Kanye Will ‘Learn What It’s Like To Be’ Alex Jones Amid George Floyd Suit

Kanye West will likely see a legal fate similar to that of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, a legal expert has warned, after the rapper was hit with a $250 million lawsuit by the family of George Floyd.

During an appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, West discussed Candace Owens’ new documentary The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and the Rise of BLM and alleged that Floyd’s death was caused by synthetic opioid fentanyl and not asphyxiation, which medical experts determined was the cause of death.

“They hit [Floyd] with the fentanyl. If you look, the guy’s knee wasn’t even on his neck like that,” West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, said on the podcast.

Attorneys for Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd’s daughter, who is a minor, announced on Tuesday that they were working to file a $250 million lawsuit for “misappropriation, defamation and infliction of emotional distress” against West.

Nuru Witherspoon, attorney and founder of Witherspoon Law Group, said in a press release: “The interests of the child are priority. George Floyd’s daughter is being retraumatized by Kanye West’s comments and he’s creating an unsafe and unhealthy environment for her.”

“Kanye’s comments are a repugnant attempt to discount George Floyd’s life and to profit from his inhumane death. We will hold Mr. West accountable for his flagrant remarks against Mr. Floyd’s legacy,” said attorney Pat D. Dixon III with Dixon & Dixon Attorneys at Law.

Floyd was a Black man who was killed by police officers in Minneapolis, in May 2020. His death caused worldwide protests after a video circulated online showing officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as he gasped for breath.

Amid questions over whether Floyd’s family will prevail in pursuit of legal action against West, attorney Andrew Lieb, managing partner at New York firm Lieb at Law, P.C., told Newsweek that the musician may face consequences similar to Jones.

Infowars founder Jones last week was ordered by a Connecticut jury to pay the family members of eight Sandy Hook victims and an FBI agent who responded to the 2012 school shooting $965 million for describing the massacre as a hoax.

Jones was found liable for defamation after spending years describing the shooting, in which 20 first-graders and six school administrators were killed, as a hoax and accusing the victims involved of being actors complicit in staging the deadly tragedy. Prosecutors were asking for $550 million.

This is the second multimillion-dollar verdict against Jones, who was ordered in August to pay $4 million in compensatory damages and $45.2 million in punitive damages to another set of parents whose child was killed in the Sandy Hook shooting.

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David Schwartz Named Best Defense Lawyer and Super Lawyer for 10th Straight Year

NEWS PROVIDED BY
Attorney David Schwartz

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — David Schwartz, an internationally recognized trial lawyer, defense attorney and lobbyist has just been named a Super lawyer in the 2022 edition of Super Lawyers magazine, a premiere legal publication, for the 10th straight year. David Schwartz is also an AV rated trial attorney which is the highest designation that an attorney can achieve.

David Schwartz is also a founding partner of Gotham Government Relations & Communications, a well-known lobbying and government relations firm with offices in New York City and Garden City.

“Our firm has never been busier on both the lobbying side and litigation, and it is going to be a very exciting time of change for our firm. We will be making major announcements in the coming months detailing our expansion and new offices. At Gotham, we will be also set for the crucial session in Albany, regardless of who is successful in the upcoming elections,” said David Schwartz, Esq.

Also on display is our new SchwartzDefense logo and rebranding of http://criminallawyerny.com which combines our lobbying and legal brands under one logo in which we offer the unique services of:

Advocacy in the Court of Law
Advocacy in the Court of Government
Advocacy in the Court of Public Opinion
David Schwartz has spent his entire legal career practicing law as a litigator, and for the past decade he has built a sterling reputation as a lobbyist and advocate on behalf of businesses, trade associations, not-for-profits, and individuals.

Whether it is in the courtroom defending and advocating on behalf of litigants in high profile criminal and civil cases, or in the halls of the Capital, David exhibits the same philosophy and attitude: to advocate aggressively and passionately for the client. Mr. Schwartz has represented clients at all ends of the spectrum including some of the largest companies in America to some of the least fortunate in our society on criminal matters.

The news of Mr. Schwartz’s honors comes on the heels of his firm’s aggressive expansion on both the legal and lobbying fronts. “I am both humbled and honored to chosen as a Super Lawyer for 10 years in a row as well as chosen by my peers, judges and other legal professionals as an AV rated attorney,” said David Schwartz.

The Schwartz Defense team will be adding new partners and key strategic components in the coming months to make our brand and our unique services of advocacy in multiple arenas even stronger than it already is.

Media Contact:
Mark Goldman
516-639-0988
346184@email4pr.com

SOURCE Attorney David Schwartz

Kim Kardashian’s Crypto Bust Fine ‘Virtually Meaningless’ Given Her Wealth

By Emma Nolan

Kim Kardashian’s fine for illegally promoting a cryptocurrency product without disclosing she was paid to do so is “virtually meaningless” given her billionaire status, a lawyer has said.

The reality TV star and influencer is worth $1.8 billion, according to Forbes, so her $1.26 million fine won’t make much of a dent in her earnings, or serve as a worthwhile penalty.

On Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said that it had settled for $1.26 million in a case against the 41-year-old for not disclosing that she had been paid $250,000 to promote a crypto token sold by EthereumMax.

Kardashian settled the charges without admitting to or denying the allegations and will pay $1.26 million in penalties, disgorgement (repayment of profits from illegal transactions) and interest. The Skims shapewear founder has agreed to cooperate with the agency’s ongoing investigation.

On her Instagram account in June 2021, Kardashian promoted the EMAX tokens, sold by EthereumMax, to her 330 million-plus followers for a $250,000 payment.

She included the hashtag #ad with her post, but SEC officials said that is not enough to comply with laws surrounding financial investments and securities.

“Kim Kardashian is now a known touter having settled an SEC charge for violating the anti-touting provisions of federal securities laws,” Andrew M. Lieb, managing partner of Lieb at Law, P.C., with a practice focus on litigation and compliance, told Newsweek.

“All influencers are now on notice of the limits of freedom of speech when it comes to pushing financial investments without disclosing personal interest in the advice.

“In a settlement with the SEC, Kardashian will pay $1.26 million concerning civil charges that she touted the crypto asset, EthereumMax, on Instagram, without disclosing that she was paid a quarter-million dollars to do the plug,” Lieb said, but the attorney questioned whether this penalty with have much impact.

“That said, is being labeled a touter enough of a punishment for her, given that her estimated net worth of $1.8 billion makes this fine virtually meaningless to her in terms of serving as a penalty?”

Newsweek has contacted Kardashian’s representatives for comment.

Lawyer David M. Schwartz from Schwartz Defense said that Kardashian wasn’t aware she was violating any rules with her social-media post.

“Illegally touting a stock or a form of cryptocurrency is a violation of the anti-touting act if the payment to tout that stock is not disclosed,” Schwartz told Newsweek.

“It is both an SEC violation and under certain circumstances can be considered criminal behavior as well,” he said.

“I’m sure Kardashian did not realize she was violating the statute, and that is why all of these types of promotion deals should be reviewed by competent counsel.”

SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement on Monday that Kardashian’s case is “a reminder that, when celebrities or influencers endorse investment opportunities, including crypto-asset securities, it doesn’t mean that those investment products are right for all investors.”

Gensler added: “Ms. Kardashian’s case also serves as a reminder to celebrities and others that the law requires them to disclose to the public when and how much they are paid to promote investing in securities.”

Kardashian’s lawyer Michael Rhodes said the star was pleased to have resolved the case on Monday.

“She wanted to get this matter behind her to avoid a protracted dispute. The agreement she reached with the SEC allows her to do that, so that she can move forward with her many different business pursuits,” Rhodes said in a statement, according to Reuters.

News of the SEC fine and settlement comes following Kardashian’s September announcement that she launched a new private equity firm focused on investing in consumer and media businesses.