Federal Judge Nixes N.J. Lawsuit Against Ports Deal

[ProSense]

Federal Judge Nixes N.J. Lawsuit Against Ports Deal

Judge Says State Needs To Show Immediate Need For Documents

POSTED: 3:11 pm EST March 1, 2006
UPDATED: 3:38 pm EST March 1, 2006

NEWARK, N.J. -- A federal judge on Wednesday ruled against a request by New Jersey to order an investigation into a United Arab Emirates company's takeover of some U.S. port operations.

U.S. District Judge Jose Linares also said the state will not be privy to documents the company gave to a federal committee reviewing the deal. Linares said the state "needs to show an immediate need for those documents."

The $6.8 billion acquisition would allow Dubai-based DP World to buy major commercial operations at ports in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Miami, New Orleans and Philadelphia. Critics of the deal say it could compromise national security.

The Bush administration agreed Sunday to the state-owned company's request for a 45-day investigation of the deal's potential security risks, and Linares said that review should be sufficient.

more...

http://www.nbc10.com/news/7584881/detail.html?rss=phi&psp=news

[ThomCat]

1. How the HELL could a state not have a legitimate need

to review the decision making for a port within that state?

I'm often sceptical of States Rights arguments, but if this stands then it looks like states are basicly helpless, relegated to "trusting" the federal government.