Attorney General Griffin Hails Decision in Title IX case as a win for Arkansas women and girls

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement regarding the preliminary injunction issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri in Arkansas v. U.S. Department of Education halting the implementation of the Biden-Harris administration’s new rule interpreting Title IX:

“Today’s ruling is a victory for women and girls in Arkansas and across the nation as yet again a federal court has stopped the Biden-Harris administration from going around Congress to implement a ridiculous, nonsensical, and illegal election-year move.

“Congress enacted Title IX to protect and promote educational opportunities for women and girls. This preliminary injunction halts the administration’s plan to allow men into women’s and girls’ locker rooms, restrooms, and showers. It stops the administration’s plan to allow males onto girls’ sports teams. It also protects teachers, administrators, and students from the threat of investigation or sanction for disagreeing with the gender ideology of the Biden-Harris White House. And it comes just in time before the start of the new school year.

“I congratulate Solicitor General Nicholas Bronni and Deputy Solicitor General Dylan Jacobs for their diligence that led to today’s victory.”

Griffin filed the suit on May 7 and was joined by the attorneys general of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and an Arkansas high-school athlete.

To read the order, click here.

To read the original lawsuit, click here.

Judge blocks part of SAVE loan forgiveness plans after Arkansas sues

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A judge has blocked part of a Biden era policy to forgive student loans.

The multi-state lawsuit was brought on by seven states including Arkansas, represented by Attorney General Tim Griffin. The suit was against President Joe Biden, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and the Department of Education.

The Savings on Valuable Education or “SAVE” plan changes the income threshold for paying back student loans. The plan also forgives loan borrowers after 120 payments if their balances are below $12,000. U.S. District Judge John Ross blocked that part of the law relating to loan forgiveness. It was set to take effect on July 1, and would have amounted to billions in loan forgiveness.

Judge blocks part of SAVE loan forgiveness plans after Arkansas sues

Susan Haejin Lee/NPR

Billions in student debt will not be forgiven after a judge blocked parts of the SAVE plan from going into effect.

Attorneys General Griffin and Bailey file Title IX suit on behalf of six states alongside Arkansas high school athlete

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey today issued the following statements after filing suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on behalf of four other state attorneys general alongside an Arkansas high school athlete against the U.S. Department of Education over its new rule interpreting Title IX:

“The overwhelming majority of Americans see the Biden administration’s rule change for what it is: a ridiculous, nonsensical and illegal election-year move that few can comprehend or support. It’s outrageous.

“Congress enacted Title IX to protect and promote opportunities for women and girls in education and sports. For the last half century, that’s what it has done. But President Biden and his Department of Education now want to radically reinterpret Title IX and recast it as a rule about gender identity.

“The rule we’re challenging today requires schools and universities to allow men onto women and girls’ sports teams. It robs young female athletes of opportunities. It forces schools and universities to allow men into women and girls locker rooms, restrooms, and shower facilities. It compels teachers, administrators, and even fellow students to use an individual’s preferred pronouns. And it subjects anyone who disagrees with President Biden’s view of sex to investigation and possible sanction.

“That contravenes Title IX’s plain language, and it violates the Constitution. That’s why we’re challenging it, and it’s also why we’re confident the federal courts will set aside this unlawful regulation. I am proud to stand with my fellow attorneys general and one of my constituents against President Biden’s latest attempt to push forward by fiat what Congress never passed into law and to defend the laws we’ve passed in Arkansas to protect female athletes.”

Attorney General Bailey added:

“Joe Biden is once again exceeding his constitutional authority, this time to put a radical transgender ideology ahead of the safety of women and girls. As the father of a young daughter, I take this personally. The Biden Administration has threatened to hold federal funding hostage from any institution who rejects this unconstitutional and sexist rule. I’m filing suit because I will not allow federal bureaucrats to subject Missouri girls to unsafe conditions in order to push a radical transgender ideology.”

The suit, filed by the attorneys general of Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and an Arkansas high school athlete asks the court to stay the rule; grant a preliminary injunction preventing the rule’s implementation; enter a judgment that the Department of Education’s interpretation is unlawful; and vacate the rule.

The lawsuit can be read here.

Missouri chicken farmers sue Tyson Foods for breach of contract

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

A group of contract growers that supplied chickens to Tyson Foods’ slaughter and processing plant in Dexter, Mo., have sued the company claiming a breach of contract following a plant closure in October.

The suit was filed Dec. 22 with the Circuit Court of Stoddard County, located in southeast Missouri.

The farmers claim Tyson executives knew as early as November 2021 that the company planned to cease operations in Dexter but withheld that information from growers who said they incurred more debt and made additional investments in their farms without knowledge that their contracts would end.

The plaintiffs seek $25,000 each and additional relief for damages relating to their loss of income resulting from the closure.

Missouri chicken farmers sue Tyson Foods for breach of contract

Former Politician Involved In Adoption Scheme To Be Sentenced In January

Prosecutors in Arkansas will seek a 10-year prison sentence next week for a former Arizona politician who acknowledged running an illegal adoption scheme in three states involving women from the Marshall Islands.

Prosecutors said former Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen defrauded state courts, violated an international adoption compact and took advantage of birth mothers.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/former-politician-involved-adoption-scheme-be-sentenced-january

Former Politician Involved In Adoption Scheme To Be Sentenced In January

Prosecutors in Arkansas will seek a 10-year prison sentence next week for a former Arizona politician who acknowledged running an illegal adoption scheme in three states involving women from the Marshall Islands. Prosecutors said former Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen defrauded state courts, violated an international adoption compact and took advantage of birth mothers.