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Last month, for example, a California appeals The company pointed to “an extensive body of sci-
court reduced a $289 million Roundup verdict to ence spanning more than 40 years, including more
$20.5 million. The court, according to media reports, than 100 studies EPA considered relevant to its
concluded the compensatory damages was too high. cancer risk analysis, and more than 800 safety stud-
Tuesday’s lawsuit has four counts: negligence; ies overall submitted to regulators.”
strict products liability, design defect; strict products “We have great sympathy for any individual
liability, failure to warn; and breach of implied war- with cancer, but the extensive body of science on
ranties. glyphosate-based herbicides over four decades
Monsanto’s attorney in the six Connecticut law- supports the conclusion that Roundup does not
suits is Washington, D.C., lawyer Joe Hollingsworth, cause NHL,” the statement read. “At the end of
who didn’t respond to a request for comment. the day, whether you’re in the court of law, regu-
Soon after the agreement calling for upward of latory agencies or court of public opinion, it’s the
$10.9 billion, Werner Baumann, chief executive of- science that should matter here. And the exten-
ficer of Bayer, issued a statement on the company’s sive body of science over 40 years, including the
website. most recent human epidemiology studies, shows
“First and foremost, the Roundup settlement is that glyphosate-based herbicides are not asso-
the right action at the right time for Bayer to bring a ciated with NHL. Customers who know these
long period of uncertainty to an end,” Baumann said products best continue to rely on them. Bayer
at that time. stands behind these products, and will vigorous-
In a statement Wednesday, Monsanto denied a link ly defend them.”
between its product and cancer. It said health regu- ¦

lators around the world have repeatedly concluded Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
that consumers can safely use Bayer’s glyphosate- analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
based herbicides as directed, and that glyphosate is him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
not carcinogenic. 203-437-5950.

Second Circuit Urged to Rule
On Revised Trump Taxes Subpoenas

By Tom McParland
Counsel for the House of Representatives on poenas, from the House Financial Services and Intelli-
Wednesday urged a federal appeals court to gence Committees, met the test the high court laid out
quickly decide the validity of revised subpoenas for determining whether there was a proper legislative
from two Democratic committees probing President purpose behind the congressional document demands.
Donald Trump’s potential ties to foreign entities. Letter argued that the Manhattan-based appeals
Attorneys for the lawmakers said their document court should approve expedited briefing in the case,
demands had been narrowed in response to a Su- and said that a remand to the district court would
preme Court ruling that blocked Trump’s account- only serve to delay the committees’ investigation.
ing firm and banks from producing documents in “The passage of time has only heightened the com-
the ongoing investigation. mittees’ need for these documents to inform press-
Douglas Letter, general counsel to the U.S. House of ing legislative concerns, which include potential
Representatives, wrote in a filing with the U.S. Court counterintelligence risks arising from President
of Appeals for the Second Circuit that the revised sub-
¦ Continued on PAGE 10

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