismissal of a claim of child slavery in the United States

Charlie Brooks

Jun 29, 2022 11:06


Tuesday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. dismissed a case brought by eight Malians claiming child slavery on Ivory Coast cocoa plantations against Hershey Co (NYSE:HSY), Nestle SA (SIX:NESN), Cargill Inc, and others.


U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich determined that the proposed class action plaintiffs lacked legal standing to sue because they failed to prove a "traceable nexus" between the seven defendant companies and the individual farms where the plaintiffs worked.


She added that the plaintiffs did not adequately explain the role of intermediaries in the cocoa supply chain, and that the companies did not oversee actions in "free zones" where 70 to 80 percent of cocoa is farmed.


Mali and Ivory Coast share a border in West Africa.


The plaintiffs claimed they were trafficked as children after being approached by strangers who promised them employment for which they would be compensated, but did not pay them, threatened them with starvation if they did not work, and forced them to live in squalor.


Their attorney, Terry Collingsworth, said that the plaintiffs plan to file an appeal to "compel the businesses to keep their agreements and put an end to this dreadful system they have created."


Other defendants included Mars Inc, Mondelez International Inc (NASDAQ:MDLZ), Barry Callebaut AG, and Olam International Ltd.


In court filings, the seven defendants said that they "strongly abhor the practice of forced labor" and that they were addressing non-forced child labor in cocoa supply chains.


However, they contended that the plaintiffs' too broad legal theory may hold too many parties liable for forced child labor, including consumers and merchants who would benefit from lower prices.


In accordance with the Reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the plaintiffs filed suit.


The Supreme Court of the United States rejected a similar case brought by six Malians against Cargill and Nestle under the Alien Tort Statute of 1789 in June of last year.


This was the most recent in a line of judgments denying access to federal courts based on human rights breaches occurring outside the United States.


Coubaly et al. v. Cargill Inc. et al., U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, case number 21-00386.


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