LJC In The News
Right-to-Work Court Case Could Have National Impact on Unions
(Fox News)—A landmark right-to-work lawsuit playing out in Illinois has captured widespread attention amid expectations the case could land before the Supreme Court – and potentially have national implications for an estimated 20 million government workers. The president of the Liberty Justice Center, who’s representing the three plaintiffs in the...
Chicago Made Their Business Illegal, Now Vugo is Fighting Back
(Illinois Policy Institute)—Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel brands his city as “the digital mecca of the Midwest.” But what happens when politicians tilt the playing field toward entrenched interests? Enter Vugo, a promising Midwest tech startup now suing the city for banning its business. Starting up James Bellefeuille used to moonlight...
Chicago Sued for Prohibiting Ads in Uber, Lyft Cars
(CBS)—The City of Chicago is being sued for prohibiting advertising in ridesharing vehicles, such as those from Uber or Lyft. WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports. The lawsuit is filed on behalf of Vugo, a company that wants to put targeted video ads in ridesharing cars. Jeffrey Schwab, staff attorney...
Lawsuit Blasts New Airbnb Regulations
(Fox News)—A lawsuit has been filed to stop a new ordinance that would put stricter regulations on people who share their homes through sites like Airbnb. The ordinance is set to take effect in just a few weeks, but this lawsuit is seeking a preliminary injunction to stop that. The...
Tuesday’s Election Will Set Unhappy Union Workers Free
(Wall Street Journal)—One of the most intriguing political shifts Tuesday was Donald Trump’s relative popularity with union members. Exit polls show that Hillary Clinton did not win union households in nearly the numbers that President Obama did in 2012. Although major unions like the AFL-CIO supported Mrs. Clinton, millions in...
Liberty Justice Center Backs Illinois Citizens in State Auditor General Fight
(Madison St. Clair Record)—An Illinois citizen who is taking action against the state’s auditor general in what he alleges is a violation of campaign disclosure laws has gained support from the Liberty Justice Center. The group is providing representation for David Cooke of Streator in a fight against Auditor General...
Same-Day Voter Registration at Issue in Illinois Lawsuit
(San Diego Union Tribune)—A federal lawsuit has raised questions about whether Illinois’ new Election Day voter registration rules are constitutional, a situation that could complicate how polling sites are run this November. Illinois tested same-day registration in the 2014 governor’s race, with all election authorities required to offer it in...
Lawsuit Filed over SEIU Representation
(State Journal-Register)—A new federal lawsuit has been filed saying that child care providers and home caregivers are having their First Amendment rights violated by being forced into a labor union. The lawsuit, filed by the Liberty Justice Center and the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, is seeking to...
Caregivers Sue to Block Union Bond
(Chicago Daily Law Bulletin)—Six caregivers filed a lawsuit today accusing the state of Illinois of trampling on their First Amendment rights by requiring them to accept union representation against their will.The state is violating their rights to free association and to petition the government by granting a particular union —...
Inside the Legal Challenge to Chicago’s 9 Percent Netflix Tax
(Motherboard Vice)—The city of Chicago has little to do with how its residents stream Netflix, Hulu, or Spotify, play Xbox Live, or use Amazon Prime. So why are its residents paying the city a 9 percent tax to use those services? A newly filed lawsuit may help determine whether cities...
Netflix and Amazon Users Sue to Stop Chicago’s 9% Streaming Tax
(Fortune)—It’s on. Subscribers to popular streaming services, including XBox Live and Spotify, have filed a lawsuit that claims the city of Chicago’s controversial tax policy on digital entertainment is illegal. The challenge to the tax policy, filed last week in Cook County state court, is important because it could help...
City of Chicago Sued for ‘Trying to Sneak in’ a Nine Per Cent ‘Netflix Tax’ on Streaming Websites including Spotify and Amazon Prime
(Daily Mail)—The City of Chicago is being sued for allegedly attempting to sneak in a nine per cent ‘amusement tax’ on streaming sites like Netflix, Spotify and Amazon Prime. A lawsuit filed against the Illinois city claims it had no legal right to bring in the levy which could lead...
Chicago’s Tax of Netflix, Spotify Subscriptions Challenged in Court
(Hollywood Reporter)—Legal group says city can’t levy Netflix’s video streaming service if the tax does not apply to the video-by-mail service. The City of Chicago’s recent move to extend its 9 percent “amusement tax” to streaming services is an abuse of authority, claims the Liberty Justice Center in a lawsuit...
Unions Battle for Survival in Key Strongholds as Court Cases Challenge Forced Dues
(Fox News)—The future of public and private unions in two big labor-friendly states may be at stake as foes mount aggressive legal challenges over the long-controversial practice of mandatory dues. The court cases in Illinois and California revolve around so-called “fair share” payments, or the dues unions extract from workers...
Looking Back at Downers Grove’s Biggest Stories in 2014
(My Suburban Life)—What happened: The village is enforcing a new sign ordinance after a nine-year grace period. The ordinance only allows business signs to face driveable right-of-ways, like roads, and not train tracks, like the Metra/BNSF line. The ordinance also doesn’t allow painted wall signs outside downtown. Robert Peterson’s Leibundguth...