Week In Review
- Elissa D. Hecker - Editor
- Jul 22
- 17 min read
By Christine Coleman
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Entertainment
Not Paying Music Rights Fees? Budweiser Was Proud Of That—Until the Backlash
Anheuser-Busch InBev has apologized for a Cannes Grand Prix-winning campaign that boasted of having avoided paying for music rights. The “One Second Ads” campaign, which ran on TikTok in Brazil, used brief clips from famous hits without licensing them. Despite the campaign winning top honors at the Cannes Lions festival, the music industry has denounced the legal and ethical implications. The controversy raises broader questions about alcohol marketing and corporate accountability.
Artists Flee Spotify as AI Concerns Mount
Artists are pulling their music from Spotify due to the recent news regarding the DSP’s relationship with AI, both in music creation and in warfare.
‘American Idol’ Music Supervisor and Her Husband Are Found Slain
Robin Kaye, a longtime music supervisor for “American Idol”, and her husband were found dead of apparent gunshot wounds inside their Los Angeles home. According to the LAPD, suspect Raymond Boodarian was in custody. A motive has yet to be determined.
Arts
After Not Paying for $14.5 Million Pollock, an Art Collector Is Sued
In a rare dispute that divulges how some artworks worth extraordinary sums of money are sold, an auction house has sued David Mimran, the son of a sugar fortune, after he failed to pay the $14.5 million he had promised for a Jackson Pollock white-on-black drip painting.
DSW Fires Back Against the Majors’ Social Media Infringement Claims: ‘This Case Is About the Labels’ Greed’
Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) is firing back against social media copyright infringement claims from the major labels, arguing that platforms’ licensing deals cover individual and business users alike. Amid its courtroom confrontation with Warner Music, the retail chain’s parent is now seeking a declaratory judgement against Universal Music, Sony Music, and BMG.
Libraries Pay More for E-Books. Some States Want to Change That.
Library access to digital books and digital audiobooks (e-books) generally costs much more than the print version of these books. The issue is causing tension in the book community and the problem is only getting worse as more people turn to their libraries for e-book access. in May, the Connecticut legislature passed a law aimed at reining in the cost of library e-books, and other states have introduced similar legislation. The proposed legislation would pressure publishers to adjust borrowing limits and find other ways to widen access.
Sports
U.S. Appeals Court Rules for NCAA in Dispute Over Player Eligibility Rules
The NCAA has persuaded a U.S. appeals court to reject an order that the organization said could erode distinctions between student and professional athletes. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled 2-1 to overturn a lower decision that said football player Nyzier Fourqurean could compete for Wisconsin University beyond his fourth year of eligibility under the NCAA's player restrictions. Under the NCAA's five-year rule, athletes are eligible to compete in no more than four seasons within five years of having enrolled in college. The appeals court’s ruling for the NCAA still allows Fourqurean to continue challenging the rule as his lawsuit moves ahead in the lower court.
Newsletter, Image, Likeness Vol. 141: Battle Surrounding CSC Hardline Stance May Cause NIL Collectives To Challenge House Settlement Terms
The House v. NCAA settlement, which has been appealed multiple times, has received final approval from Judge Claudia Wilken. Another massive fight is brewing while those appeals are being played out. It revolves around the College Sports Commission (CSC), a newly established entity that the NCAA has taken great efforts to distinguish itself from, as it determines that the vast majority of deals between NIL collectives and athletes are prohibited and deemed null and void.
Argument Over ‘valid business purpose’ for Name, Image, and Likeness Collectives Threatens College Sports Settlement
Less than two weeks after terms of a multibillion-dollar college sports settlement went into effect, friction erupted over the definition of a “valid business purpose” that collectives making name, image and likeness (NIL) payments to players are supposed to have. The new CSC sent a letter to athletic directors last week, saying it was rejecting deals in which players were receiving money from collectives that were created solely to pay them and don’t provide goods or services to the general public for profit. A lead attorney for the players responded by saying those instructions went against settlement terms and asking the CSC to rescind the guidance.
The fight to stamp out pay-for-play in college sports: ‘The lawsuits will start flying’
Empowered by the game-changing House settlement, schools are mounting a grand last stand to declare once and for all that NIL collectives can’t claim pay-for-play is a valid business. An entire industry’s business model is now at stake, not to mention hundreds of millions in contracted payouts to athletes.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6495752/2025/07/17/nil-college-sports-house-settlement-enforcement/
Bally’s Bronx Casino Plan Appears Dead After Council Rejects Rezoning
The field of competitors for up to three new casino licenses that New York State officials expect to award by year’s end appeared to shrink this week after the New York City Council rejected zoning changes essential to Bally’s proposal. The Council voted overwhelmingly against the rezoning, which the gambling company would have needed to proceed with its plans for a casino in the East Bronx.
Fanatics Aided Criminal Investigation into Sports Memorabilia Dealer. The Dealer was Later Found Dead
Brett Lemieux came onto Fanatics’ radar years ago as a potential sports memorabilia counterfeiter. The situation turned deadly when, in the midst of executing a search warrant involving the counterfeit scheme, police found a man with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Hamilton County coroner’s office confirmed that it was the body of the 45-year-old Lemieux.
Shannon Sharpe Settles Lawsuit Accusing Him of Rape
Shannon Sharpe, the podcast host, sports media personality, and former N.F.L. star who was accused of rape by a former sexual partner, has settled the lawsuit for undisclosed terms, according to the woman’s lawyer. The lawyer, Tony Buzbee, said that both parties agreed that the sexual relationship was consensual, and that the lawsuit would be dismissed.
Dan Serafini, Former Baseball Pitcher, Is Convicted of Murder
Dan Serafini, a former pitcher and first-round pick of the Minnesota Twins, was convicted in the 2021 execution-style shootings of his wealthy in-laws at their home at Lake Tahoe. On the third day of deliberations in the high-profile case, a jury in Placer County, California convicted Serafini of first-degree murder in the killing of his father-in-law and attempted murder of his mother-in-law who survived being shot in the head. Serafini was also found guilty of special circumstance allegations of lying in wait and first-degree burglary. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Plead Guilty to 2024 Car Crash Felony Charges
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges, including collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury in a Dallas County court. The charges stem from Rice’s role in a 2024 multi-vehicle car crash in which Rice crashed his Lamborghini, causing a chain reaction collision involving four other vehicles. With the issuance of the sentencing, Rice is now likely facing a multi-game suspension.
Technology/Media
Conservatives Get the PBS and NPR Cuts They’ve Wanted for Decades
For five decades, Republicans failed time and again to choke off federal funding for public broadcasting. That they have finally been able to do it now, voting to claw back $1.1 billion in public broadcasting funds, on one level speaks to the power of President Trump. His threat to support primary challenges against any Republicans who might try to block the cuts all but guaranteed they would go through this time.
What Will Funding Cuts Do to NPR and PBS?
The Senate voted to strip the funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The House then gave final approval to the cuts, sending it to Trump, who has strongly pushed for the cuts, for his signature. The change could be catastrophic for radio and TV stations across the country. While NPR and PBS will survive, numerous local stations will close, impacting rural areas the most.
Crypto Industry Reaches Milestone With Passage of First Major Bill
The cryptocurrency industry reached a major milestone in Washington, as Congress cleared legislation outlining the first federal rules for stablecoins, a popular form of digital currency. A bipartisan vote in the House to approve the bill, known as the Genius Act, sent it to the White House for Trump’s signature. The president has promised to make it the first major piece of crypto legislation signed into law in the United States.
Trump Sues Wall Street Journal for Article on Note to Epstein
Trump accused Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal of defaming him in an article about a lewd birthday greeting that the publication said Trump had sent to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein decades ago. In a suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Trump said that the article “falsely claimed that he authored, drew and signed” the note to Epstein. The complaint claimed that “given the timing” of the article, “the overwhelming financial and reputational harm suffered by President Trump will continue to multiply.” It asked for awarded damages “not to be less than $10 billion.”
Which judge will decide fair use next in AI copyright litigation? Judge Eumi Lee, most likely
Judges Alsup and Chhabria issued two opinions finding that Anthropic and Meta engaged in fair use in training their AI models on copyrighted books. However, their decisions were a mixed bag and unfavorable to Anthropic and Meta for different reasons. Judge Eumi Lee, presiding over the Concord Music v. Anthropic case, is likely to decide whether using copyrighted works to train AI models is fair use next. A decision by the end of 2025 is possible, although not guaranteed.
Lehrman v Lovo MTD Opinion
On July 10, an opinion was filed by District Judge Paul Oeteken (SDNY) in the Lehrman v. Lovo case, granting in part and denying in part Lovo’s motion to dismiss.
Lawmakers Question Whether CBS Canceled Colbert’s Show for Political Reasons
Democratic lawmakers are questioning the timing of CBS’s announcement to cancel “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” which came days after Colbert criticized the network’s parent company for paying Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit.
What’s Going on With Trump Media’s Streaming Service?
In the streaming era, incremental news from a tiny upstart with limited content, few bells and whistles, and zero original programming normally wouldn’t command too much attention - unless the majority owner of that upstart is Trump. Truth+, the little-known, year-old video streaming service started by Trump Media & Technology Group, said last week that it had expanded globally.
Rubio Restricts U.S. Criticism of Tainted Foreign Elections
The State Department will sharply restrict its commentary on the legitimacy of foreign elections to “rare” occasions, according to a new directive from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that continues the Trump administration’s turn away from promoting democracy abroad. In an official cable to diplomatic and consular posts, Rubio said that public comments on foreign elections “should be brief, focused on congratulating the winning candidate and, when appropriate, noting shared foreign policy interests.”
Their Water Taps Ran Dry When Meta Built Next Door
In the race to develop artificial intelligence, tech giants are building data centers that guzzle up water, leading to problems for the people who live nearby.
Meta’s New Superintelligence Lab Is Discussing Major A.I. Strategy Changes
Meta’s newly formed superintelligence lab has discussed making a series of changes to the company’s artificial intelligence strategy, in what would amount to a major shake-up at the social media giant. Last week, a small group of top members of the lab, including Alexandr Wang, Meta’s new chief A.I. officer, discussed abandoning the company’s most powerful open source A.I. model in favor of developing a closed model.
Time to Start Tagging AI Uploads on DSPs? BPI Calls for Labels on Spotify and Others As The Velvet Sundown Drops Fourth Album in Six Weeks
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) chief strategy officer Sophie Jones believes it’s time for Spotify and other DSPs to begin labelling music made by AI and is calling for “clear” disclaimers on tracks made solely with AI. Jones just recently voiced that position when speaking with The Guardian, which put out a fresh piece concerning AI artist The Velvet Sundown. The “band” has released 52 tracks spanning four albums in six weeks, two of which were released on July 14. To combat the rapid rate at which AI artists are uploading music to DSPs, tagging may provide a partial solution. Some issues that would need to be considered are related to human musicians who incorporate AI generated content into their music.
General News
Supreme Court Keeps Ruling in Trump’s Favor, but Doesn’t Say Why
In clearing the way for Trump’s efforts to transform the Federal government, the Supreme Court has issued a series of orders that often lacked a fundamental characteristic of most judicial work: an explanation of its rationale. The question of whether the nation’s highest court owes the public an explanation for its actions has grown along with the rise of the “emergency docket.”
Supreme Court Clears Way for Dismantling of Education Department
The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to fire over 1,000 Education Department employees and functionally eliminate the agency. The department manages federal college loans, tracks student achievement, and enforces civil rights laws in schools.
24 States Sue Trump Over $6.8 Billion Withheld From Education, White House to Release $1.3 Billion in Frozen Funds for After-School Programs
Two dozen states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration over $6.8 billion in education funding it withheld for free or low-cost after-school programs, teacher training and help for children learning English. The Trump administration then said that it would release $1.3 billion in frozen federal funding for after-school programs across the country, after facing growing bipartisan pressure. The Trump administration, which wants to slash spending and reduce the federal government’s role in education, had abruptly withheld the money, along with billions in other education dollars. In their lawsuit, Democratic leaders in 24 states said the move was illegal.
Court Rules Trump’s Firing of F.T.C. Commissioner Was Illegal
A federal court ruled that Trump’s firing of Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, a Democratic commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission, was illegal and that she was a “rightful member” of the agency. Judge Loren L. AliKhan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said in her ruling that because “those protections remain constitutional, as they have for almost a century, Ms. Slaughter’s purported removal was unlawful and without legal effect.”
Trump Administration Resumes Third-Country Deportation Flights
The Trump administration sent five migrants from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Yemen, and Cuba to Eswatini, a small African nation, resuming the practice of so-called third-country deportations after the Supreme Court cleared the practice earlier this month
State Dept. Layoffs Hit Russia and Ukraine Analysts
Among the roughly 1,350 workers laid off at the State Department last week were senior analysts in the bureau of intelligence, including people who specialize in Russia and Ukraine, according to several current and former U.S. officials. The firings mean a loss of expertise as Trump renews his efforts to settle the war between Russia and Ukraine, one of his top foreign policy goals. It is unclear how many intelligence analysts were dismissed, and the bureau still retains workers who will focus on Russia and Ukraine after the merger of two offices within INR.
Pentagon Abruptly Pulls Out of Annual Aspen Conference
The Defense Department abruptly canceled its participation in the Aspen Security Forum, saying the forum’s values did not align with the Pentagon’s. It was unclear what precipitated the Pentagon’s decision to withdraw its speakers, all of whom had been approved to participate in the event.
For Trump, Domestic Adversaries Are Not Just Wrong, They Are ‘Evil’
Trump’s vilification of political opponents and journalists seeds the ground for threats of prosecution, imprisonment, and deportation unlike any modern president has made.
20 States Sue Trump Administration Over Ending FEMA Funding for Disaster Mitigation
A coalition of 20 states sued the Trump administration over its decision to shut down a multibillion-dollar grant program aimed at protecting communities from floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. The lawsuit accuses FEMA of unlawfully terminating the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program (BRIC) without approval from Congress. The filing came two days after heavy rains inundated parts of New York and New Jersey and nearly two weeks after catastrophic floods hit Central Texas.
Kennedy Claims Doctors Profit Off Vaccines. In Fact, Many Lose Money on Them
A few weeks ago, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary, claimed in an interview with Tucker Carlson that vaccine profits created “perverse incentives” for pediatricians to push immunizations. On the contrary, doctors widely consider vaccines to be a money pit. Research shows that most pediatricians either break even or lose money on shots. In response, experts said the health secretary’s remarks send a dangerous message: Don’t trust your physician.
Kennedy Fires Two Top Aides in Health Department Shake-Up
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired two of his top aides, shaking up his leadership team at the Department of Health and Human Services amid an aggressive effort to reshape public health policy. The firings included Heather Flick Melanson, his chief of staff, and Hannah Anderson, his deputy chief of staff for policy. The reason for the firings was not immediately clear.
Department of Health and Human Services Finalizes Thousands of Layoffs After Supreme Court Decision
The Department of Health and Human Services finalized the layoffs of thousands of employees after a Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for the Trump administration to proceed with mass firings across the government. Employees received notice of their termination, marking a turning point in the reshaping of the nation’s health care work force. Those dismissed included people who coordinated travel for overseas drug facility inspectors, communications staff members, public records officials, and employees who oversaw contracts related to medical research.
Judge Scraps Rule Eliminating Medical Debt on Credit Reports
In another blow to Biden-era financial regulations, a federal judge has blocked a rule intended to make it easier for many Americans to get loans by removing medical debt from credit reports. The rule would have removed $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans, a potential obstacle when borrowing money for homes, cars, and small businesses.
Prosecutor Fired by Trump Calls Fear the ‘Tool of a Tyrant’
Maurene Comey, a career federal prosecutor who worked on the Jeffrey Epstein case and was abruptly fired by the Trump administration, implored her colleagues not to give into fear, calling it “the tool of a tyrant.” Comey was told of her firing in a letter from a Justice Department official in Washington who cited Article II of the Constitution, which broadly describes the powers of the president. She said in her email that the letter did not give a reason for her termination.
Republicans on Senate Panel Vote to Advance Bove’s Nomination After Democrats Storm Out
A Senate committee voted to advance the nomination of Emil Bove III, the Justice Department enforcer who oversaw dozens of firings and the dismissal of bribery charges against Mayor Eric Adams of New York, to a lifetime post as a federal judge. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the nomination after Democrats stormed out in protest when the panel’s chairman, Senator Charles E. Grassley, called the roll before every Democrat on the committee had a chance to air their objections.
Justice Dept. Asks for 1-Day Sentence for Ex-Officer Convicted in Breonna Taylor Raid
The chief of the Justice Department’s civil rights unit has asked a federal judge to sentence a Louisville police officer convicted in the 2020 killing of Breonna Taylor to one day in prison, a stunning reversal of the unit’s longstanding efforts to address racial disparities in policing. Last year, a federal jury in Kentucky convicted Brett Hankison, the officer, of one count of violating Taylor’s civil rights by using excessive force in discharging several shots through Taylor’s window during a drug raid that went awry. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a judge will consider the government’s request at a sentencing scheduled for next week.
Amid Flood Response, Texas Republicans Pivot to Political Maps
A special legislative session in Texas in the wake of the flood in Texas Hill Country is shaping up to be an emotionally raw diversion into what Democrats say is the gerrymandering the state’s House districts. Lawmakers will also take up questions about the handling of the devastating July 4 floods. However, that bipartisan imperative will be complicated by a hard-edge partisan agenda for the session, dominated by Trump’s push for the legislature to redraw the state’s congressional district maps to be more favorable for Republicans.
Trump Tells Bondi to Seek Release of Epstein Grand Jury Testimony
Trump announced that he was authorizing Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the public release of grand jury testimony from the prosecution of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, and Bondi made that request in federal court. The president cited “the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein” for his directive, which falls far short of demands from some congressional Republicans to make public all investigative files collected by the department and the F.B.I., not just testimony presented in federal court.
E.P.A. Says It Will Eliminate Its Scientific Research Arm
The Environmental Protection Agency said that it would eliminate its scientific research arm and begin firing hundreds of chemists, biologists, toxicologists, and other scientists, after denying for months that it intended to do so. The move underscores how the Trump administration is forging ahead with efforts to slash the federal work force and dismantle federal agencies after the Supreme Court allowed these plans to proceed while legal challenges unfold.
In the Trump Administration, Watchdogs Are Watching Their Backs
Since he took office six months ago, Trump has fired or demoted more than twenty inspectors general or acting inspectors general, hobbling offices that for years have served as a check on waste, fraud, and abuse. Now, employees say they are demoralized and reluctant to pursue investigations that could prompt political blowback.
With One Call, Trump Alters the Fate of a Contested Power Project
Grain Belt Express, a transmission line that would cross 800 miles of the Midwest, is at the center of a number of disputes. Senator Josh Hawley, who was originally a proponent for the project, is now challenging it.
Justice Dept. to Move Ahead With Bribery Case Against Cuellar
The Justice Department is moving ahead with its bribery case against Representative Henry Cuellar after an internal debate, despite Trump’s public expressions of support for the embattled Democrat from Texas. The department is, however, expected to withdraw charges against Cuellar under the Foreign Agents Registration Act stemming from his business dealings with Azerbaijan and Mexican citizens in accordance with Bondi’s blanket order to scale back such prosecutions under the law.
Trump-Driven Chaos Comes to U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Waves
Chaos has gripped four U.S. attorney’s offices in the New York region since Trump reclaimed the White House, taking closer control of the Justice Department than any president in the last half-century and rattling the nation’s legal system. None of the offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Albany, and Newark has a permanent leader. Instead, Trump has concentrated power within the Justice Department in Washington and, in two of the offices, has elevated loyalists with little prosecutorial experience, leading to confusion and plummeting morale within the rank and file.
In Rare Move, Judges Reject a Trump Pick for U.S. Attorney
While serving as interim U.S. attorney in Albany, John A. Sarcone III claimed that the judges had appointed him to the office permanently. They had not. In a rare move, the judges of the Northern District of New York have declined to appoint Sarcone to lead the office permanently. The judges did not offer a rationale for declining to appoint him.
New York Agrees to Settle Ex-Cuomo Aide’s Harassment Claims for $450,000
New York State has agreed to pay $450,000 to settle claims from Brittany Commisso, who accused Andrew M. Cuomo of groping her in 2020, when he was the governor and she was an executive aide. The settlement is the second one the state has made this year in connection with Cuomo’s treatment of women while in office.
Justice Dept. Asks California Sheriffs for Names of Inmates Who Aren’t Citizens
The Department of Justice asked sheriffs across California to provide lists of inmates in state jails who are not U.S. citizens, and warned that if they did not voluntarily comply, the department would “pursue all available means of obtaining the data.” The move comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been under pressure from the White House to increase its arrests of undocumented immigrants and after weeks of federal immigration raids across Southern California.
Arizona Governor Wants Investigation of Federal Handling of Grand Canyon Fire
As the Dragon Bravo fire, a wildfire at Grand Canyon National Park that left dozens of structures in cinders, continued to flare, Arizona’s governor Katie Hobbs and its two U.S. senators questioned the federal government’s decision to manage the blaze using a strategy that preventively burns fuel-rich vegetation.
Trump unveils $90 billion in energy and AI investments for Pennsylvania during summit in Pittsburgh
Trump and many leaders of the country's largest technology and energy companies announced more than $90 billion in new investments from private companies for Pennsylvania. Trump said that twenty "leading technology and energy companies" will invest in Pennsylvania to develop a new artificial intelligence economy, capitalizing on Pennsylvania's technology and energy assets. Among the projects will be the construction of data centers to help provide the enormous amounts of energy needed to power AI, and an energy innovation center to train workers in the Pittsburgh region in energy and AI jobs.
University Leaders Reject Republican Attacks on Campus Antisemitism
Republican lawmakers grilled university leaders over accusations that they failed to do enough to combat antisemitism on their campuses, assertions that the educators strongly rejected. Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which oversees the Department of Education, questioned the leaders of Georgetown University, the City University of New York, and the University of California, Berkeley in the latest hearing on campus antisemitism.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/us/politics/antisemitism-hearing-uc-berkeley-georgetown-cuny.html
Ex-Commissioner Sues, Saying Adams Ran N.Y.P.D. as a Criminal Enterprise
Former police commissioner Thomas G. Donlan filed a sweeping federal lawsuit against Mayor Eric Adams of New York City and top police officials, accusing the mayor of running City Hall and the Police Department as a criminal enterprise. The lawsuit marks the fifth time in two weeks that Adams’s Police Department has been accused of wrongdoing by a former top official.
Prisoner Swap Frees Americans in Venezuela for Migrants in El Salvador
Ten Americans and U.S. permanent residents who had been seized by the Venezuelan authorities and held as bargaining chips were freed in exchange for the release of more than 250 Venezuelan migrants whom the Trump administration sent to a prison in El Salvador.
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