Declarations

Ransomware Payments

“As long as there is money flowing to ransomware criminals, this is a problem that will continue to grow.”

— Anne Neuberger, U.S. deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters after 40 countries in a U.S.-led alliance agreed to sign a pledge never to pay ransom to cybercriminals and to work toward eliminating the hackers’ funding mechanism. The International Counter Ransomware Initiative comes as the number of ransomware attacks grows worldwide. The United States accounts for 46% of such attacks.

Pennsylvania Gas Explosion

“Every citizen deserves to feel safe in their own homes, unaffected by the environmental hazards created by large corporations.”

— Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said after charges were filed against a company over a natural gas explosion that leveled a house and injured a western Pennsylvania family five years ago. The criminal complaint alleges methane gas in an underground storage reservoir owned and operated by Equitrans L.P. migrated upward into a deteriorating company storage well and eventually reached the Greene County home, leading to the blast on Halloween in 2018. All three family members sustained burns and the house was destroyed.

Predatory Landlords

“Despite the issues with predatory landlords in north Minneapolis being widely known, the City of Minneapolis has consistently failed to take action.”

— States a lawsuit accusing the city of Minneapolis of discrimination by lax housing code enforcement, especially for rental properties in a part of the city with high populations of people of color. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of eight current and former residents of the city’s north side. It seeks to force the city to assign more housing code inspectors to north Minneapolis, where residents have for years complained of landlords who allow properties to fall into disrepair but face few consequences. No financial settlement is being sought.

Contractor Fined for Fatal Fall

“The risks of serious and fatal injuries for people working at these heights are well-known and no step should ever be overlooked during the process of inspecting the worksite for hazards.”

— Jessica Bookman, acting area director for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said after finding that a Louisiana contractor failed to use correct safety equipment that would have prevented a fatal fall at an electric car plant construction site in Georgia. OSHA fined Eastern Contractors Inc., based in Geismar, Louisiana, the maximum allowed by federal law – $160,724 – after Victor Javier Cajija Gamboa fell 60 feet to his death in April.

Financial Opportunity?

“What a great financial opportunity. Except, oops, it sure sounds like they’d be making money on the backs of suffering homeowners, their constituents.”

— Stated an editorial in the Miami Herald after Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, reportedly pitched investment opportunities in a startup property insurance company in Florida. The Herald and the Tampa Bay Times reported that Gruters, an accountant by trade, sent potential investors, including some fellow lawmakers, information on startup Village Protection Insurance, promising potential returns of 165% over five years.

United Airlines Sued

“United fosters an environment of inclusion and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We believe this lawsuit is without merit and intend to defend ourselves vigorously.”

— United Airlines said in a statement after being sued by two longtime flight attendants who say they were excluded from highly coveted assignments to work on charter flights for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team because of their racial background and age. In a complaint filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Dawn Todd and Darby Quezada said they were passed over in favor of flight attendants who were “white, young, thin women who are predominately blond and blue-eyed,” and fit a “certain look” that the Dodgers players liked.

Topics Pennsylvania