Category Archives: litigation

Toyota Adds 150,000 Lexus Models to Deadly Floor Mat Recall. NHTSA Says Filing Lacks Required Info. Another Cover-up?

Posted on 2 July 2012 by Ken Zino

In Toyota’s carefully worded latest filing with NHTSA, Toyota U.S. said, “the accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver’s floor mat.” NHTSA in acknowledging this terse and incomplete notification said that it lacked much of the required information under U.S. safety regulations. The Toyota report is missing the required chronology of events that were the basis for its decision to conduct an expanded safety recall, including a summary of all warranty claims, field or service reports, and other information, with their dates of receipt. Continue reading →

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Pratt & Whitney of United Technologies Guilty of Criminal Charges for Helping China Develop a Military Attack Helicopter

Posted on 28 June 2012 by Ken Zino

Pratt & Whitney Canada, a Canadian subsidiary of the Connecticut-based defense contractor United Technologies Corporation, today pled guilty to violating the Arms Export Control Act and making false statements in connection with its illegal export to China of U.S.-origin military software used in the development of China’s first modern military attack helicopter, the Z-10. Continue reading →

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U.S. Wins WTO Dispute with China Over Steel Duties

Posted on 22 June 2012 by Ken Zino

The United States has prevailed in a World Trade Organization or WTO dispute over China’s imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on flat-rolled electrical steel from the United States. The duties affected a substantial amount of United States trade in U.S. steel products. After talks with the Chinese failed to resolve the matter, the WTO established the panel in March 2011. Continue reading →

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Ex Alabama Cop Arrested for Stealing from Motorists on I-65

Posted on 12 June 2012 by Ken Zino

Former Fort Deposit, Alabama Police Officer Carlos Tyson Bennett was arrested today on charges of stealing money from motorists on Interstate 65 in central Alabama and subsequently trying to conceal his criminal activity. Continue reading →

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Yazaki Exec and Autoliv Plead Guilty on Price Fixing Auto Parts

Posted on 6 June 2012 by Ken Zino

This is the first case filed relating to occupant safety systems sold to auto manufacturers as part of the DOJ’s ongoing antitrust auto parts investigation. An executive of Japan-based Yazaki Corporation has also agreed to plead guilty for his role in a separate conspiracy to fix prices of automotive wire harnesses and related products installed in U.S. cars. Continue reading →

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Republican NLRB Member Terence Flynn Resigns Over Ethical Violations. Romney Adviser under Criticism for Links

Posted on 29 May 2012 by Ken Zino

Flynn’s resignation as a temporary Board member is effective 24 July 2012, a laughably long time given the seriousness of the findings by the Inspector General of many instances of misconduct. In the view of many critics, Flynn should resign immediately and the Department of Justice should pursue criminal charges. For the moment, Flynn has recused himself from all agency business and has asked that the President withdraw his pending permanent nomination for Board Member of the NLRB. Continue reading →

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Mid-America Pipeline and Enterprise Products Fined for Spills

Posted on 29 May 2012 by Ken Zino

As part of a consent decree recorded today in the U.S. District Court in Omaha, Nebraska, in addition to paying a $1,042,000 civil penalty, the companies have agreed to undertake various measures aimed at reducing external threats to their pipeline, enhance their reporting of spills, and spend at least $200,000 to identify and prevent external threats to the pipeline involved in the spills. Continue reading →

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Owner of Hawaii Car Dealerships Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes

Posted on 29 May 2012 by Ken Zino

Alan Pflueger, the owner of multiple car dealerships and one of Hawaii’s wealthiest people, was at the head of a tax crimes fraud that paid his personal expenses, which were deducted as business expenses by Pflueger Inc, the Justice Department said. Continue reading →

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Judge Rules Against Dealers on Disclosure of Car Loan Terms

Posted on 24 May 2012 by Ken Zino

A federal judge in Washington has ruled that automobile dealers who engage in so-called three-party financing transactions must disclose information to consumers who take out car loans if they are offered less favorable terms, such as a higher interest rate, than the most favorable terms available to the majority of consumers. Continue reading →

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BP Fined $8 Million for Clean Air Act Violation in Indiana

Posted on 23 May 2012 by Ken Zino

BP North America  will pay  an $8 million penalty and invest more than $400 million to install pollution controls and cut emissions from BP’s petroleum refinery in Whiting, Indiana because of air pollution violations under the Clean Air Act. The … Continue reading →

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Natural Gas Company QEPFS Fined for Air Pollution

Posted on 17 May 2012 by Ken Zino

The Department of Justice said QEPFS, formerly Questar Gas Management, would reduce its emissions by removing outdated equipment at its compressor stations, installing additional pollution controls, and replacing the natural gas powered instrument control systems with compressed air control systems. Continue reading →

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Justice Department Seizes Chinese Counterfeit Sports Jerseys

Posted on 11 May 2012 by Ken Zino

Why the Obama Administration in general, and the State Department under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have not taken stronger actions against ongoing corrupt Chinese business practices is an unanswered issue here. Why Major League baseball and the National Football League, among other sports organizations, remain silent over the widespread counterfeiting of their apparel is a disgrace and mocks their hard-working, law-abiding U.S. fans. Will the multi-millionaire players living off law-abiding fans ever wake up and demand action or are they too rich to care? Continue reading →

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PBGC, Bendix Reach Settlement, End Litigation over Pensions

Posted on 2 May 2012 by Ken Zino

Critics of the federal agency say it has been lax and ineffective in protecting pensions. Under today’s settlement, PBGC won’t require Bendix to put up collateral for the remaining $8.4 million in pension liability, provided the company remains financially strong until the end of the year. Continue reading →

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Another DENSO Exec Guilty of Price Fixing and Bid Rigging

Posted on 27 April 2012 by Ken Zino

According to the latest charge, Hattori participated in the conspiracy from at least as early as July 2005, until at least July 2008. During the conspiracy, Hattori was an assistant manager in the Toyota Sales Division at DENSO from July 2005 until December 2006, and a manager in the Toyota Sales Division from December 2006 until at least July 2008. Continue reading →

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Distracted Driving is a Growing Business Liability

Posted on 25 April 2012 by Ken Zino

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimate on-the-job crashes cost employers more than $24,500 per property damage crash. The cost rises to $150,000 per injury and to as much as $3.6 million per fatality. Continue reading →

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