Merck

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 08.14.17

* In case you were confused with Trump's position on white supremacy because he condemned Nazis today, Trump is reportedly thinking of pardoning Sheriff Joe. Actions speak louder than two-day late statements read without taking questions. [The Hill] * Trump is launching a trade probe of China. Given the general competence of this administration, I expect a full report on Japanese trade practices in a few months. [Talking Points Memo] * In light of Ken Fraizer from Merck leaving the service of our Dear Leader over Trump's response to Charlottsville, maybe it's time to put pressure on other business leaders to distance themselves from Trump? [Going Concern] * The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced that it would start providing feminine hygiene products for free. I wanted to put one good news story in here, and I thought this was it. But then I starting thinking, "wait, so before now federal prisoners had to pay for feminine hygiene products? And what about state prisons? What other kind of medieval prison conditions do we still allow to persist?" [Law Street Media] * The doxxing of white supremacists continues. This is my good news story. [Jezebel] * There's been a 75% increase in "lawful homicides" in Florida since its "Stand Your Ground" law took effect a decade ago. But there's also been a 22% increase in straight up murders. So, Florida's general attempt to kill itself to rid us of their stupidity seems to be going well. [Reuters]

Elie Mystal is an editor of Above the Law and the Legal Editor for More Perfect. He can be reached @ElieNYC on Twitter, or at [email protected]. He will resist.

By Elie Mystal
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.08.16

* Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump promises that he won't speak ill of Judge Gonzalo Curiel anymore, but it took a lot of heavy criticism from GOP leaders for him to come around to the idea of being civil. He now says his comments about Judge Curiel's ability to remain impartial due to his Mexican heritage were "misconstrued." [Washington Post] * You know you've screwed up when a judge accuses you of "egregious misconduct," but you know you may have made the biggest mistake of your career when your "bad faith conduct" results in the voiding of a $200M patent infringement verdict. This in-house Merck patent prosecutor must be in a very bad place right now. [Big Law Business] * Chief Justice Roy Moore of the Alabama Supreme Court has two weeks to respond to a complaint lodged by the state's Judicial Inquiry Commission over his order that probate judges not issue same-sex marriage licenses. If found in violation of ethical rules, Moore could be removed from his position -- for the second time. [Montgomery Advertiser] * Arlo Devlin-Brown, the head of the public corruption unit for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York since 2014, will be leaving office to head to private practice. After working to put Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos behind bars, he's off to Covington & Burling, where he'll be on the white-collar defense team. [New York Post] * "The concept of fair market value under Delaware law is not equivalent to the economic concept of fair market value." Vice Chancellor Laster (Del. Ch.) made lawyers' jaws drop when he overruled the market in the Dell case. Martin Lipton of Wachtell says more buyers may be tempted to walk away from deals now. [DealBook / New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky
In-House Counsel

Skaddenfreude: In-House Salaries, Please

This item, from yesterday’s WSJ Law Blog, caught our eye: As the 11th Vioxx trial got underway yesterday in federal court in New Orleans, Merck disclosed in an SEC filing that it’s giving its general counsel Kenneth Frazier a raise and a promotion, effective Nov. 1. The GC who will forever be associated with the […]

By David Lat