In 2016, an anonymous source working at Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm, leaked a huge database of records exposing companies using the country as a tax shelter. Many powerful international figures were implicated, including the prime ministers of Georgia, Iceland, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Sudan. But there was a notable lack of Americans on the list. That’s because Americans don’t have to hide their wealth offshore. States like Delaware and Nevada offer the same advantages as countries like Panama here in the United States. Delaware is the sixth smallest state in the country, with a population of around 900,000, but over a million businesses are incorporated there, including over 60% of Fortune 500 companies.  Delaware makes almost half its tax revenue from a $300 per year licensing fee on limited liability companies (LLCs) incorporated in the state. Delaware has no corporate income tax, and allows company owners to remain anonymous. Residency in the state is not required to incorporate a company there. All that’s needed is a Delaware address to receive corporate documents. A single address in Wilmington is the home to over 250,000 companies, including General Motors, Apple, Google, and Walmart. While some in Congress have tried to outlaw such loopholes, well-paid lobbyists representing big corporate interests have thus far prevented any meaningful change. While some companies flock to Delaware because of the lack of regulation, others seek Delaware’s strong, well-developed body of case law. Corporate lawyers love the state because there is so much legal precedent, making it easy to predict the outcome of a lawsuit. Delaware even has a special court system, the Court of Chancery, designed specifically to deal with business disputes. Earlier this year, President-Elect Joe Biden was criticized for his relationship with Chancellor Andre Bouchard, who is the head justice on the Court of Chancery. Shirley Shaw, a New York businesswoman, took out ads in key swing states condemning Biden for supporting the court, which she claimed was “too male, too white and anything but open.” Her anger with Bouchard arose out of a 2016 ruling, in which the court ordered the sale of TransPerfect, a company co-founded by her son, Phil Shawe. Shawe and his ex-fiance, Liz Elting, started the company as students at NYU. After a breakdown in their personal relationship, Elting sued Shawe in an attempt to sell her portion of the company. After the two were unable to come to an agreement, the Court of Chancery, in a four to one ruling, ordered that the entire company be liquidated. This surprising move caused many, including former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, to question whether Delaware would be able to retain its position as the best place to incorporate a business. It’s time for Delaware to reform its corporate secrecy laws and reduce corruption. However, even if this occurs, it won’t stop other states from becoming tax havens to secure lucrative tax revenue. States like Nevada and Wyoming are already emerging as alternative business hubs. Transparency, along with the removal of corrupt figures, is the only thing that can stop Delaware’s Court of Chancery from continuing on its path of crookedness.On a state integrity investigation conducted in 2015 in partnership with Global Integrity, Delaware received a failing score.

Global Integrity

Global Integrity is a worldwide organization that researches and provides data on government corruption and use of public resources, then uses their evidence to shape policy and practice, while remaining committed to open governance. In 2015, The Center for Public Integrity partnered with them to conduct an inspection of all fifty United States. This report assesses the systems in place to deter corruption in our government at the state level. Delaware ranked 48th out of 50. Below are details on their lowest scoring categories.

Public Access to Information

Delaware scored a 46/100 in this category. While Delaware’s Freedom of Information Act does state that citizens have the legal right of access to government information, they only scored a 50/100 in consistency of actually providing the information to the public. There are many exemptions to the law, including the entire judiciary, state lawmakers, and any staff member working for the caucus of either the Democratic or Republican parties. Calendars and email of the Governor and all state legislators are not available to the public. Members of the public must submit a written request for information, and wait for a response from an understaffed office with few resources. If denied, they can appeal to the Attorney General’s office, but they do not prioritize these requests. Their score on reasonable timelines for response to requests was 25/100.

State Pension Fund Management

Not only is there no law in place to mandate that Delaware’s state pension fund is managed transparently, but there is also no requirement that Delaware’s Board of Pension Trustees include any experts in investment policy. Members of the Board are also not required to file annual financial disclosures, so this information can neither be audited, nor accessed by the public.

Ethics Enforcement Agencies

Delaware does have a state ethics office, the Public Integrity Commission, but it is only tasked with overseeing the executive branch. It is funded by the Department of State, making it subject to political negotiations. It is underfunded, with a budget of $188,500 in 2013 (for comparison, Rhode Island’s ethics agency had a budget of $1.5 million that year) and has just two full-time employees. The results of its audits are subject to privacy laws that render them inaccessible to the public.

Judicial Accountability

Perhaps the most frightening discovery of all is the level to which the judiciary branch of Delaware’s government is accountable only to itself.  The courts operate largely in secrecy, deciding for themselves what information is accessible to the public and what is private. There are no laws in place to protect against nepotism, cronyism, or patronage, and state judges are not required to disclose any gifts received by family members or with a value of less than $250 in their annual reports. The judiciary investigates and penalizes its own members when they are accused of wrongdoing, and there is no legal process in place to evaluate the performance of state judges. In reading the full report, it is easy to see that Delaware has much room for improvement when it comes to transparency of government, and these laws must be updated to increase accountability for our state officials. The Delaware government must work for its citizens; there is currently too much opportunity for corruption within the system,In 2014, the carefully-crafted house of cards built by Richard T. Callery, M.D. came tumbling down when a police officer discovered while on the witness stand that the drug evidence in his case had been tampered with. Dr. Callery had been the Chief Medical Examiner (CME) and head of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) since 1997, and licensed by the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline since 1989. Several units of the Forensic Sciences Lab, including the Controlled Substances Unit, fell under his supervision as the Delaware state CME. The 2014 discovery of evidence tampering triggered a state investigation into the department, which produced some unsettling information regarding Dr. Callery’s negligence and mismanagement of his duties to the state of Delaware and its justice system. The official report on the eventual suspension of his license details the corruption Dr. Callery displayed by running a private practice in conjunction with his official state duties to Delaware. He was required to work a minimum of 37.5 hours per week at the OCME, and billed the state of Delaware for all of this time while spending much of it working in his private practice. The approximate cost to the state for illegally billed hours was $100,000.  78% of the phone calls Dr. Callery took while working at the OCME from September 2012 to March 2013 were related to his private practice, and he held meetings in OCME conference rooms. He performed 173 exams or autopsies for the state of Rhode Island from 2008-2011 and billed them $166,665 for his time while taking no sick or vacation days from his role with Delaware. As part of his job, Dr. Callery was provided with a state-owned vehicle to be used for work-related travel. He used this vehicle for personal travel and his private practice, while still billing his private clients for travel expenses. It was discovered by using the GPS tracker on the vehicle that it was only parked on the OCME premises for 54 total hours in 2009, 56 hours in 2010, and 17.5 hours in 2011. The investigation into evidence tampering produced two more potential cases, and resulted in the OCME being discredited.  This caused the dismissal of criminal cases, reduced charges due to lack of proper evidence, and thousands of people seeking to overturn their convictions in the wake of the scandal. The board alleged that Dr. Callery’s private practice operation led him to become negligent in his duties as CME, as his long absences and high level of distraction caused him to be unable to properly supervise his team. Dr. Callery argued that the OCME was a mess when he inherited it in 1997, and he had worked hard to gain and attain its accreditation, and for twenty years there were no problems. Though the investigation uncovered potential evidence tampering, no one under his supervision was fired or charged with a crime. He stated that he did not agree with the suspension of his license, and he had done a good job and had nothing to be ashamed of. Nevertheless, the board suspended his medical license as of September 17, 2019. He will have the opportunity to earn it back after eighteen months, in March 2021.While many Delawareans remain concerned about widespread corruption at the state level, local governments are also rife with government employees eager to exploit their offices for personal gain. Harrington City, a small town of 3,500 around 20 minutes south of Dover, recently lost two of its top executives, after explosive revelations by former City Planner Jeremy Rothwell. Rothwell accused the Mayor, Anthony Moyer, and City Manager, Don Williams, of taking advantage of lax oversight to use the local government to further their own interests. Although Williams originally denied the charges, a report by the state Public Integrity Commission, using the preponderance of evidence standard, found wrongdoing by both of the men. “It is more likely than not that Mr. Moyer and Mr. Williams both engaged in conduct that would constitute violations of the State Code of Conduct,” the report concluded. Although only the last page of the eleven-page report was publicly available, it detailed widespread corruption by the mayor and city manager’s office.  Both engaged in a pattern of inappropriate, and at times illegal, behavior. Moyer allegedly abused his office to exact personal concessions from other organs of the city government in regard to a property he owned, known locally as the “Quillen Building.” According to local tax records available on the Kent County website, the building, located at 40 Commerce Street, is owned by Moyer Real Estate, which purchased the property for $620,000. It later fell into a state of disrepair. According to Rothwell, the building had chipped paint and other maintenance issues, but was not cited for any code violations, allegedly because Moyer pressured city inspectors against issuing a citation. The state investigation into the matter could not substantiate these allegations, but it did determine that Moyer tried to charge the city for replacing the driveway and sewer line in front of his property. Williams, for his part in the scandal, was accused of failing to report Moyer’s malfeasance. The state investigators said he had a “conflict of interest” regarding Moyer, but the nature of that conflict is not explicitly discussed in the publicly released portion of their report. He also took a week-long trip to Nashville for a work-related conference, for which he billed the city. However, the conference only lasted four days, and the other three days were spent vacationing. Williams later offered to reimburse the government for the cost of the trip. Williams was immediately fired by the city council, although he later tried unsuccessfully to appeal this decision. Under state law, Moyer, as an elected official, could not be fired by the council, which mostly manages city finances, employees, zoning, and other small-scale regulatory matters. He retained his job until retiring in August for what he claimed were unrelated health reasons. The corruption in Harrington City might seem small when compared to what is going on at the state or national level, but it is just one example of a much larger problem in local governments all around the state. Across Delaware, from large cities like Wilmington to tiny towns like Harrington City, government officials are taking advantage of the goodwill of their constituents and exploiting the powers delegated to them. Greater oversight and active participation from the citizenry is the only effective way of preventing future abuse.Former California Representative Duncan Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison for misuse of campaign funds after a long investigation into him and his wife’s spending activity. President Trump has since pardoned him. 

Who Is Duncan Hunter

Hunter is an American politician who served as a U.S Representative for California’s 50th congressional district from 2013 to 2020. He was born in San Diego, California, and obtained his degree at San Diego State University. Hunter joined the United States Marine Corps shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks. He spent time at the Officer Candidates School in Quantico. After his graduation, he served as second lieutenant and did multiple tours in Iraq. Hunter was honorably discharged in 2005 and started a residential development company following his discharge. However, he was soon called back for duty in Afghanistan and promoted to captain. The Hunter family has a history in politics and Hunter’s father was a member of Congress and helped his son succeed him.

The Investigation

The investigation into Hunter began when hundreds of thousands of dollars from campaign funds were discovered missing. Soon they would be found to have been spent by Hunter and his wife on personal and lavish expenses. Hunter’s home that was allegedly bought with the campaign funds was sold when the allegations came out. Other charges such as their children’s school payments and restaurant charges were under suspicion. Hunter’s wife, Margaret acted as his campaign manager and quickly became the center of the investigation. The FBI looked into former aides, lawmakers, and multiple women in Washington who Hunter had questionable relationships with. Throughout the investigation process, Hunter denied the allegations that him and his wife used the campaign money for personal expenses saying “Nah, I know the rules…And if I did, it was an accident and I paid it back.” 

Hunter Pleads Guilty

Hunter and his wife were charged with 60 criminal counts of campaign fund related transgressions. After months of denying allegations, Hunter pled guilty to misuse of campaign funds. Hunter’s wife, Margaret, took a plea deal and testified against her husband. It was revealed that for years the Hunter family relied on campaign funds for many of their personal expenses. These expenses include vacations, groceries, and medical bills. Hunter’s 11 months sentence was set to begin on January 4th, 2021 at a West Texas prison camp, however on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020, President Trump pardoned him.   Sources: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/08/duncan-hunter-campaign-funds-fbi-397621 https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/03/duncan-hunter-pleads-guilty-to-misuse-of-campaign-funds.html https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/22/politics/trump-pardons/index.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_D._Hunter  OPINION  Dear Friends, In my view, there is one word that defines Chancellor Andre Bouchard’s career, it is: CORRUPTION. And as this story below confirms, at least he is consistent. My sources say Andre Bouchard is set to kiss his Skadden and other friends goodbye with a slew of golden parachutes, seemingly, in my opinion, financed by TransPerfect workers — per usual, his rulings are expected to have nothing to do with the merits or the law. Law360 quotes this line on Bouchard: “We expect that those rules will be ignored by Delaware and the soon to be ex-Chancellor [Andre G. Bouchard] in a final insult to this profitable company he tried to destroy, making millions for his friends along the way.” What more damage did the lame duck Chancellor Bouchard inflict on the 6,000 workers that called for a government investigation into his relationship with Skadden? Stay tuned to the Coastal Network for up to the minute coverage. Respectfully Submitted, Judson Bennett, Coastal Network https://www.law360.com/articles/1348398/transperfect-says-ross-aronstam-shirked-its-client-duties TransPerfect Says Ross Aronstam Shirked Its Client Duties By Lauren Berg Law360 (January 25, 2021, 10:36 PM EST) — TransPerfect Global Inc. sued Ross Aronstam & Moritz LLP,  and name partner Garrett D. Moritz, Monday in Delaware Chancery Court, accusing its former counsel of malpractice after it hid information from TransPerfect on the orders of its court-appointed custodian. Ross Aronstam’s representation of TransPerfect during a bitter Chancery Court sale process in 2017 was compromised by its responsibilities to retired Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP partner Robert B. Pincus, the translation company’s appointed custodian, who directed the firm to hide billing information from its clients at TransPerfect, according to the complaint. TransPerfect said it paid Skadden substantial fees for the custodial work, but when the company’s owners and officers demanded detailed invoices from Pincus and his firm, they never received them. A TransPerfect shareholder responded by filing a complaint in Chancery Court seeking the invoices, the suit says. Shortly before that filing, Pincus retained Ross Aronstam to represent TransPerfect and instructed the firm to “oppose all efforts” by the company’s owners and officers to find out more about the fees, according to the complaint. “Despite [Ross Aronstam]’s clear duty to TransPerfect, their client, [Ross Aronstam] negligently, recklessly or willfully followed [Pincus’] instructions, which were directly contrary to the interests of TransPerfect and solely operated to the benefit of [Pincus] and Skadden,” the suit says. Ross Aronstam didn’t make any effort to inform TransPerfect of its conflict, according to the suit, nor did it resign or seek guidance from the court. Even though the court eventually ordered Pincus to provide TransPerfect with the detailed invoices and billing information, TransPerfect says it still suffered harm because the court ordered production of disclosures only for bills for May 2019 and onward. The bills for the time period when Ross Aronstam represented TransPerfect had already been submitted and paid without the company having the right to review them, according to the suit. “Defendants were not just neglectful,” TransPerfect said. “They disloyally breached their fiduciary and ethical duties to TransPerfect, which arise from separate facts, gave rise to separate injuries and requires the award to TransPerfect of separate, equitable remedies.” The suit seeks $50,000 in compensatory damages, litigation costs and interest. The suit comes after TransPerfect filed a similar complaint in New York state court against Ross Aronstam, accusing the firm of malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty. The company said that then prompted the law firm to go to the Delaware court, claiming TransPerfect was violating the sale process by going to an outside court. The firm is asking the court to hold TransPerfect in contempt, an issue on which the court has yet to rule, according to the company. “The suit filed today belongs in New York Supreme Court and is nothing more than coerced tomfoolery because under Delaware’s rules the Chancery Court may not hear a case that only seeks money damages,” Martin Russo, an attorney for TransPerfect, told Law360 in a statement Monday. “We expect that those rules will be ignored by the soon to be ex-Chancellor [Andre G. Bouchard] in a final insult to the profitable company he tried to destroy, making millions for his friends along the way.” A representative for Ross Aronstam did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Back in 2015, Pincus was tapped as custodian to sell TransPerfect to take the company’s warring co-CEOs Elizabeth Elting and Philip Shawe out of the equation – a solution created by a judge as the most equitable way to protect the financial future of the company. That decision stemmed from what was essentially a business divorce between Elting and Shawe, who started TransPerfect out of a dorm room at New York University in 1992, and were at one point engaged to be married before breaking up in 1997, according to court records. While their romantic ties appeared to fall apart, their business relationship did not, and over the years the translation company grew into a global powerhouse in the industry with 92 offices in 86 cities worldwide, court records show. But the co-CEOs’ professional dealings eventually fractured into a morass of litigation in both Delaware and New York, with Elting seeking to have the company dissolved because of the endless corporate battles. The case went before the Chancery Court for a six-day trial in 2015, and during post-trial arguments, Chancellor Bouchard warned the pair to come to some sort of settlement or he would be forced to write an opinion that makes both sides look “small-minded, petty and vindictive.” Then in May 2016, Shawe made a $300 million offer to buy out Elting’s 50% stake in the company, before he won a stay in August 2016 to appeal the company’s sale. That same month, Shawe was ordered to pay $7.1 million to Elting to reimburse her for the legal fees she ran up while battling him for sanctions over claims that he destroyed or withheld evidence, directed subordinates to enter Elting’s office and photograph or take documents and files, and then lied to the court about it. In February 2017, the Delaware Supreme Court upheld the Chancery Court’s right to appoint a custodian to oversee the sale of TransPerfect. Then in September 2017, Shawe sued Pincus for allegedly warning that Shawe could be barred from bidding for TransPerfect or competing with it after the forced sale, claiming the sanctions threats were unconstitutional. The following month, Shawe said he was slated to buy out Elting’s shares, with the purchase approved by the Chancery Court in February 2018 and upheld by the state Supreme Court in May 2018. When TransPerfect sued Pincus in Nevada state court in 2019, accusing him of improperly billing for his services, Pincus said the company should be sanctioned and held in civil contempt because it flouted the Chancery Court’s orders by bringing the suit in Nevada. The Chancery Court ordered the company and Shawe to pay a $30,000-per-day contempt-of-court sanction, prompting TransPerfect to drop the suit. TransPerfect is represented by Frank E. Noyes II and Douglas Capuder of Offit Kurman PA and Martin Russo. Counsel information for Moritz and Ross Aronstam was not immediately available. The case is TransPerfect Global Inc. v. Ross Aronstam & Moritz LLP et al., case number 2021-0065, in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. –Additional reporting by Matt Chiappardi, Vince Sullivan, Jeff Montgomery, Reenat Sinay and Kevin Penton. Editing by Breda Lund.In April of 2019, Crystal Martin, an associate registrar at the Delaware State University Office of Records and Registration, plead guilty to taking bribes to assist out of state students to fraudulently qualify for in-state tuition. Parents paid Martin to forge documents falsely claiming that they lived in the state of Delaware in order to save on tuition at the university. Like many universities that receive state funding, Delaware’s state schools charge lower tuition rates for students who come from the state. The thought is that local families, whose tax dollars subsidize such schools, should get a discount over students from families that pay taxes in a different state. Martin’s position in the Office of Records and Registration, which oversees student enrollment at the school, gave her knowledge of the procedure by which residency documents were verified. She was able to exploit these procedures to help the families effectively steal from the university. Martin worked with Stephen Williams, a resident of New Jersey, who found out of state families and convinced them to pay him to get their children in-state tuition. He then forwarded their information to Martin, who forged the required documents. Martin cost the University $3,000,000 between 2013 and 2017, when she lost her job. In all, she earned $70,000 for her cut of the scam. “Individuals who accept bribes while serving in a public capacity risk undermining trust in those institutions,” wrote David Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, who prosecuted the case. Martin, who faced a possible 10-year sentence for her crimes, was sentenced to serve only 15 months in prison for the scheme. Williams was sentenced to over three years in prison, plus another three years on probation, and forced to pay over $3 million in restitution to the college. What is so surprising about this case is that Delaware State University’s out of state tuition costs aren’t even that high in the first place. At $16,904 per year, the university charges out of state students substantially less than the average state-affiliated college, which charges $21,184 per student. Penn State University, in neighboring Pennsylvania, charges more than twice as much, at $35,984 per student. Even Pennsylvania residents pay $18,454 per year at the school, more than they’d pay in out of state tuition at Delaware State. William’s involvement is even more baffling. She charged a mere $300 to some families, while saving students potentially tens of thousands of dollars over the course of their four years at the school. She earned an average of just $17,500 per year from the scam, less than the typical worker makes at a minimum wage job. The Crystal Martin bribery scandal is just one controversy surrounding Delaware State University. The school recently agreed to reform its Title IX policy, which concerns how the university responds to sexual assault allegations, after a protest by victims who claimed their attackers were being let off the hook by the school.OPINION Dear Friends, Isn’t it interesting that both former Chief Justice Leo Strine and Chancellor Andre Bouchard will both have departed their honorable appointments well before their terms were up. Both of these jurists are grotesquely overrated, in my opinion, and their logical decisions indicated, especially in the notorious TransPerfect case, extreme bias, subjectivity and conflicts of interest, rather than clean, open, reasonable, and fair adjudication. Under Chancellor Bouchard’s tenure, his bias, irregularities, and appearances of impropriety, creating the “tonque in cheek” name of Bouchard’s Court by some attorneys, calling it the Court of “Inequity,” where there is concern about favoritism. I remember famous litigator, liberal Professor Alan Dershowitz (a Democrat), who was hired to represent Shirley Shawe in the TransPerfect case, after having experienced Chief Justice Leo Strine’s absolute bias, and rude ignorance during the appeal.  I was appalled. Furthermore, Strine’s decision was totally flawed and represented a “Taking” under the 5^th Amendment. Both Strine and Bouchard worked for the notorious law firm of Skadden Arps. Check out their reputation, folks! It is my belief that these seemingly incompetent and biased judges have hurt Delaware and I am glad they are gone. Good riddance! My friends in Delaware, what do you think is coming next? Now that Strine is gone and Bouchard is fleeing in April? Will equity be returned to Delaware? As always, tell me what you think! Your feedback is important, welcome, and appreciated. Respectfully Submitted, JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network COASTALNETWORK.COMPhoto Creator: KEVIN LAMARQUE | Credit: REUTERS THE NEW AMERICA—YOU WON’T LIKE IT! Opinion Dear friends,  Yesterday, the swearing in of Joseph Biden as the 46^th President of the United States, was for me an extremely sad day. I supported Donald Trump from the very beginning with my heart and soul. He did so much good for this country, it is still mind-boggling that he lost to an empty suit like Joe Biden It should not have happened, but it did and now I am very concerned that the economy will eventually tank, our taxes will be increased, our borders will be open, our national security compromised, our freedoms will diminish, and hope for the future will be threatened. Biden indicated his agenda by immediately signing 15 executive orders – all hurting the American people – reversing many of Trump’s good operations and starting the march toward restrictive Socialism.  Folks, we are going to have a few years enveloped by hard times, especially if you are a conservative, which I am. Biden is without a doubt, one of the most corrupt politicians in US history. Everything about him is fake and from 1972 on, when he cheated in his first election by bribing the head of the teamsters union–Frank Sheeran–the man who killed Jimmy Hoffa, his betrayal of a good friend and adulterous behavior and lies in his marriage regarding Jill Stevenson–also suborned and supported by her, should all have prevented him from being President. His terrific and heinous portrayal of Curtis Dunn as a drunk driver when Biden’s first wife Nelia ran into his truck–100% her fault, yet Biden falsely claimed this good man was drunk to gain political sympathy when he was not at fault and had not been drinking! What kind of evil man does this?  Throughout Biden’s career there have been kickbacks, favors, and corruption that are mind-boggling. I am from Delaware and I know everything about this man. When you realize the depth of his corruption in peddling his office to China, Ukraine, and Russia for millions of dollars through the operation of his drug addict son Hunter, not only as a US Senator but as Vice President of the United States, proven by direct testimony of Hunter’s business partner and the validated laptop (now in the possession of the FBI) that belonged to Hunter Biden–exposing the kickbacks. Biden actually has run a long term crime operation benefiting not only himself, but his entire family. This is now your President of the United States whose apparent platform and that of the Progressives surrounding him is about moving this country into a Socialist society. Realizing and knowing all of this with the strong belief that the overwhelming irregularities in the election played a huge part in Trump’s defeat make it ever harder to accept the results. Joe Biden will never be my President and I believe his administration will fail–showing the American people the huge mistake of electing him. Unfortunately, even after the defeat, Trump was in a perfect position to make a comeback in 2024, but right-wing radicals, induced and infiltrated by some Antifa members, chose to invade the Capitol Building and killed a police officer. Indeed, that horrible event destroyed and compromised our entire movement, hurt Trump’s future chances, got him impeached, and has made us suspect in the eyes of the world. Furthermore, unrealistic lies and expectations, internet conspiracy theories, actually promoted by certain members of the GOP, future threats of violence and insurrection, will do us no good. It must stop, as it only hastens and allows more authoritarianism to develop. There is no way a violent take-over of the government will succeed and it will only result in death and incarceration.  If indeed such an event were successful, what then? Replacing one authoritarian government with another? Indeed, I understand the frustration and the desire to fight back. Most of us feel that way inside, I sure as hell know how I feel about the whole situation, and indeed if things do get bad enough, and the left proceeds to take away our freedoms, that could develop into severe consequences for many people in the long run. Regardless, we have the opportunity to take back the House and Senate in 2022 and elect a Conservative President in 2024. In my opinion, a peaceful, well-organized operation starting now to target officials in order to win back our country is the way to go—it can be done.  The past 4 years have been interesting and I have made many new friends and yes lost some as well. So be it. My future purpose through the Coastal Network will be to promote Capitalism and conservative ideals, expose corruption, follow every aspect of the Biden administration, and work towards making America Great again! I don’t believe it can happen with the proposed agenda of Joe Biden and the Democrat controlled House and Senate, and I intend to work toward turning it back around through specific elections. We can do it. One important thing to remember and indeed might be our only salvation are the powerful words printed on our currency, “IN GOD WE TRUST”. As always, your feedback, is welcome and appreciated.   Respectfully Yours, JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network CoastalNetwork.comOPINION Dear Friends, The notorious Skadden Arps law firm, formerly involved in suspicious and illegal lobbying irregularities and fined by the U.S. Government, is now overshadowed by the accusations of unethical billing practices in little Delaware during and after the controversial TransPerfect case, and the news has reached a Spanish Newspaper! The article mistakenly refers to our Chancery Court as our Supreme Court, but you’ll get the drift. The bottom line is that Chancellor Bouchard, in my view, possibly colluded with his former partner Robert Pincus and his former law firm Skadden Arps, allowing incessant billing with no itemization or accounting, and to rub salt in the wounds, wouldn’t even let CEO Philip Shawe see the bills or be given a reasonable explanation as to why. Such in your face arrogance of, in my opinion, the worst Chancellor in Delaware history, is beyond understanding. Finally after being sued in Federal Court, apparently Bouchard has relented. Now Bouchard is resigning with 5 years left on his term, a good protection move, before possibly being accused of grotesque malfeasance. Folks, in my view, good riddance, and apparently there are some Spaniards who agree with me. It’s outrageous that it’s so bad that the news reached Barcelona, Spain, where TransPerfect has 600 employees. Please read the article in the Spanish newspaper, translated into English for your review, and send me your feedback. Respectfully Submitted, Judson Bennett, Coastal Network CoastalNetwork.com https://cronicaglobal.elespanol.com/business/skadden-practicas-facturacion-poco-eticas_434061_102.html Skadden Arps Law Firm Suffers Legal Setback at Delware / CG

Skadden Arps law firm overshadowed by unethical billing practices

The Supreme Court of Delware, in the United States, has ruled that the law firm will have to make public the records of its invoices from the Transperfect case

JENNIFER MOLINA 19.01.2021 18:42 h. Updated: 19.01.2021 18:43 h. 3 min The Supreme Court of Delware , in the United States , has ruled that the Skadden Arps law firm  will have to make public the records of its bills from the Transperfect case . It is one of the most controversial business litigations in recent years, since thousands of workers were at risk around the world , and more than 600 in Barcelona . This law firm, appointed by the judge to pilot the forced sale of Transperfect , has uploaded today more than 15 million dollars in advisory concepts in the sale of the technology multinational . These are unjustifiably expensive invoices (it amounts to 3.5 million dollars), which paradoxically have not stopped arriving after the sale of the company in 2017.

Suspicious billing practices

The handling of this case has not only overshadowed the name of Skadden Arps . It has also brought with it the good reputation of what was previously one of the leading states for business creation in the United States . The alleged relationship between the Delaware Supreme Court with Judge André Bouchard at the head and the Skadden law firm with Robert Pincus as judicial administrator has undermined the credibility of the State judicial system and has negatively impacted on its public perception. The change of course in the TransPerfect case decreed by the state judicial authority is joined by the vision of experts and citizen associations who consider that this firm could have articulated unethical billing practices during the management of the case .

Opaque methods

In this sense, the prestigious lawyer specialized in legal fees disputes and member of the Professional Responsibility Committee of the New York City Bar, David H. Paige , has described Skadden’s practices as “the continued charging of high amounts for objectionable services, coupled with unjustifiably high fees, inefficiencies and lack of transparency ”. For his part, Chris Coffey, director of the Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware platform, assured that “Skadden has refused to apply the minimum standards of transparency protected by a judicial system that invites opaque practices and that often leaves Skadden to act at will. ”. Coffey concluded by noting that the association he represents will continue to “expose the reprehensible and unethical behavior of Skadden Arps until the courts place on them the responsibilities that TransPerfect employees deserve.”While top cabinet positions are appointed based on merit, it is common practice for the president to appoint large donors to lesser roles in the administration. Louis DeJoy is one such appointee.  President Trump made the Republican fundraiser from North Carolina the new Postmaster General. The Postmaster General leads the United States Postal Service. Under Dejoy’s watch, the Postal Service was embroiled in scandal for its handling of the 2020 elections. The agency was criticized for unacceptable delays at a time when many people were using mail in ballots to vote. Now, new allegations have come to light against Dejoy himself. A bombshell report from the Washington Post exposed Dejoy for demanding employees of his company, New Breed Logistics, donate to Republican candidates of his choosing in violation of federal election laws. Dejoy allegedly reimbursed the employees for their expenses by issuing them a bonus in the amount of their donation.  This process is known as “straw donations,” where an individual pays another to donate to a political campaign. While the law restricts people from donating more than $2,800 to any one candidate, unscrupulous individuals use straw donations to circumvent that limit. The practice is prohibited by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). If the allegations are true, Dejoy also violated additional rules by using his company to make political donations. Companies are allowed to donate to Political Action Committees (PAC), but not to individual politicians. Conservative political commentator Dinesh D’Souza was sentenced in 2014 to five years of felony probation for a similar scheme in New York. He was later pardoned by President Trump, who said D’Souza was “treated very unfairly by our government.“ Whether Dejoy will be prosecuted remains to be seen, but is unlikely, considering that the FEC currently does not have enough members to meet the required four-person quorum. The agency traditionally has three Democrat commissioners and three Republicans, but gridlock in Congress has meant there are only three members total. As the organization is the only agency allowed to rule on election law violations, Dejoy will be off the hook at least until another commissioner is confirmed by the Senate. The statute of limitations is another obstacle preventing Dejoy from being held accountable. The statute of limitations, which is five years in this case, regulates the time between when an offense happened and when charges are brought. Dejoy’s actions are alleged to have occurred between 2000 and 2014, meaning that Dejoy cannot be issued a fine. However, he still could be prosecuted in criminal court if the allegations against him are proven beyond a reasonable doubt. President Trump weighed in on the situation, saying Dejoy should be fired if he did in fact engage in straw donations. President-elect Joe Biden also criticized Dejoy, but will have to keep him as Postmaster General, as the president is unable to remove someone from that position. That power lies in a six-member USPS Board of Governors, all of whom were Trump appointees. They are unlikely to remove Dejoy, a staunch Republican, unless further evidence comes to light implicating him in the scandal.OPINION  OPINION: Skadden Unethically Charges $3.5 Million More in Fees in the TransPerfect Case that ENDED TWO YEARS AGO!!! Fraudulent Billing Apparently About to be Rubber Stamped by Judicial Extremist Andre Bouchard Just Before He Retires From His Perch on Delaware’s Chancery Court—Corruption? Dear Friends, Just when you think it can’t get more outrageously corrupt in Delaware, the Good Ole Boy cronies raise the bar on deceit yet again!!! Will they continue to get away with it? This is ON TOP OF the $15 million the notorious law firm of Skadden Arps already paid themselves from TransPerfect’s corporate coffers—approved and sanctioned by Delaware’s Chancellor Andre Bouchard. Folks, it is hard to fathom how $3.5 million worth of work was ever done in this case period, much less a closing-kiss goodbye to Chancellor Bouchard’s former employer—Skadden Arps? I’ve been covering this situation for seven years, and this case never fails to leave me in a state of disbelief! Thank God Andre Bouchard is retiring, and in my view, in disgrace. Would love to hear your thoughts on this $3.5 million extra golden parachute. Please read the disconcerting article below and send me your thoughts. Respectfully yours, Judson Bennett-Coastal Network   https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005772/en/Expert-Analysis-Determines-Skadden-Arps-Law-Firm-Engaged-in-Unethical-Billing-Practices-Citizens-for-a-Pro-Business-Delaware  

Expert Analysis Determines Skadden Arps Law Firm Engaged in

Unethical Billing Practices: Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware

Although the Chancery Court ruled to unseal the firm’s bills, Skadden Arps sends TransPerfect an additional $3.5 million in unwarranted and highly questionable fees January 14, 2021 11:12 AM Eastern Standard Time WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nearly three years after the court-ordered sale of TransPerfect, Delaware’s Court of Chancery has finally reversed it prior erroneous order from one year ago and ruled that Skadden Arps’ must unseal their most recent billing records, which now total close to $3.5 million on top of the more than $15 million already charged to the company. Throughout multiple motions in 2020, the Chancery Court has slowly ruled in favor of transparency in the case proceedings and billing records. Today, over the strenuous objections of Skadden the court stated that “any future fee petitions of the Custodian and/or his counsel and any Billing Records filed with the Court shall not be filed under seal.” The new ruling is a huge step towards transparency and accountability in the Chancery Court and its appointment of custodian Robert Pincus, a former senior partner at Skadden Arps. The shocking new $3.5 million in bills are only for services rendered in the last year alone despite the auction of TransPerfect having concluded in November of 2017. The inflated and questionable billings are being hotly contested by TransPerfect after a firm that specializes in legal fee auditing found that Skadden had overbilled TransPerfect by more than $1.7 million. The report of David Paige, Esq., legal standards of billing expert and member of the Professional Responsibility Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York characterized Skadden Arps’ overbilling as “the continued submission of large numbers of generally objectionable billing practices identified in the Analyzed Bills, combined with the unreasonably high rates, inefficiencies and lack of transparency [which] necessitates a series of across-the-board reductions to account for these issues.” He further goes on to state that in his experience, “a firm that rejects transparency and objective fee analyses simply does not want to be questioned.” Paige also notes that Skadden is arguing that their “bills be paid in full even if unreasonably incurred, allegedly because of TransPerfect’s unpleasant conduct. In other words, it is proposed that the court need not engage in an objective fee analysis because TransPerfect somehow ‘deserves’ to be punished by a higher fee.” Said Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Campaign Manager Chris Coffey, “As we have seen at nearly every step in this case, Skadden Arps has refused to meet bare minimum standards of transparency, hoping to bank on a court system that invites confidentiality and often allows them to do as they please. The report from billing expert David Paige just confirms what we’ve known all along – there’s nothing Skadden won’t do to earn an extra buck, billing three times the market rates even if it means ignoring industry standards and ethics.” “Skadden’s parting salvo, incoherently charging an additional $3.5 million for the work they did to protect their own secret bills, is just par for the course. Well, the thousands of hardworking TransPerfect employees who have seen their company spend millions of dollars on an illogical forced sale that was completed years ago are not a feeble foe. We will continue to expose Skadden Arps’ reckless and unethical behavior until the courts force the accountability that TransPerfect’s employees deserve.”OPINION Dear Friends, There has not been much more disgusting and disconcerting TV visuals in my view, than the Portland, Oregon riots, the looting and burning in many major cities, clearly organized by BLM and Antifa, and now the recent assault on the Capitol Building by extreme right wing, where the sacred halls of our Democratic Republic were vandalized, our elected officials threatened and terrorized, and people were killed, including a Capitol Police officer! Both incidents and situations I found equally disturbing. Violence, mob rule, and anarchy are not acceptable in our country under any circumstances! However, the Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump in the House of Representatives on January 13, 2021 was the most vile and disgusting display of hypocrisy, authoritarianism, corruption, and political punishment that I have witnessed in my entire life. Folks, this was not just a fallacious attack on Donald Trump with only days left in his Presidency, this was an attack on every voter who supported Donald Trump and his platform which gave us hope for a future of prosperity. I watched every disgraceful minute of it on TV and it literally made me sick to my stomach. The rhetoric of these insipid, ignorant politicians without evidence, without a hearing, or without constitutionally, required, due process was outrageous. What I found even more disgusting was the absurd rhetoric of Republican Liz Cheney and several others who have disgraced their oath of office by not seeking the truth and helping promote a despicable sham on the American people. Folks, here is the rub for me: hundreds of thousands of Trump supporters, who felt disenfranchised by perceived voter fraud in the November election, because the evidence was not allowed to be presented came to Washington, DC to peacefully protest and to hear President Trump speak — exercising his 1^st amendment rights. I heard every word of his speech and there was not one word about inciting violence or attacking the Capitol Building. He specifically stated to the crowd, “to peacefully protest and make your voices heard”. Unfortunately, when thousands of people congregate, there is always an element of bad actors. If there had been a proper police presence, properly organized, this never could have happened! Regardless, there is not, was not any realistic evidence, presented that constituted an Impeachable offense, by the President of the United States. It was a grotesque circus, a despicable sham presented by dishonest people and some gutless Republican politicians who have betrayed honesty and legality. This Impeachment was an attack on us as Americans! The future is in doubt, however, the reality of what is about to come, under the administration of the most dishonest and corrupt politicians in United States history in Biden and Harris, will implode because Socialism does not work and things are going to get very bad — very quickly. The hope and the distinct possibility is that we as conservatives and purveyors of the truth who understand the benefits of capitalism and democracy, will take back the Congress in the mid-term elections. Indeed it is in range. The Republican defectors will face primaries and will be defeated. The Trump movement, the Trump platform is still huge. Unfortunately, Donald Trump will no longer be its leader, at least as a candidate. I am thinking Niki Haley as our future President. Folks the Orwellian atmosphere of “1984” is upon us and it is about to become a reality. It is time to reorganize with a strong political strategy that is viable. God help us if this Impeachment goes forward with Trump being found guilty after he has left office which may actually be unconstitutional. The nation will never heal and the destruction of America could become irreparable. As always, whether right or left, agree or disagree, your feedback is welcome and appreciated. Respectfully Submitted, JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network Coastalnetwork.com As the United States continues to discuss race relations and policing in the wake of the death of George Floyd, it is important to not only analyze the problem at a national level, but as a systemic issue in the states as well. In Delaware, corruption and mismanagement have created an environment in which policing disproportionately targets people of color, and rather than address the issue, Governor John Carney has made the system worse.

Delaware Police Shootings

Since 2005, Delaware police have shot 56 people, and 48% of the victims have been Black. This is concerning considering that only 21% of the state population is Black. Many of these shootings have happened in situations where the use of force was questioned. In January of this year, Delaware police fatally shot Brandon Roberts, a Black man who suffered from mental illnesses including bipolar disorder. Roberts was having a mental breakdown when the police were called, and while he was holding a knife, the violent response from the police has garnered major criticism. This was a situation that likely did not have to end with death if the police who arrived were better trained to de-escalate the situation. Regardless, the police were cleared in the shooting. Laws frequently grant police immunity in cases like this, and Delaware state laws make punishing officers for alleged brutality notoriously difficult. One of the most unfortunate of these incidents is the 2015 fatal shooting of Jeremy McDole, a 28-year old paralyzed Black man. McDole, who was paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair, was gunned down by Officer Joseph Dellose from the Wilmington Police Department and his three colleagues. Footage from the scene and an incident report showed that Officer Dellose shot at McDole two seconds after ordering him to put his hands up, triggering his fellow officers to turn their weapons on the victim. Although the report heavily criticized Dellose’s actions, he was not charged with any crime. The loophole in McDole’s case and that of 30 other victims of police lies in the 70-year old Delaware law that permits officers to use deadly force if and when they believe it is necessary. This archaic law is highly subjective and technically justifies unnecessary acts of brutality committed by police in the pretext of “feeling threatened.” The Attorney General Office and Police Union in Delaware have done little to protect citizens and victims from the brutal acts of the police force. In fact, they have sided with all the perpetrators in the reported incidents, citing the archaic law as their justification for failing to prosecute involved police. Besides a rigid attachment to the old law, falsification of reports in some of the investigations has also plagued the force.

Failed Government Response

Governor John Carney’s administration has been accused of failing Delaware’s Black residents. Under Carney, Black people make up 60% of the inmates in Delaware prisons. Meanwhile, only 15% of state judges are Black. This leads to disproportionate punishments for Black offenders compared to white offenders. In 2019, Carney and the all-white Board of Pardons pardoned Barry Croft, a white man arrested for felonious firearms, burglary, and assault charges. After his pardon, Barry Croft was recently arrested in connection with the October plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Under Carney’s watch, Black inmates are forced to remain in prison, often for lesser offenses. This is particularly troubling given the COVID-19 pandemic, which Carney has also been accused of mishandling. Prisoners are not given adequate supplies to remain safe during the pandemic. Delaware has an issue with its criminal justice system, and Governor John Carney is making it worse. Police are allowed to use lethal force without fear of repercussion against Black residents, and they are allowed to work in instances in which they fail to even consider other de-escalation methods. Meanwhile, Black residents in Delaware are given harsh prison sentences while dangerous white offenders are pardoned. It is a system that impacts the lives of Delawareans and is one that needs to be addressed.Photo Creator: Erin Scott | Credit: REUTERS OPINION Dear Friends, It is necessary for me to state that from the very beginning, even during the primaries, I was totally on board with President Donald Trump. He offered prosperity like America has never seen before. He lowered taxes, he did away with obstructive regulations that allowed businesses to prosper, he corrected the trade deficit, and he lowered unemployment to the best it has been in many years. America’s middle class began to move upwards like never before. Indeed, prosperity reigned. However, from the very beginning the Democrats with the help of the Obama administration, the FBI, the CIA, and corrupt legislative operatives created the Russian hoax, and the Ukrainian debacle-leading to a vicious and wrongful impeachment of the President! Then came the Corona Chinese Virus that Communist China unloaded on the United States, killing 350,000 people in the US alone. Why did Trump lose the election? Here are the reasons and it is mind-boggling. First of all, Donald Trump is no politician; he is a New Yorker, and worked in his father’s construction business. He is crude, rude, and sometimes says things that infuriate people. Many people on both sides of the aisle find him obnoxious and hated him from the get-go. The “Never Trumpers” were a partial factor in the loss! On the other hand, having met him on several social occasions at Mar-a-Lago, I found him to be extremely charming, interesting, and humorous. I will quote a good friend of mine, a beautiful woman, who worked for him for 10 years had this to say about The Donald, “Trump was very professional, extremely brilliant and innovative, never hit on me, however sometimes when things didn’t go his way, he had the emotional stability of a 12-year-old.” Isn’t that interesting, when you look back at the first debate where Trump seemed out of control? Then his behavior would again revert back to brilliance and charm. No doubt, he was the best President in my lifetime, yet his demeanor has always worried me. Another issue that has me upset about my President is the fact that he created expectations for the million people that came to Washington DC to support him, that VP Mike Pence could and should send Electors back to their various State Legislatures, thus overturning the election. Folks, there is absolutely no way Mike Pence had the constitutional authority to do what the President asked him to do. Prior to the President’s speech, Pence actually told the President what he had to legally do and Trump excited the crowd anyway. Pence was a loyal partner with Donald Trump in every way, shape, and form! No way did this man of great character and integrity deserve the bad rap he has been given. To Trump’s credit, he did not urge or instigate the thousands of people there to create havoc in the Capitol Building. To blame him for the actions of a few nut cases, who have destroyed so many things, killing a Capitol Police officer, and devastating Trump’s future and that of our conservative credibility is unreasonable to the point of absurdity. To invade the sacred halls of the Capitol Building, vandalizing, terrifying  legislators, and actually killing a cop has put us back in a significant way! Why did the people come to DC to protest? The reason why is the number one reason Trump lost—election fraud! Folks, there is no doubt in my mind that millions of votes were illegally cast, altered, and double-voted. The evidence was overwhelming with thousands of documented and certified witnesses, including video evidence, exclusions of legal Republican witnesses, and illegal voting through wrongful voting-law changes, contrary to various state laws. Secretaries of State cannot arbitrarily change the rules. It must be done through the legislature. There were enough votes compromised, that Trump actually won the election! However, much to my amazement and chagrin, Trump couldn’t find a lawyer that could write a proper legal brief to actually get the cases heard in Federal Court! To me and to millions of others, we feel that we were robbed. We have been violated! That is why the people demonstrated in DC. My God, why did they have to go inside the Capitol Building? How would that be productive or positive? They killed a cop—Party over! Handled differently, the Republicans take back the house in 2022 and Trump is in position to win the Presidential election in 2024—not now folks! So now, the entire country is a virtual powder keg. There are 75 million pissed off Trump voters. It appears we are already losing our freedoms, especially the 1^st amendment, our right to free speech! Speech is free as long as you agree with the left. When you don’t, it is censored, jobs are lost, and conservatives are discriminated against! Soon they will be coming for your guns. Now, new articles of Impeachment are being drawn up by Nancy Pelosi to take out Trump with just days left in his term. Talk about division, talk about violence? Folks, it is my concern that if Trump is impeached, the streets will run red with blood! Make no mistake, the Trump movement is alive and his base is strong. His platform was the best I have ever seen. Maybe, after 4 years of grotesque socialism, dissolution of our freedoms, and loss of prosperity under the corrupt Biden administration —we patriots will vote a Trump like dude back in or maybe Trump himself as President and take back our country. If it gets really bad, then you might actually see an armed revolution that will force a return to capitalism and democracy. Indeed “big brother” is watching us and we are moving slowly into a George Orwell world of oppression as he wrote about in his novel “1984.” I have witnessed in 6 short months, fear, anarchy, sedition, corruption, a pandemic, the destruction of a Presidency, a stolen election, a raid on the capitol building, censorship, and more—hell why not a full scale revolution as well? Is that next? What a year 2020 was. Good riddance, but now what? The left has got all the power and they have told us what they are going to do! God help us. Respectfully Submitted,   JUDSON Bennett-Coastal NetworkOPINION

Dear Friends,

I realize I have beaten this dead horse significantly, however the articles keep coming out about Chancellor Andre Bouchard’s interesting exit from his powerful and unique post as Delaware’s Chancellor barely seven years into his term. The Law360 article below by Jeff Montgomery  praises Bouchard, but toward the end describes the TransPerfect debacle which I believe is why Bouchard is running for the hills. 

The article is worth a read. Please send me your feedeback. Bouchard will be gone in April and the challenge of finding someone much better should, contrary to the propaganda below, not be that hard. In my view, the needed improvement is obvious. An improved candidate, properly vetted, who rules without bias and conflicts of interest, would be a start,  and good for Delaware!

Respectfully Submitted,

JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network

https://www.law360.com/delaware/articles/1341163/bouchard-s-surprise-exit-opens-uncertain-void-on-chancery?nl_pk=cb536973-ec1c-4e78-9ea8-276d9cc905aa&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=delaware Bouchard’s Surprise Exit Opens Uncertain Void On Chancery By Jeff Montgomery Law360 (January 5, 2021, 8:13 PM EST) — Delaware has opened 2021 facing a looming vacuum at the top of its nationally important Court of Chancery and no clear prospect of who will fill it after the surprise retirement announcement by Chancellor Andre G. Bouchard, who is not even seven years into his 12-year term. Chancellor Bouchard’s move on Dec. 29 will close out a widely praised career involving key rulings on a court that dates to 1792. He is scheduled to step down April 30. Those familiar with the process said time is tight for soliciting, choosing and confirming a replacement. Although Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster ranks as the court’s most experienced official, his 12-year appointment ends in early October, and there has been no public indication by him or other members of the court of readiness to take the helm for a full term. “I think he is going to be sorely missed,” Peter B. Andrews of Andrews & Springer LLC, a Wilmington-based complex commercial litigation firm, said of Chancellor Bouchard. “I haven’t thought about it, and it’s very disturbing to me, because I don’t know who is prepared” to take the seat. In the late December announcement released by the court, Chancellor Bouchard, 60, cited an interest in moving on after 34 years as either advocate or jurist in the state’s globally known business law and equity court. The announcement noted the chancellor’s statement that “it was time to step back, enjoy more time with his family, and pursue other interests.” Gov. John Carney’s office did not immediately respond to a question regarding the activation of the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission, which has the task of vetting candidates for judicial seats and providing names of potential nominees. Lucian A. Bebchuk, Harvard Law School’s James Barr Ames professor of law, economics and finance and director of Harvard’s Program on Corporate Governance, said in an email Monday that “Chancellor Bouchard was the fourth in a line of incredible jurists who served as chancellors.” Bebchuk referred to the late Chancellor William T. Allen as well as former Chancellors William B. Chandler III, now a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC, and Leo E. Strine Jr., who went on from Chancery to serve a term as Delaware’s chief justice. Lawrence Hamermesh, professor emeritus at Widener University Delaware Law School, praised Chancellor Bouchard for his “practicality and stewardship” at the head of the court. He also said the approach to the search for a successor “all depends, of course, on who moves where and what openings have to be filled, and when.” In interviews with Law360, members of the legal community were quick to praise the chancellor, a 1986 Harvard Law School graduate who practiced in corporate and commercial law for 28 years before taking the bench. His private practice included the co-founding in 1996 of Lamb & Bouchard PA, a prominent boutique law firm that soon became Bouchard & Friedlander PA when Stephen Lamb became a vice chancellor. The firm became Friedlander & Gorris in 2014, when Bouchard became chancellor in May of that year. A. Thompson Bayliss of Abrams & Bayliss LLP said that Chancellor Bouchard “gave up a lucrative spot as a partner in private practice to become a public servant” at a time when service on the Chancery Court bench had become more demanding than ever. Members of the court have increasingly cautioned that court schedules are jammed, with trials already being scheduled well into 2022. During the chancellor’s tenure, a string of multiyear, multibillion-dollar cases involving 10-day trials have moved through the court, with jurists writing opinions of 100 or 200 pages and more. The chancellor’s job carries enormous prestige but pays a current annual salary of $196,738, well within the upper average for attorney salaries across all specialties. Vice chancellors currently receive $185,444. “Despite the challenges of a burgeoning caseload, increasingly complex cases, a flood of expedited matters, a pandemic, and the glare of a white-hot spotlight, Chancellor Bouchard was always prepared, always courteous and always inspired confidence that justice and equity would ultimately prevail,” Bayliss said. Both Chancellor Bouchard and Vice Chancellor Laster have handled some of the seven-member court’s toughest cases and penned some of its most far-reaching and closely watched decisions in recent years. Early in the chancellor’s term, he wrote a landmark decision on disclosure-only settlements in merger and acquisition litigation when deciding the In re Trulia Inc. case. Trulia followed an explosion of suits challenging deals that were quickly settled for therapeutic disclosures and fees. Chancellor Bouchard’s decision included notice of an intent to reject settlements unless disclosures are “plainly material” and liability releases “narrowly circumscribed.” Bebchuk said the chancellor’s work “reflects a first-rate legal mind, a deep understanding of the both the nuances of doctrine and the rich institutional and economic texture within which it needs to operate, an appreciation of the importance of Delaware law to the corporate landscape, and a strong commitment to ensuring that this law retain its quality and fit to the changing environment.” Hamermesh pointed to the chancellor’s oversight of a smooth expansion of the court from five jurists to seven in 2018, noting that “he dealt adroitly and successfully with the challenge of increased burdens on the court due to a shift in nature of the litigation — fewer low maintenance cases (quick and dirty M&A class action settlements, most notably) and more heavy-burden contract interpretation cases.” Still on the chancellor’s docket is the Byzantine, multiyear, global litigation surrounding SoftBank Group’s attempt to jettison a $3 billion tender offer for shares of office-sharing venture WeWork. The dispute included the formation of dueling special committees of WeWork’s board, with one aligned with WeWork’s founder seeking enforcement of the deal and another, closely controlled by SoftBank, backing the walkaway. In one WeWork-related decision in August, Chancellor Bouchard found that SoftBank’s management cannot block the earlier, hostile WeWork-aligned panel from seeing the privileged information of WeWork’s management, including communications with Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP. The decision emphasized that management cannot pick and choose among director factions when responding to discovery requests. Francis G.X. Pileggi of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, who closely tracks and chronicles the court’s decisions, said, “Chancellor Bouchard had a profound impact on Delaware jurisprudence and his service to the State will benefit Delawareans for generations to come. Many of his decisions have had national and international importance and will be studied by lawyers and law students for many years to come.” The chancellor’s departure announcement emerged as litigation continued in a bitter fight between the co-founders of global translation company TransPerfect Global Inc. over a Chancery Court-ordered sale of the business. Disputes between TransPerfect co-founders Philip Shawe and Elizabeth Elting simmered and burned through much of Chancellor Bouchard’s time on the court, and expanded into disputes over the court’s jurisdiction and the actions and billings of a court-appointed custodian, represented by Skadden. Shawe’s objections to the chancellor’s rulings, the actions of the custodian and opposing legal counsel and the court’s alleged failure to fully disclose, without strings, fees charged for custodial operations gave rise to a flock of suits. Direct public criticism and attacks on Chancellor Bouchard — including radio and television advertising — by groups aligned with Shawe led to an unprecedented call by 19 corporate law professors and 47 corporate lawyers from Delaware and throughout the United States to end the personal criticism of the chancellor and the court. On Dec. 24, Shawe and TransPerfect filed a federal civil rights complaint in the U.S. District Court for Delaware naming the chancellor in a suit seeking relief from an alleged gag order that the suit said would prohibit Shawe from disclosing information in billings and fees submitted by a court-appointed custodian. Andrews of Andrews & Springer and others nevertheless said they were disappointed by the retirement announcement, with Andrews citing the chancellor’s fairness on the bench and achievements in administering a court faced with constant, complex demands. “I think he crushed it with regard to streamlining, and he got us through COVID with little bumps, really,” Andrews said. “I don’t believe that any of the other chancellors couldn’t step up and meet the challenge, but they’re big shoes to fill.” –Editing by Jill Coffey.Photo By: Jose Luis Magana / AP Photo OPINION Dear Friends. The events of Tuesday, January 5, 2021 and Wednesday, January 6, 2021 will indeed go down in infamy as truly significant happenings that have not only rocked the entire world, but have shaken our very foundation as American citizens. My thoughts and emotions have been all over the place. My resolve has been tested, my concerns have been elevated, and the cold reality is setting in. As someone who supported President Donald Trump from the very beginning, as a Republican activist, and a conservative pundit, the word “disconcerting” basically covers it all. President Donald Trump has officially lost the election to former Vice President Joe Biden. I am truly disappointed and extremely concerned about the future of our nation and the prospect of socialism pervading our lives, destroying our freedoms, and destining our futures to mediocrity. Now that the Democrats have won Georgia, they will now control all aspects of our government-the Presidency, the House, and the Senate. Socialism does not work and I believe the radical agenda of the left with the ridiculous “Green New Deal” will send us into economic ruin and a tremendous loss of our personal freedoms. I am deeply concerned and frankly frightened for the future of our nation. I truly believe that the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is going to be a travesty, especially now with the radical left controlling it all. Huge tax increases, authoritarian restrictions on business operations, defunding of the police and rampant crime, loss of freedom of speech, open borders, and so much more are of great concern. I also believe that Joe Biden is a corrupt politician and that he is guilty of high crimes and even treason. After 4 years of this, we won’t recognize our country. That is what I think about that. Do I think the election was stolen and there was election fraud that significantly cost Trump the election? ABSOLUTELY! The real rub, besides the innumerable irregularities, is the indisputable fact that several battleground states wrongly changed their election laws through the illegal orders of Secretaries of State, when the law required the state legislatures to determine any change in voting laws. These arbitrary and capricious violations resulted in election chaos, especially in regard to universal mail-in ballots. The election was a suspicious disaster and 75 million Trump voters believe the election was rigged. I am amazed that the Trump team could not find a lawyer that could write a legal brief that would be heard in the Supreme Court? Unfortunately, the avenues to overturn an election are limited and almost impossible. Once legal votes are combined with illegal votes, it is impossible to fix it and the results are what they are. Now, I have to address President Donald Trump. Indeed the man has the right to explore and determine his options in resolving an election that was suspicious in its outcome. Indeed, it was actually a reasonable thing for his supporters to march on Washington and express their support for him, especially on the day that Congress was to certify the election. However, here is where Trump blew it, and without a doubt he did. Whether misguided or intentional, Trump indicated to his followers that the congress could overturn the election and that VP Mike Pence, who was overseeing the procedure could send the Electors back to the various states if he determined the objections were valid. Folks, nothing is further from the truth. Congress certifies the election and the VP oversees it. THERE IS NO CONSTITUTINAL AUTHORITY TO DO ANYTHING ELSE! It was a fools’ errand and it resulted in one of the most shameful events in American history. For Trump to even suggest that Pence should do the right thing, was a blatant mistake. VP Pence who has been loyal to Trump through thick and thin, did not and could not do what Trump asked. President Trump’s speech incited an unwanted reaction and then we witnessed the disgraceful attack on the capital building where violent perpetrators broke into the House and Senate chambers. Afterwards, Trump disparaged VP Pence, stating that he had let us down— which to me was outrageous. Folks, Trump’s rally and speech in Washington backfired with the terrific and disgusting assault on the Capital building which he must take responsibility for, because he misrepresented what was legitimate action, when it was not. Unfortunately, these disgusting jerks that invaded the capital building have hurt the Republican party, hurt Trump’s validity, and put a stench over all that was good about the Trump agenda. I am personally drained and disgusted by the whole thing and that is my position. So what is next? I intend to continue writing, most likely resisting the probable Biden debacle as long as I can. I don’t know now what is going to happen, but what I do know is that Trump’s legacy, if you can call it that, has been scarred and severely damaged by the events of January 6th. If there is ever another Republican President elected as President of the United States, especially in 2024, I do not believe it will be Donald Trump. So be it-AMEN. As always your feedback is welcome and appreciated. Respectfully yours, JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network COASTALNETWORK.com  OPINION Dear Friends, About a week ago, I was writing a story, calling for the removal of Chancellor Andre Bouchard. And then the story came out that he is retiring. “Chancellor, Interrupted!” What timing! Without a doubt in my mind, I believe Bouchard’s arrogant disregard for conflicts of interest, his inconsistent rulings, and his prevalent appearances of impropriety, are what drove his removal from his position as Delaware’s Chancellor. Throughout the notorious TransPerfect case I witnessed what I saw as unbelievable bias and conflicts of interest perpetrated unprofessionally by Chancellor Bouchard. Interestingly, Bouchard subjectively disallowed and penalized TransPerfect’s CEO for his use of emails, clearly denying that these significant emails did destroy privilege, yet in a similar case as explained in the article below, Bouchard contrarily ruled that in this situation, emails provided by a separate employer destroyed the privileged use and the emails are open for evidence and can be used accordingly. Bouchard in the TransPerfect case indicated his bias and appearances of impropriety in an arrogant manner, by ruling exactly the opposite from the Softbank adjudication mentioned below. Folks, in my opinion, Bouchard operates in a subjective and inconsistent manner. Judges are supposed to be objective and consistent in their rulings! He has not been consistent or objective and in my view violated his oath of office. And now he’s scheduled to leave that office. Please read the article below and let me know your thoughts. Your feedback is welcome and appreciated. Respectfully yours, Judson Bennett, Coastal Network

Practical Guidance

• Provide company email addresses for directors and instruct them to only use such email addresses for communications regarding board matters;
• Alternatively, send the substance of communications through board portals, and only use email to inform directors about the arrival of new communications in the board portals;
• If directors must communicate substantive information outside of a board portal or company-provided email account, instruct them to use personal email accounts or other confidential mechanisms that are not subject to third-party monitoring, and to avoid commingling those communications with personal or other communications – to ease separate review and avoid the potential of needing to have lawyers review unrelated emails in the event that litigation is filed.

It doesn’t take a law degree to conclude that the Breonna Taylor investigation and case are permeated with blatant systematic corruption on every level. This case offers undeniable evidence of how flawed the system is and how it urgently needs criminal justice system reform. Though there are more, six examples of corruption found throughout this case are below. 

The Case

It isn’t easy to find anything about this case that makes logical sense. History has shown us repeatedly that legal proceedings and investigations that don’t make sense were purposely done that way to hide errors, deceit, and misconduct.   Breonna Taylor was only 26 years old when on May 13, 2020, she was shot and killed by officers serving a no-knock warrant. In all the chaos, her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, believed intruders were breaking into their apartment. To protect Breonna and himself, Walker fired his legally owned firearm in the officers’ direction one time. They fired back at them with over 30 rounds. As it turned out, the officers were looking for a suspect who was already in custody. 

The No-Knock Warrant

A judge issues the no-knock warrant to investigators at their request and with sufficient cause. It allows them to enter a possible suspect’s home without warning or announcing they are police officers.  The officer’s sought after Breonna’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, already arrested earlier that day. Officers had repeatedly stated that they announced themselves when they entered the apartment despite them having a no-knock warrant; Walker has adamantly denied this. Since Breonna’s death, no-knock warrants have been made illegal in Louisville, KY, and many other cities around the United States. 

The Arrest

After the officers entered Breonna’s apartment, discovered that she was deceased and that the suspect wasn’t present, they arrested Kenneth Walker for firing his weapon at them. Walker, who had just lost his partner, was detained for an officer’s attempted murder, a serious charge that carries a long sentence.  Two months later, the state dropped the ridiculous charges against Walker, and he was released. However, they made it clear to the public that a new indictment could be refiled against Walker at any time. He has since filed a lawsuit seeking full immunity. 

The Investigation 

There are many instances of police mishandling throughout Breonna’s case. A day after the grand jury failed to bring charges against the officers, more evidence surfaced. A body camera video was posted and uploaded on social media.  The video is from a camera worn by one of the officers the night the officers shot and killed Breonna. It clearly shows that strict policies put in place by the Louisville PD weren’t followed during the investigation.  At least one of the officers, Brett Hankison, was on the scene during the investigation. The Louisville PD’s policy states officers involved in a shooting shouldn’t be present during any inquisition into that shooting. This vital policy was put in place to ensure that all investigations are completed with the utmost integrity.

The Bribe 

July 2020, four months after Breonna’s death, detectives met with Jamarcus Glover, her ex-boyfriend. They offered him a much lighter sentence for a pending drug case if he would agree to one thing. He was offered probation rather than the 10-year jail sentence he was anticipating if he stated in writing that Breonna was involved in selling drugs with him.  Glover outright refused to implicate her and went public with the officials’ attempted bribe’s evidence. From the beginning, he’s stated that Breonna had nothing to do with selling drugs or that part of his life. 

The Grand Jury 

The case against the officer finally made it to the grand jury in September 2020. The court ruled that murder charges were not justified, and no one would be charged for shooting Breonna Taylor. One of the officers involved was charged with wanton endangerment because several of the bullets fired into Breonna’s apartment went through the neighboring apartment walls. The grand jury decided without being shown evidence by those fighting for justice for Breonna’s tragic and preventable death. State attorneys have the power to provide evidence of probable cause for filing charges or not. They never, from the beginning, exhibited any interest in filing charges against the three officers. It’s believed that no further evidence was put forth for the grand Jury to consider the officers’ wrongdoing regarding this case.  The United States criminal justice system is incredibly flawed. The systematic corruption found within the justice system leaves countless victims, like Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker, in its wake. The current system will continue to destroy lives until real change and reform occur.  Sources: https://apnews.com/article/breonna-taylor-louisville-shootings-archive-kentucky-d43364ca2db438cf3ed6933b39d243e1

Stanford’s David Sklansky on the Breonna Taylor Case, No-Knock Warrants, and Reform

JUDSON Bennett’s Coastal Network

OPINION   Dear friends,   I just finished watching the Trump event in Dalton Georgia on behalf of the run-off election for Senators Perdue and Loeffler. If these two conservative Senators do not win, the end of America as we know it will happen within a year. Before I get into some predictions and possibilities, I want to briefly discuss the taped conversation that the President had with the Georgia Secretary of State which was unethically recorded and released out of context to the Washington Post.   The conversation, although a waste of time on Trump’s part, was an attempt to settle the lawsuits that the Trump campaign has against the Secretary of State and the Georgia Department of Elections. Unfortunately, it is now being used as a diversion by the corrupt media to take away the fact that despite the Georgia Secretary of State’s claim to the contrary, the evidence of enough significant fraud in Fulton County, Georgia alone is enough to change the results of the Georgia election.   Unfortunately, Trump has managed again to get himself between the dog lifting his leg and the fireplug! He ends up getting pissed on by an unethical Secretary of State. Trump did nothing wrong and the press and the malicious liberals love to use it as a distraction!   I got the following e-mail attack from a Lewes, Delaware Liberal who has no understanding of the depth of the Georgia corruption or the reality of the Democrat move toward socialism and eventual communism. This is what the idiot said, “You mean to sit there and tell me you support Trump’s attempt to get the Georgia Secretary of State to cheat and “find” enough votes so he’ll win Georgia. If so sir you don’t deserve to live in a Democracy. Why don’t you move to Venezuela where your standards are more acceptable?” The vitriol was typical of this mean-spirited mentality.   The hypocrisy and the malicious agenda of the left is unbelievable. This individual is ignorant beyond belief, but is dangerous because he supports the socialist agenda that Biden, et al will generate. Folks the push towards a complete take-over of your lives and a lifelike Venezuela is what you are going to get if the Democrats prevail in the State of Georgia.   Without a doubt, Biden as President will be bad enough and will implement changes that will affect our lives. However, if we lose Georgia, we lose the Senate, and then God help us. If that happens this is what you can expect: 1) A significant tax increase, 2) Loss of your 2nd amendment and right to bear arms, 3) Elimination of the filibuster rule in the Senate, 4) Making Washington DC and Puerto Rico states with 4 new liberal Senators, 5) Elimination of the Electoral College, 6) Increasing the supreme Court to 15 Justices, 7) Medicare for All, 8) Open borders, and 9) The total move toward Socialism leading to Communism. A guaranteed life of mediocrity and hardship.   Folks, Georgia is on my mind and we have to hold the line there.   As always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated.   Respectfully Submitted,   JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network CoastalNetwork.com

Under the leadership of John Carney, Delaware’s government has been criticized for lack of openness and transparency in its decision-making process. This has opened the door to many corruption incidents over the years. One such case is the controversial corrupt land deal that implicates the governor’s administration for selling public land to a political insider for pennies on the dollar. According to records, the state of Delaware purchased 11 acres of land during the 2008 economic crash for 2.78 million dollars, and in 2018, the land was sold to John Paradee for $275,000. This led to the state losing $2,525,000 of tax-payers’ money in the deal. According to the Freedom Information Act, this transaction did not follow due process. Six months after the sale, State senator Trey Paradee, John Paradee’s brother, passed a tax law, making the property more valuable. Two weeks later, the 11-acre land plus the adjacent 10 acres were put on the market for $6.5 million. John Paradee is a well-known political insider- a major supporter and fundraiser of Delaware’s Governor John Carney. He is also Jackie Paradee Mette’s brother, who is Carney’s current legal counsel, and former campaign finance director during the 2016 elections.

The Sale Process Didn’t Follow Procedure

This deal violated Title 17, Chapter 1, section 137(b) 3, of the U.S Code which states that all public land sales must be done at a public auction, and a notice must be given. The Code also states that public land should be sold at no less than 85% of its evaluation value at the time of sale. A public auction was not held during the sale and the public was not notified. The land was also sold at a lower price than its appraisal value. After an evaluation by the Delaware Department of Transportation, the property met only two out of the five required characteristics for minimal independent utility, and it was reported to have potential for commercial development. According to emails acquired by the Freedom Information Act, full information was not disclosed to an adjacent property owner interested in purchasing the land. In the email exchange between John Paradee and an employee of the transportation department overseeing the transaction, the employee was worried that what they were doing was not right and could land them in trouble.

Introduction of the Tax Subsidy

Six months after the transaction, Senator Trey Paradee passed the lodging tax bill in the state’s General Assembly. This legislation increased the Delaware lodging tax from 8% to 11%. The extra tax proceeds were supposed to fund the state’s Turf Sports Complex, where John Paradee was a board member. The Sports Complex was already leasing an 85-acre land from Kent County for only one dollar and was partially guaranteed a $20 million construction bond. While there are many questions still left unanswered from this controversial land deal, it’s clear that it happened under the leadership of Governor John Carney.TikTok, a popular social networking app similar to the now-defunct Vine, has recently come under fire from President Trump, who in August announced his intention to ban the Chinese-owned app in the United States under national security grounds. The deadline for the ban has been repeatedly extended as companies like Microsoft, Walmart, and Oracle scramble to acquire TikTok’s US operations. Yet controversy surrounding TikTok goes back further than this year. The company has repeatedly engaged in downright reprehensible behavior, forgoing Western values like freedom of speech and equality in pursuit of never-ending growth. While American companies like Facebook and Twitter have been criticized by Republicans in congress for allegedly censoring conservative voices, TikTok’s rules go even further, removing content showing underprivileged people, as well as those with autism, obesity, and other visible disabilities. The company feared that displaying people with undesirable visual attributes would reduce user engagement. User engagement measures the amount of time a typical user spends on the app, a critical metric for companies like TikTok, which rely primarily on ad revenue. By prioritizing rich and beautiful users, the company sought to increase the amount of time the average user spent on the app, and therefore increase the value of the company. TikTok employed moderators to flag content displaying these features. Flagged content was not removed, but it wouldn’t be shown on the app’s “for you” page, which uses artificial intelligence to find content a user is most likely to enjoy. While flagged posts would still appear on a content creator’s individual page, the spread of such content was vastly reduced. TikTok claimed that it instituted this policy to prevent bullying. By requiring users to specifically seek out content from disabled people, TikTok hoped to limit unscrupulous users from using it as a platform for hate. Still, Liam Hackett, a British anti-bullying activist, saw it another way, telling the BBC, “it is concerning that young people with disabilities have been actively excluded from participating on a platform that prides itself as being fun and inclusive.” After widespread public outcry, TikTok discontinued the practice. Even after revising its content policies, TikTok continues to censor content it finds objectionable. Posts about the Tiananmen Square massacre, where Chinese soldiers killed up to 10,000 pro-government protesters in Beijing, continue to be banned, as well as discussion about Taiwanese and Tibetan independence. Discussion of these topics is illegal in China, where TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is based. While TikTok’s future in the United States remains to be seen, its past actions show the company has no qualms about doing what is necessary to increase brand value regardless of the moral cost.    In 1776, the Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia, just 30 miles north of Delaware, to draft the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the fundamental right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today, Delaware has abandoned the core principles enshrined in that document: lives are in danger, liberty is under attack, and happiness is at an all-time low. COVID-19 is the greatest public health crisis in American history. President Trump has shied away from federal mandates, allowing states and local governments to determine the policies best for their regions. In Delaware, Governor John Carney’s administration has propagated ineffective and shortsighted regulations that have done little to stop the spread of the virus, at a huge cost to the economy, mental health, and personal freedom At the beginning of the pandemic, Governor Carney issued a statewide mask mandate. This mandate failed to include any exemption for people with asthma, COPD, PTSD, or other conditions that prevent them from safely wearing a mask. New Hampshire, another East Coast state with a similar population to Delaware, did not have a mask mandate until November 20th, and yet has half as many positive coronavirus cases, and a third as many deaths. On March 21st, Governor Carney declared a State of Emergency, shutting down all non-essential businesses until June 1st. At the time, Delaware had less than 100 positive COVID-19 cases. Even with the shutdown, case numbers continued to climb before peaking in mid-April. The World Health Organization has since advocated against lockdowns, except when necessary to prevent overloading the medical system In retrospect, it seems unlikely that the healthcare system would have become overwhelmed, even without a lockdown. Sweden never fully locked down, and the healthcare system there remained below capacity. New York City, which experienced the highest number of coronavirus cases per capita in the United States early on in the pandemic, never ran out of ventilators. The State of Utah never instated a statewide lockdown, yet total deaths per capita remain less than one third as high as Delaware. Even if a shutdown had been necessary, it came with a great economic cost. Delaware expects to lose $749 million in projected tax revenue through March of next year. Small businesses across the country are suffering. Over 163,000 companies have closed nationwide, most of them permanently. In Delaware, the unemployment rate remains above 8%, over twice as high as this time last year. State leaders also did a poor job deciding which places to close during the shutdown. As part of the initial State of Emergency, the governor closed Delaware’s beaches. COVID-19 transmission rates are significantly lower outdoors than indoors, and beaches provide an ideal environment for social distancing. The order also limited churches to a 10-person capacity, and required pastors to wear a mask during their sermons. Congregants over 65 weren’t even allowed to attend church. Finally, after weeks of widespread public outcry and the threat of a lawsuit, the Governor lifted the most severe restrictions. Lockdowns also profoundly hurt mental health. Drug overdose deaths in Delaware are up 60% since last year. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in June, 10% of those surveyed nationwide admitted to seriously considering suicide within the past 30 days. Overall, Delaware has done a very poor job of handling the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Carney could stand to learn from the less interventionist policies of Governor Herbert of Utah, or Governor Sununu of New Hampshire. Education on the importance of mask wearing and social distancing is more fair and effective than a heavy-handed regulatory approach.While many people get anxious flying on an airplane, air travel has historically been the safest mode of transportation. In terms of fatalities per miles traveled, planes are 6 times safer than trains, 104 times safer than cars, and over 3000 times safer than motorcycles. Advances in technology continuously make strides in air travel safety, with planes becoming 30 times safer from those in 1975 to those in 2008. Yet a recent spate of accidents involving the Boeing 737 Max has made many skeptical of these statistics and tarnished the reputation of Boeing, which at the time was the world’s largest airplane manufacturer. On October 29, 2018, a 737 Max flown by Lion Air, an Indonesian Airline, crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Jakarta. Less than 6 months later, an Ethiopian Airlines plane of the same model crashed into the desert near Nairobi just six minutes after takeoff. The safety of the aircraft was immediately called into question, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the grounding of all Boeing 737 Max planes pending an investigation. Professor Arnold Barnett, from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, calculated that flying on a 737 Max was 20 times more dangerous than the average commercial aircraft. Later, investigators determined that both crashes were caused by an issue with the plane’s navigation system, specifically the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MACS). That system was intended to prevent the plane from stalling out, but a sensor failure caused pilots to lose control of the aircraft’s stabilizer system, causing the plane to dive into the ground. The system, not found on older 737 aircraft, was necessary to accommodate the bigger engines that distinguished the 737 Max from its predecessors. This disastrous flaw was predicated by a fatal lapse in judgment by employees on the 737 Max design team. Engineers knew that a failure of the sensor responsible for the MCAS system could be “catastrophic.” A pilot hired to fly the plane in a simulator during the design process commented that the MCAS system was “running rampant,” and a brief moment of inattention on the part of an inexperienced pilot could result in a crash. Boeing’s gross negligence in allowing these planes to fly resulted in the tragic death of 346 people. No one at the company has been charged criminally.  The free market worked its own punishment for Boeing for what happened with the 737 Max. The company lost over $20 billion as a result of the issue. Boeing’s stock dropped 23% within the 9 months following the Ethiopian Airlines crash, and it was also surpassed by Europe’s Airbus as the top airplane manufacturer worldwide.  Last week, the FAA finally gave the approval for the 737 Max planes to return to the sky, after Boeing updated the plane’s internal software to prevent future crashes. Budget-strapped Alaska Air quickly swooped in to lease 13 of the planes, but it remains to be seen whether the public will ever trust flying on a 737 Max again.  The Delaware Court of Chancery has a diversity problem, but they don’t want the public to know this. Out of the seven members of the Chancery Court, there are currently no people of color represented. It is an entirely white court. However, the official photo used on the Delaware Courts website attempts to tell a different story. This photo shows Tamika Montgomery-Reeves, a Black woman, as a Vice Chancellor. However, Montgomery-Reeves has moved on from the Chancery Court and is now a Justice on the Delaware Supreme Court. When she left the court, she was replaced by Paul A. Fioravanti, a white man who is not seen in the picture. This photo represents a major issue with Governor John Carney’s administration. He has failed to protect people of color in Delaware. Only 15 percent of the state’s top judges are Black, but the Delaware prison system disproportionately targets people of color. Over half of the inmates in Delaware are Black, despite Black people making up only 23 percent of the state population. Several factors contribute to this statistical problem, but one of them certainly must be the lack of diversity in John Carney’s courts. Rather than improve representation in the courts, Carney’s administration uses outdated pictures to appear as though they are more diverse than they are. These practices have adverse effects on the state’s minority populations and lead to unjust legal treatment. For example, Barry Croft, a white supremacist, was pardoned by Governor John Carney’s all-white Board of Pardons. He then went on to be involved in the plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Meanwhile, inmates of Delaware prison, who are disproportionately Black, are left in dangerous conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several inmates have died from the disease due to mismanagement of the prison system. Governor Carney’s courts fail to provide necessary protection for the state’s most vulnerable populations. This danger extends beyond the courts as well, as Delaware police are also predominately white. Since 2005, Delaware police have shot 56 people and have killed 30. Half of the victims have been Black, and in every shooting, the officers involved were not charged. Delaware is witnessing a legal system in which white police and white judges are determining the fates of white lives, and they are failing at a dangerous level. In the Chancery Court photo, Tamika Montgomery-Reeves is shown to be a Vice Chancellor despite having moved on to the Supreme Court. While this may seem like a small detail at first glance, it is representative of a much larger issue. Governor John Carney’s administration fails to represent Delaware’s people of color, who face an overwhelmingly white legal system. OPINION

Dear Friends,

If Joe Biden prevails and the massive fraud on the American Presidential election is allowed to stand, folks you are going to see drastic changes in your lives that are unprecedented. The Pandemic, in my opinion, created and unleashed by the Communist Chinese, financially connected to Joe Biden and his son Hunter, regardless of the outcome of the Georgia Senate elections, will and has been used as a tool to control our lives.

Indeed, the Coronavirus is dangerous, however, as the fatality rate is very small and only those who are elderly or have pre-existing conditions have to be concerned. I am diabetic and I have to be more careful. I personally take that responsibility, as we all should.

However, to literally put people out of business, by inhibiting, restricting, and limiting production and sales because of the Coronavirus is beyond absurd. That is exactly what is happening in Delaware where the officious and wrongful priority by a Governor, to literally destroy people’s incomes, because of a controversial opinion of a few scientists, is in my view criminal.

Lockdowns do not stop the virus. As soon as the lockdown is lifted, it comes right back! A vaccine, which is apparently imminent, hopefully will solve the problem of the recent boost in actual cases. Until then, it gives Governor John Carney another excuse to institute his dictatorial authority.

Delaware, with all of its corruption (The Delaware Way, including every aspect of the 3 branches of government, especially the Chancery Court) is and will continue to be a microcosm of Joe Biden’s insidious experiment. For all intents and purposes, John Carney is a pupil of Joe Biden’s and his failed government was only reelected because the whole Biden scenario is so entrenched with the New Castle County Blacks, Union laborers, and unemployed liberals, that regardless of devastating Delaware’s economy, the Delawareans blindly follow Carney into financial destitution under the guise that it is a real emergency.

The business people who have been crushed by Carney’s prohibitions and probably will go completely under once Carney’s new restrictions take hold, have some disturbing things to say. Unfortunately, people who own businesses are in a huge minority in liberal Delaware, and will always be usurped by the left-wing mob. This left-wing Democrat state, that makes 1/3 of its income from the franchise taxes from incorporations, ironically is one of the most business-unfriendly states in America.

As always your comments are welcome and appreciated. God bless America!

Respectfully yours,

JUDSON Bennett-Coastal Network