Legal/Regs
Former Chicago Housing Authority Supervisor and Builder Charged in $4.8 Million Kickback Scheme
On June 9, a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois indicted Ryan Ross, a former property supervisor at the Chicago Housing Authority, and builder Vanessa Rhodes. The indictment alleges that between 2023 and 2024, Ross received over $421,000 in kickbacks from Rhodes in exchange for using his position to award housing renovation contracts worth more than $4.8 million to companies affiliated with her. Each faces eight counts of honest services fraud, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Coalition asks judge to halt Trump's anti-DEI contractor executive order
A coalition of diversity and inclusion advocacy groups, in a lawsuit against U.S. President Trump, has asked a Maryland federal judge to block his executive order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities by federal contractors. The plaintiffs argue the order violates the First and Fifth Amendments and constitutes irreparable harm.
Court documents reveal: White House East Wing was severely damaged before demolition, with structural and mold issues
According to documents filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the White House East Wing was in a severely deteriorated state before demolition, including structural instability, leaks, mold contamination, and aging systems. Joshua Fisher, Director of the White House Office of Administration and Management, detailed the necessity of demolition and reconstruction in a statement.
GSA accuses Congress of diverting its building maintenance fund
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Edward Foster testified before the Senate on May 13 that Congress has continuously diverted funds from the Federal Buildings Fund it manages since 2011, totaling $15.6 billion over 15 years ($22 billion adjusted for inflation), leaving nearly half of the agency's 1,600 properties in fair or poor condition. GSA is seeking congressional approval to fully use rental and sale proceeds and to raise the threshold for single-project approvals from $3.96 million to $75 million.
How a $2.3 Billion Florida Highway Project Became an $80 Million Court Battle
A $2.3 billion Florida highway project that once promised contractors approximately $255 million in profits ultimately turned into losses exceeding $500 million and sparked an $80 million lawsuit. The U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling against Lane Construction in April, determining that its attempt to exit the I-4 Ultimate project through legal theories was unfounded. The case provides contractors with profound lessons on consortium cooperation, conflicts of interest, and the risks of contract termination in P3 projects.
EEOC sues construction company, alleging it condoned 'anti-American' abuse against US workers
The EEOC filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Advanced Technology Group, Inc., alleging the company allowed Mexican colleagues at a Rio Rancho, New Mexico worksite to subject two American workers to 'anti-American' slurs, theft of tools, and mockery of their limited Spanish proficiency, constituting national origin discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. One worker was fired the day after escalating a complaint, with the company citing safety violations as the reason, but documents show the reason as 'argument.' EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas emphasized protecting all workers from anti-American bias.
AI procurement tool conducts intelligent evaluation before local government contract RFP release
Euna Solutions released Solicitation Advisor on April 29, an AI tool integrated into the Euna Procurement platform that automatically reviews draft RFPs before release, identifying vague language, conflicting criteria, and mismatches between evaluation standards and supplier information requirements, aiming to reduce the time and administrative burden of subsequent amendments.
ASCE Warns: Trump Administration's Dismissal of Entire National Science Board Could Endanger U.S. Innovation and Infrastructure Safety
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) warns that the Trump administration's decision to dismiss the entire National Science Board could jeopardize U.S. innovation, infrastructure resilience, and public safety. In a statement, ASCE President Martha Anderson Bomar emphasized that research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is critical to engineering design, seismic resilience, and extreme weather response.
EPA Revokes Greenhouse Gas Finding: Construction Permit Process Simplified Amid Legal Uncertainty
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revoked the 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding earlier this year, a move that could simplify federal permitting for large projects, but legal challenges and differences in state-level regulations bring new uncertainty to the construction industry. This article interviews two construction law experts to analyze the policy's impact on project approvals, contract risks, and industry prospects.
Federal jury awards Cemex $5 million to driver: Disability and race discrimination case deemed 'egregious'
A federal jury ordered Cemex to pay $5 million to a California truck driver who accused the company of racial and disability discrimination. The jury found Cemex violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and California law, constituting a hostile work environment, but did not support contract discrimination claims. Cemex said it is evaluating next legal steps.