Monday, September 11, 2023
Friday, September 08, 2023
Thursday, September 07, 2023
Key Amendments
Now, the law defines:
"Political matters" as "matters relating to elections for political office, political parties, legislation, regulation and the decision to join or support any political party or political, civic, community, fraternal or labor organization."
"Religious matters" as "matters relating to religious affiliation and practice and the decision to join or support any religious organization or association."
Under the amended law, employers cannot force employees to attend meetings or listen to / view communications primarily designed to express the employer’s opinions on Religious matters or Political matters.
There is also a notification requirement where employers must post a sign in workplaces informing employees of their rights as per this section.
Effective 9/6/2023, employers who steal wages are guilty of larceny under Penal Law 155.
Per the bill's, A154A, justification, "[a]ccording to Cornell University's Worker Institute, wage theft in New York accounts for nearly $1 billion in lost wages each year and affects tens of thousands of workers - that's close to $20 million per week."
Yet, employees who experience wage theft should also remember that they can bring civil claims to get that stolen money back through the New York Labor Law and Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, together with liquidated damages and more.
That means that if your employer takes your money or doesn't pay as frequently as required or doesn't pay overtime, you have rights to sue for your Wages and Hours.
Wednesday, September 06, 2023
Tuesday, September 05, 2023
One of the major topics Lieb discussed was the aggressive October timeline being pushed by Fulton County DA Fannie Willis for Trump's criminal trial related to election interference in Georgia. Lieb saw this as potential evidence of the political motivations at play, noting the complex nature of the case involving multiple defendants would make such a timeline unrealistic.
Lieb also pointed to the potential for Trump attorney Mark Meadows to move the case to federal court, which could significantly delay or alter the course of the prosecution.
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Lieb argued that politicians need to "triage" these situations by first expressing support and offering help to those affected, rather than immediately turning the conversation to policy debates. With so many lives lost and communities destroyed, Lieb said those impacted were unlikely to be thinking about climate change at that moment - the priority should be addressing the immediate humanitarian crisis.
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
The Significance of the Mugshot
According to Lieb, this is the first instance where Trump will have a mugshot taken. While a mugshot is standard procedure for most defendants, Lieb notes that Trump managed to avoid this step in his previous three indictments. The absence of a mugshot in previous cases could potentially have legal ramifications, and the inclusion of one in this instance indicates that the Fulton County sheriff is adhering strictly to established procedures for all defendants.
Treatment by the Legal System
Andrew Lieb pointed out that in previous instances, Trump appeared to receive certain privileges uncommon for typical defendants, such as not having a mugshot taken. In Fulton County, however, the sheriff's department is treating Trump as they would any other defendant. This could be significant, as differential treatment of defendants can sometimes become a point of contention in legal proceedings.
Lieb offered that this may be the first time Trump is fully grasping the gravity of his legal situation. The contrast between Trump's known lavish lifestyle and the austere environment of a jail cell may underscore the severity of the legal procedures that he is currently undergoing. While Lieb suggests that the gravity may be setting in for Trump, it is, of course, speculative to determine a defendant's state of mind.
Co-Defendants to Consider
In addition to Trump, Andrew Lieb pointed out two co-defendants that merit attention: Kenneth Chesebro and Mark Meadows. These actions by co-defendants could introduce variables that affect the trajectory of the case.
Lieb explained that Meadows is arguing he was acting within his capacity as White House Chief of Staff during the events of January 6th. However, testifying about his subjective beliefs could be problematic for Meadows as a criminal defendant. Lieb said the outcome of Meadows' removal motion will be closely watched, as it could influence whether former President Trump pursues a similar federal court strategy.
Lieb also weighed in on the challenges of prosecuting all 19 January 6th defendants together. He doubted the logistics of fitting all the defendants, attorneys, and evidence into one courtroom. Through upcoming motion practice, Lieb expects attempts to either move the cases or split them apart for trial.
Attorney Andrew Lieb joins LiveNOW from FOX on 8/28/23 at 9:30AM to discuss the legal proceedings for Trump and Meadows. Hearings could have major implications on transparency and Trump's legal liability in these election-related cases.
- Two major court cases discussed in the interview: Washington D.C. case regarding election interference charges. A hearing will determine if the trial date will be January 2024 (as prosecutors want) or April 2026 (as Trump wants). - Result was March 4, 2024.
- Georgia case involving "fake electors." A hearing was taking place to determine if the case stays in state court or is moved to federal court, as defendant Mark Meadows wants.
- If the Georgia case moves to federal court, cameras will not be allowed in the courtroom, removing transparency.
- Co-defendants' attempts to argue they were "acting under direction of Trump" directly implicates the former president in the alleged fake elector scheme.
- Trump benefits from wealth, power and influence in the legal system. He receives preferential treatment like quick release from jail compared to others facing similar charges.
- The many ongoing legal battles may energize Trump's base but hurt his chances in a general election by making him seem politically divisive and potentially guilty of crimes.
Friday, August 25, 2023
- Lieb broke down the charges in the Georgia case, including the RICO charge alleging Trump and others formed a criminal enterprise to try to change the lawful election results. Fake elector documents and pressure on officials are also part of the allegations.
- The terms of Trump's release in Georgia notably include prohibitions on intimidating witnesses through social media posts, indicating this may be an area of focus for prosecutors.
- Upcoming dates include an arraignment the week of September 5th and Lieb questioned whether an October trial date will hold given issues around defendant requests for separate trials.
Lieb believes the Georgia case has the biggest scope of allegations and will be the most watched criminal trial in U.S. history given cameras will be allowed in the courtroom.
Thursday, August 24, 2023
- Prior to his arrest, a $150K bond amount for Giuliani was agreed upon through a "consent" process.
- Trump is entangled in various legal battles, one of which is in Georgia, where he's accused of running a "criminal enterprise" to challenge the 2020 election results using false claims and pressuring officials.
- The Georgia trial will be broadcasted, allowing the public to observe the proceedings without bias.
- A recent document submission by Jack Smith suggests that the investigation in DC has led to a new witness, referred to as "employee 4," who decided to cooperate after seeking independent legal advice.
On August 23, 2023, Gov Hochul signed A7355 and added protections for gender identity or expression to the New York State Human Rights Law (Executive Law 296-c) with respect to unpaid interns.
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
- Andrew Lieb predicts the charges in Florida have the most full-proof evidence against Trump, where Trump is recorded admitting documents were not declassified and showing classified documents to others, including war plans with Iran.
- "Flipping" witnesses who make deals for immunity or lesser charges in exchange for testimony against others will be key. An IT employee at Mar-a-Lago has already "flipped" and says they were told to delete security footage.
- The cases against Trump could take years to play out through trials and appeals. Picking a jury for the RICO case alone may take 6 months.
- Trump may try to delay proceedings until a potential 2024 presidential run, but he'll have trouble campaigning while in court. Lieb thinks Trump will eventually take a plea deal if co-defendants flip.
"Statistically speaking, if I said, our friend, Rachel had 91 charges against her, it's not statistically probable that she's gonna get acquitted on all 91 of them." - Andrew Lieb
Monday, August 21, 2023
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Attorney Andrew Lieb joins Scripps News to analyze the biggest legal threat facing former President Trump in the Georgia election interference indictment. Lieb discusses how the RICO charges allow prosecutors to present a cohesive narrative to the jury, showing the defendants had an overall purpose to overturn the election results. He also explains how the inclusion of the word "fraud" in the indictment demonstrates this went beyond just words or politics, involving real forged documents and impersonation, making it difficult for the defense to claim this was just a protest with First Amendment protections.