05.10.11
“Loser Pays” - the other bad bill the GOP rammed through the House yesterday
Via Think Progress, Texas GOP Rams Koch-Backed ‘Loser Pays’ Bill Through House, Making It Harder To Sue Corporations.
David Koch and their corporate giant, Koch Industries, have played an extensive role in thecorporate takeover of government, both at the state and federal level. This weekend, another of the Kochs’ projects surfaced in Texas, as the state’s Republican lawmakers rammed through a Koch-backed bill that would make it harder for consumers, workers, and small business owners to bring civil suits against corporations.
House Bill 274 — dubbed the “Loser Pays” bill — passed the state House Saturday with no amendments and no debate after Gov. Rick Perry (R) deemed it “emergency legislation,” rushing it to the top of the legislative agenda. Under the bill, those who sue corporations could be held responsible for the defendants’ legal fees if they lose the case — and in some instances, even if they win. If the court sides with the plaintiff, but awards a smaller amount than the defendant offered in a potential settlement, the plaintiff could be forced to pay the defendant’s court costs, even if those costs exceed the amount awarded to the plaintiff. For this reason, state Rep. Craig Eiland (D) wanted to rename the bill the “loser-pays-but-sometimes-the-winner pays-too” bill.
The law could intimidate potential plaintiffs into avoiding lawsuits against corporations, because they could be on the hook for massive legal fees if the court ultimately doesn’t side with them.
Not surprisingly, among the bill’s biggest proponent are large corporations, including Koch Industries, Chevron, and G.E., which all lobbied on its behalf. Also backing the bill is the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a non-profit front group funded largely by corporations, including Koch Industries and three other Koch-owned companies: Georgia Pacific, Invista, and Flint Hills Resources.
This is not a surprise with so much Koch money flooding into Texas. The Texas GOP was forced to circumvent the rules to pass this stinker.
jackross said,
May 11, 2011 at 8:33 am
There doesn’t seem to be an end to Big Corporations sticking it to Joe Public, with the ever so helping hand of GOP, always ready to prostitute itself to the lowest stage for a buck.
And right now, what we see is a bonanza of abusive bills, and they are doing it in all impunity, and GOP are like pigs revelling their its own sh*t.
But, as Marie-Antoinette learned the hard way, there WILL BE a breaking for Joe Public. A point where Joe Public will realize he’s been played by GOP whores laughing all the way to the bank.
If John Boehner thinks the Tea Party is a “revolution” like he’s never seen, I’ve got a few words for him: watch out! There will be payback time, and it will be quite a sight to watch the GOP run for cover like rats abandoning ship.
Just look at members of recent and distant overly abusive regimes that have been kicked down over the years. History about to repeat itself.
wcnews said,
May 11, 2011 at 12:40 pm
I truly believe that as happened in during the Great Depression, nothing of consequence will happen until “Joe Public” - the people - feel real pain and demand that things change. And the rich and corporations must have something worse to fear than losing some money, they have to be fearful that the whole system will collapse unless something changes.