GOP states sue ESG 'cartel': BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street accused of manipulating energy market



A coalition of 11 Republican-led states filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against BlackRock, Vanguard Group, and State Street Corporation, accusing the three asset managers of violating antitrust laws.

According to the complaint, the companies' promotion of environmental, social, and governance standards resulted in less coal production and higher energy prices.

Companies 'formed a cartel to rig the coal market.'

The lawsuit stated that the financial institutions "artificially constrained the supply of coal, significantly diminished competition in the markets for coal, increased energy prices for American consumers, and produced cartel-level profits" for themselves by leveraging their power.

Reuters reported that the three financial institutions have more than $26 trillion in assets under their management.

The companies have pressured coal companies to reduce their carbon emission by more than 50% by 2030, the complaint noted.

"Competitive markets — not the dictates of far-flung asset managers — should determine the price Americans pay for electricity," it read.

The coalition of states — including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Wyoming — was led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).

Paxton accused the asset managers of "illegally conspiring to manipulate energy markets."

"These firms also deceived thousands of investors who elected to invest in non-ESG funds to maximize their profits. Yet these funds pursued ESG strategies notwithstanding the defendants' representations to the contrary," he claimed.

The lawsuit accused BlackRock of "actively deceiving investors about the nature of its funds" by using all of its holdings, even those in non-ESG funds, to advance its climate goals.

Paxton told Turning Point USA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk that the reduced coal production forces the U.S. to purchase more energy overseas.

"It's affecting consumers in all kinds of ways," he said.

Paxton wrote in a post on X, "Texas will not tolerate the illegal weaponization of the financial industry in service of a destructive, politicized 'environmental' agenda. BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street formed a cartel to rig the coal market, artificially reduce the energy supply, and raise prices. Their conspiracy has harmed American energy production and hurt consumers. This is a stunning violation of State and federal law."

BlackRock said in a statement to Bloomberg that the lawsuit "undermines Texas' pro-business reputation."

"The suggestion that BlackRock invested money in companies with the goal of harming those companies is baseless and defies common sense," the company said.

Vanguard Group and State Street Corporation did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters or Bloomberg.

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Republicans Secure Senate Majority Heading Into 2025

Republicans are projected to win back control of the U.S. Senate following Tuesday’s 2024 general election. As of this article’s publication, the GOP has secured at least 51 seats to create a governing majority in the upper chamber. This will give Republicans a Senate majority for the first time since 2020. In addition to winning […]

Republican Bernie Moreno Takes Down Democrat Incumbent Sherrod Brown In Crucial Ohio Senate Race

Republicans flipped another seat in the race for Senate after Ohio businessman Bernie Moreno defeated incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown

Elephant in the Upper Chamber: Republicans Take the Senate

Republicans have officially flipped control of the Senate, an outcome that was long expected thanks to a favorable electoral map that included Democrat-held seats in Trump-friendly West Virginia, Montana, and Ohio.

Republicans went into Election Day with a two-seat deficit in the upper chamber, one that election analysts widely expected the party to erase by flipping West Virginia and Montana. Former Democrat Joe Manchin (W.V.) effectively handed his seat to Republican coal magnate Jim Justice when he declined to run for reelection in November, while polls showed Montana's Jon Tester consistently trailing his GOP opponent, former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy. Justice won by more than 40 points, while Sheehy led by 6 points early Wednesday morning.

The post Elephant in the Upper Chamber: Republicans Take the Senate appeared first on .

Send in Babydog: Jim Justice Flips West Virginia Senate Seat Following Joe Manchin's Retirement

Jim Justice, the Republican governor of West Virginia and owner of a popular bulldog named Babydog, cruised to victory in his Senate race Tuesday night, a result that was widely expected following incumbent Joe Manchin's retirement.

Justice was beating his Democratic opponent, former Wheeling mayor Glenn Elliott, by 3 points when the Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed Tuesday night.

The post Send in Babydog: Jim Justice Flips West Virginia Senate Seat Following Joe Manchin's Retirement appeared first on .

West Virginia Senate seat flips red as Joe Machin​ retires



Republican Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia defeated Democratic challenger Glenn Elliott Tuesday in the race to replace retiring Democratic turned independent U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.

Although the seat was previously held by a Democrat, Republicans easily flipped the seat red, giving the GOP an edge to regain the Senate majority.

Manchin first won the seat as a Democrat in 2010 and has served in the Senate ever since. Manchin later switched his party affiliation from Democrat to independent in May of this year.

"I have never seen America through a partisan lens," Manchin said in a statement. "However, since becoming a United States Senator in 2010, I have seen both the Democrat and Republican parties leave West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy.

"Today, our national politics are broken, and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground," Manchin continued. "To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America's sensible majority.

Although Justice's predecessor was previously a Democrat, West Virginia was projected to be an overwhelming win for Republicans leading up to the election.

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6 Senate seats Republicans can flip to take back the majority



Less than a week from Election Day, six crucial Senate seats remain within striking distance for Republicans.

Republicans are currently in the minority, holding 49 seats, while Democrats and Independents combined hold the remaining 51 seats. While Republicans would have to flip only two seats to win back the majority, there are several pickup opportunities for the GOP.

Despite his previous double-digit wins, Casey's polling advantage has plummeted to just a few points, which is a good sign for his Republican challenger.

The two most likely seats Republicans are looking to secure are in Montana and West Virginia. West Virginia's Senate seat is an open race between Republican Gov. Jim Justice and Democratic candidate Glenn Elliott. The candidates are running to replace Independent Sen. Joe Manchin after he announced his retirement in November 2023.

Cook Political Report has rated the Senate race in West Virginia as "solid Republican," which is reflected in the massive polling advantage Justice boasts over Elliott. In addition to the Mountain State, Republicans are enjoying some rosy poll numbers farther west.

In Montana, Republican candidate Tim Sheehy has pulled Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, who has previously won his seat by narrow margins. Recent polls put the three-term Democratic Senator at a substantial polling deficit, and Cook Political Report rated the seat "lean Republican."

Although the race is closer than the one in West Virginia, the tide has turned in Sheehy's favor, and Tester is taking notice. Tester's campaign has repeatedly labeled him "bipartisan" and has even held off from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, making him the only Democratic Senator to do so. Tester's decision to distance himself from his party is reflective of Sheehy's momentum in the red state.

While winning Montana and West Virginia would be enough for Republicans to flip the Senate, there are four more seats rated "toss-ups" that the GOP could secure.

In Michigan, Republican candidate Mike Rogers and Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin are going head-to-head in the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Although Slotkin initially had a several point polling advantage, Rogers has narrowed her lead and even surpassed the Democrat in some polls.

Another key race Republicans have managed to tighten is in Ohio, where Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown is battling GOP candidate Bernie Moreno. Although Brown has won all three of his terms by a substantial margin, Moreno has chipped away and even pulled ahead of the incumbent's increasingly narrow polling advantage.

In Pennsylvania, Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey is facing a similar challenge from Republican candidate Dave McCormick. Casey first won in 2006 by a significant margin and easily held onto his seat for two more terms. Despite his previous double-digit wins, Casey's polling advantage has plummeted to just a few points, which is a good sign for his Republican challenger.

Further east in Wisconsin, Republican candidate Eric Hovde has gained ground against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Like other races along the Rust Belt, Baldwin's initial polling advantage has rapidly diminished as Election Day approaches. Although the race remains tight, Republicans remain optimistic.

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West Virginia Secretary Of State Demands Feds Answer For 2020 Election Interference

West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner is demanding answers from federal agencies about their suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story.

Armed son checking into possible burglary at mom's home says intruder turned toward him with object in his hand. Unwise.



A gun-toting son who was checking into a possible burglary at his mother's vacant West Virginia home in the middle of the night this week told authorities he indeed encountered an intruder — who turned toward him with an object in his hand.

Unwise move on the part of the intruder.

The alleged intruder he shot was identified as 38-year-old Joshua Boone of Williamsport, Maryland.

The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office said a male called dispatch around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday saying he just shot an intruder in his mother's Inwood home on Winchester Avenue.

Deputies responded to the scene and found a male with a gunshot wound lying face down in the residence.

Deputies performed life saving measures until emergency medical services arrived, and the sheriff's office said the male was pronounced dead shortly after the arrival of EMS.

The sheriff's office said the Department of Criminal Investigators was called to the residence to process the scene for evidence and conduct an investigation into the shooting death.

The investigation revealed that the man who pulled the trigger responded to the residence after being told about a possible burglary.

The alleged intruder he shot was identified as 38-year-old Joshua Boone of Williamsport, Maryland. Police said Boone's next of kin were notified about his death.

WDVM-TV identified the man who shot Boone as Michael Marshal, noting that he told deputies Boone turned toward him “with something in his hand” after which Marshal fired his handgun. The station said Boone was found with a gunshot wound in the garage of the residence.

The case will be presented to the Berkeley County Prosecutors Office upon the completion of the investigation. Anyone with information about this case is advised to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 304-267-7000.

Image source: Berkeley County (W. Va.) Sheriff's Office

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Pickup truck driver caught on video doing burnout on rainbow Pride crosswalk in West Virginia



A pickup truck driver was caught on cellphone video doing a burnout on a rainbow Pride crosswalk in Huntington, West Virginia, earlier this week, WOWK-TV reported.

The station said Wednesday's incident occurred at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 10th Street; that crosswalk — along with a rainbow gemstone — was painted last weekend.

'It’s not a protest; it's bullcrap. People need to do better.”

You can view video here of the burnout taking place. The driver of the truck revved the engine, left what appears to be a single tire track over at least one of the crosswalk bars, and created a huge exhaust cloud in the process.

Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins told WOWK that the department knows about the video and is investigating.

“Huntington Pride, a nonprofit organization, raised funds throughout the community to pay for the paint and hire the artist. However, the city will coordinate with Huntington Pride on any needed touch-ups of the art installation in the future," City of Huntington Communications Director Bryan Chambers told the station.

Ally Layman, president of Huntington Pride, told WCHS-TV that she is "not surprised. Typically folks within our community are bullied. I've been bullied since high school, so it’s not shocking.”

Layman also is a city council member and added to WCHS that "the jewel is every facet of every color, of every texture, or every component that combines our entire community, not just the LGBT community, but our community as a whole. Appalachians are resilient just like this jewel."

Resident Justin Murdock added to WCHS that "a lot of these people making these threats and doing these things, they don’t even go here, they’re from out of town. The people that actually live here, it’s a jewel that represents the Jewel City. We’re resilient, and so is this artwork. We’re just going to keep making it better.”

William Cummins noted to WCHS that he doesn't side with any particular community that takes a stand during Pride month: "People shouldn’t put their private lives right in front of everybody for any kind of movement. It’s private for a reason, but doing this was not right. It’s not right to have vandalized [the crosswalk]. It’s not a protest; it's bullcrap. People need to do better.”

In Spokane, Washington, earlier this month one adult and two minors were charged with felonies after riding scooters over a Pride crosswalk.

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