Latest news with #settlements
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
With Columbia as a model, White House seeks fines in potential deals with Harvard and others
WASHINGTON — The White House is pursuing heavy fines from Harvard and other universities as part of potential settlements to end investigations into campus antisemitism, using the deal it struck with Columbia University as a template, according to an administration official familiar with the matter. Fines have become a staple of proposed deals in talks with Harvard and other schools, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The new strategy was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Federal civil rights investigations into schools and universities almost always have been resolved through voluntary settlements, yet they rarely include financial penalties. The Biden administration reached dozens of such deals with universities and none included fines. Columbia's settlement with the Trump administration included a $200 million fine in exchange for regaining access to federal funding and closing investigations accusing Columbia of tolerating harassment of Jewish students and employees. The agreement announced Wednesday also orders Columbia to ensure its admissions and hiring decisions are 'merit-based' with no consideration of race, to hire more Jewish studies faculty, and to reduce the university's reliance on international students, among other changes. It places Columbia under the watch of an independent monitor and requires regular disclosures to the government. The agreement deal includes a clause forbidding the government from directly dictating decisions on hiring, admissions or academics. Columbia leaders said it preserves the university's autonomy while restoring the flow of federal money. The Trump administration is investigating dozens of universities over allegations that they failed to address campus antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war, and several institutions have faced federal funding freezes, like those at Columbia and Harvard. The federal government has frozen more than $1 billion at Cornell University, along with $790 million at Northwestern University. In announcing the Columbia settlement, administration officials described it as a template for other universities. Education Secretary Linda McMahon called it a 'roadmap' for colleges looking to regain public trust, saying it would 'ripple across the higher education sector and change the course of campus culture for years to come.' As Trump departed the White House on Friday, he told reporters that Harvard 'wants to settle' but that Columbia 'handled it better.' The president said he's optimistic his administration will prevail in Harvard's legal challenge — at least on appeal — and he suggested Harvard may never regain the level of federal funding it received in the past. 'The bottom line is we're not going to give any more money to Harvard,' he said. 'We want to spread the wealth.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
With Columbia as a model, White House seeks fines in potential deals with Harvard and others
The White House is pursuing heavy fines from Harvard and other universities as part of potential settlements to end investigations into campus antisemitism, using the deal it struck with Columbia University as a template, according to an administration official familiar with the matter. Fines have become a staple of proposed deals in talks with Harvard and other schools, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The new strategy was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Federal civil rights investigations into schools and universities almost always have been resolved through voluntary settlements, yet they rarely include financial penalties. The Biden administration reached dozens of such deals with universities and none included fines. Columbia's settlement with the Trump administration included a $200 million fine in exchange for regaining access to federal funding and closing investigations accusing Columbia of tolerating harassment of Jewish students and employees. The agreement announced Wednesday also orders Columbia to ensure its admissions and hiring decisions are 'merit-based' with no consideration of race, to hire more Jewish studies faculty, and to reduce the university's reliance on international students, among other changes. It places Columbia under the watch of an independent monitor and requires regular disclosures to the government. The agreement deal includes a clause forbidding the government from directly dictating decisions on hiring, admissions or academics. Columbia leaders said it preserves the university's autonomy while restoring the flow of federal money. The Trump administration is investigating dozens of universities over allegations that they failed to address campus antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war, and several institutions have faced federal funding freezes, like those at Columbia and Harvard. The federal government has frozen more than $1 billion at Cornell University, along with $790 million at Northwestern University. In announcing the Columbia settlement, administration officials described it as a template for other universities. Education Secretary Linda McMahon called it a 'roadmap' for colleges looking to regain public trust, saying it would 'ripple across the higher education sector and change the course of campus culture for years to come.' As Trump departed the White House on Friday, he told reporters that Harvard 'wants to settle' but that Columbia 'handled it better.' The president said he's optimistic his administration will prevail in Harvard's legal challenge — at least on appeal — and he suggested Harvard may never regain the level of federal funding it received in the past. 'The bottom line is we're not going to give any more money to Harvard,' he said. 'We want to spread the wealth.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
With Columbia as a model, White House seeks fines in potential deals with Harvard and others
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is pursuing heavy fines from Harvard and other universities as part of potential settlements to end investigations into campus antisemitism, using the deal it struck with Columbia University as a template, according to an administration official familiar with the matter. Fines have become a staple of proposed deals in talks with Harvard and other schools, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The new strategy was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Federal civil rights investigations into schools and universities almost always have been resolved through voluntary settlements, yet they rarely include financial penalties. The Biden administration reached dozens of such deals with universities and none included fines. Columbia's settlement with the Trump administration included a $200 million fine in exchange for regaining access to federal funding and closing investigations accusing Columbia of tolerating harassment of Jewish students and employees. The agreement announced Wednesday also orders Columbia to ensure its admissions and hiring decisions are 'merit-based' with no consideration of race, to hire more Jewish studies faculty, and to reduce the university's reliance on international students, among other changes. It places Columbia under the watch of an independent monitor and requires regular disclosures to the government. The agreement deal includes a clause forbidding the government from directly dictating decisions on hiring, admissions or academics. Columbia leaders said it preserves the university's autonomy while restoring the flow of federal money. The Trump administration is investigating dozens of universities over allegations that they failed to address campus antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war, and several institutions have faced federal funding freezes, like those at Columbia and Harvard. The federal government has frozen more than $1 billion at Cornell University, along with $790 million at Northwestern University. In announcing the Columbia settlement, administration officials described it as a template for other universities. Education Secretary Linda McMahon called it a 'roadmap' for colleges looking to regain public trust, saying it would 'ripple across the higher education sector and change the course of campus culture for years to come.' As Trump departed the White House on Friday, he told reporters that Harvard 'wants to settle' but that Columbia 'handled it better.' The president said he's optimistic his administration will prevail in Harvard's legal challenge — at least on appeal — and he suggested Harvard may never regain the level of federal funding it received in the past. 'The bottom line is we're not going to give any more money to Harvard,' he said. 'We want to spread the wealth.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
France 24
15-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Trump envoy demands Israel action on killing of American
Ambassador Mike Huckabee, an outspoken supporter for years of Jewish settlement in the Palestinian territories, spoke out after an initial muted US official reaction to the death of Saif al-Din Abdul Karim Musalat. "I have asked Israel to aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Mussallet, an American citizen who was visiting family in Sinjil when he was beaten to death," Huckabee wrote on X, using an alternative spelling. "There must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act. Saif was just 20 yrs old," Huckabee wrote. Musalat, who was born and raised in Florida and ran an ice cream parlor in Tampa, had planned to spend the summer in an area of the West Bank known for residents from the Palestinian diaspora in North America. Israeli settlers beat him to death on Friday, according to the Palestinian health ministry, amid a surge in violence by extremists in the West Bank in parallel to the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Musalat's family said he was "protecting his family's land from settlers who were attempting to steal it" and that settlers blocked an ambulance, with the young man dying before he could reach a hospital. Trump has staunchly supported Israel and in his first term the United States walked away from the international consensus that settlements on occupied land were illegal. Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas and evangelical Christian, has previously rejected the idea of an occupation and had voiced support for settlements. Huckabee has said that Israel has "title deed to Judea and Samaria," using a biblical term for the West Bank. Hakeem Jeffries, the top House lawmaker from the rival Democratic Party, early Tuesday also demanded action from Israel over the death of Musalat and called for a tougher response from Trump. "The Trump administration cannot continue to turn a blind eye to what is happening in the West Bank if it is truly committed to finding a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinian people," Jeffries said in a statement.
Reuters
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
US judge rejects lawyers' $94 million fee bid in auto parts pricing case
July 14 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge has declined to approve $94 million in additional legal fees for a group of attorneys who already collected more than $269 million in fees for securing $1.2 billion in settlements with auto parts makers. Chief U.S. District Judge Sean Cox in Detroit called the plaintiffs' fee request "excessive" in a ruling, opens new tab on Friday. Cox said the attorneys from law firms Susman Godfrey; Cotchett Pitre; and Robins Kaplan were owed more compensation for their latest and fifth settlement rounds. But the judge said the amount should be "far less" than $94 million and asked the lawyers to refile their request closer to the end of the settlement claims process. The law firms represent consumer and commercial auto parts buyers who accused auto parts makers of conspiring to fix prices. Companies including Denso; Hitachi Automotive; and Mitsubishi Electric were among dozens of defendants that settled with the plaintiffs in recent years. They all denied any wrongdoing. The litigation began in 2012, following a U.S. Justice Department probe of some manufacturers. The plaintiffs' lawyers in May asked Cox to approve, opens new tab the additional fee award, covering legal work from 2019. Several companies that are members of the class of parts buyers, including car rental dealers Hertz (HTZ.O), opens new tab and Avis (CAR.O), opens new tab, objected, opens new tab to the $94 million fee request, arguing that the lawyers had already been amply compensated. Lawyers requesting the fees at Susman Godfrey; Cotchett Pitre; and Robins Kaplan did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Hertz and Avis did not immediately respond to similar requests. In a court filing, the plaintiffs' lawyers said the $1.2 billion settlement was "believed to be the largest amount ever obtained on behalf of indirect purchasers in the history of U.S. antitrust litigation." The case is In re Automotive Parts Antitrust Litigation, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, No. 2:12-md-02311. Read more: US judge admonishes Amazon over disclosures in FTC lawsuit over Prime service Lawyers defend $205 million legal fee in US auto class action settlement Class action administrators, banks accused of kickback scheme in new lawsuits More lawyers join the $3,000-an-hour club, as other firms close in
