National Roundup

New York
MoviePass ­operations under investigation by NY AG
NEW YORK (AP) — The company that runs the beleaguered MoviePass discount service for theater tickets is being investigated by the New York Attorney General on allegations that it misled investors.

Parent company Helios and Matheson of New York said in a prepared statement that it is aware of the investigation, but that it believes, “our public disclosures have been complete, timely and truthful and we have not misled investors.”

The investigation was first reported by CNBC.

The company has struggled financially and is facing class action lawsuits filed on behalf of investors claiming the company failed to disclose aspects of a business model that were unsustainable.

New York
Ebay sues ­Amazon, saying it tried to poach its sellers
NEW YORK (AP) — Ebay filed a lawsuit against Amazon Wednesday, saying the online retail giant used eBay’s messaging system to steal its sellers.

In the lawsuit, eBay said Amazon representatives signed up for eBay accounts and messaged sellers to get them to sell their goods on Amazon.com, which eBay said violated its user agreement.
According to the complaint, Amazon representatives spelled out their email addresses and asked eBay sellers to talk on the phone in order to evade detection.

Ebay called it an “orchestrated, coordinated, worldwide campaign” to “illegally lure eBay sellers to sell on Amazon.”

Seattle-based Amazon declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Both eBay and Amazon rely on independent sellers to boost their revenue, but it’s become a big part of Amazon’s growth: Last year, for the first time, more than half the items sold on Amazon were from third-party sellers.

Ebay, based in San Jose, California, said it wants Amazon to stop misusing its messaging platform and to pay it an unspecified amount.

New Jersey
Judge explains ‘close your legs’ comment
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey family court judge who told a woman she could “close your legs” to stop a sexual assault says he was trying to elicit more details from her.

Judge John Russo on Wednesday appeared before a committee on judicial conduct that is reviewing four counts of judicial misconduct against Russo.

The woman appeared before Russo in 2016 seeking a restraining order against a man who she claimed forced her to have sex. Russo told the panel he felt the woman was withholding information and he was trying to be a “fact-finder” and was not trying to “humiliate or embarrass” the woman.

The hearing will resume at a later date.

Russo has been on administrative leave since last year.

New York
Trump ­Organization sues man who died in Trump Tower fire
NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump Organization has filed a lawsuit seeking to reclaim $90,000 in unpaid fees from a Trump Tower resident who died in an April fire at the tower.

The board of Trump Tower Condominium — through Trump Organization lawyer Sonja Talesnik — filed the suit in Manhattan Supreme Court late Tuesday against the estate of 67-year-old Todd Brassner seeking the common charges and fees. The New York Post reports Brassner’s heirs, Todd and Heather Brassner, did not return calls seeking comment.

The New York Fire Department has said the fire was accidental and Brassner’s apartment did not have a smoke alarm. The apartment didn’t have sprinklers either, due to a loophole in city regulations applying to high-rise buildings like Trump Tower.

Ohio
Oral arguments set for killer who starved, beat toddler
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has scheduled arguments over the death sentence handed down to a man who beat and starved his 2-year-old daughter.

Glen Bates was convicted in 2016 of killing Glenara Bates a year earlier, and a Hamilton County judge followed a jury’s recommendation of death.

Attorneys for the 36-year-old Bates argued he should have received life in prison and that such a sentence would force him to think about what happened every day. The Supreme Court on Wednesday set oral arguments for Feb. 19.

Glenara weighed 13 pounds when she died in March 2015. Authorities say she was beaten and had belt and bite marks, among other injuries.

The girl’s mother was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Washington, D.C.
White House Counsel Don McGahn returns to civilian life
WASHINGTON (AP) — Don McGahn has returned to civilian life.
A White House official confirms that Wednesday was McGahn’s last day as White House counsel. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.

President Donald Trump announced in August that McGahn would leave after the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

McGahn is a top election lawyer who served as general counsel in Trump’s election campaign. He played a pivotal role in the president’s remaking of the federal judiciary with young, conservative judges, like Kavanaugh. He was also the main point of contact inside the White House for special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Trump said Washington lawyer Pat Cipollone would replace McGahn.

Pennsylvania
Traffic jam stymies robbery suspect who fled in police car
BREEZEWOOD, Pa. (AP) — An Indiana woman who allegedly robbed a store and fled in a stolen police vehicle was stymied by a traffic jam on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Police say the woman robbed a Sheetz convenience store in Breezewood on Wednesday and was able to slip out of handcuffs and steal a state police vehicle.

She fled westbound at speeds of up to 100 mph but encountered a traffic backlog from a fiery crash that killed a truck driver.

Police tell the Tribune-Review that 36-year-old Sarah Miller of La Porte, Indiana, struck three vehicles and tried to hit two troopers who were outside their vehicles.

She was arrested and charged with robbery and other offenses.