Jude Law PETA Letter Asks WTO To Uphold European Union Seal Fur Ban

LONDON — Actor Jude Law has written to the World Trade Organization to urge it to uphold a European Union ban on seal fur.

The British actor was writing on behalf of animal protection group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which released the letter on Saturday.

The EU banned commercial trade in all seal products in its member states in 2010 amid concerns about the animal welfare aspects of hunting seals.

The ban is being challenged by the Canadian government, and the WTO is holding a hearing later this month to settle the dispute.

PETA has also enlisted actress Pamela Anderson in its publicity campaign against the seal trade.

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On State Of The Union Voting Commission Proposal, State Lawmakers Divide Along Party Lines

State lawmakers' reactions to President Barack Obama's announcement Tuesday night of a new bipartisan voting commission split along party lines.

The announcement of the election commission during the State of the Union address was greeted positively by Democratic state lawmakers, who see the panel as a way to generate ideas to improve state and local election administration. However, Republicans said the panel violates the 10th Amendment, noting that elections are a function of state government and not a place for federal officials.

Obama announced that the commission, to be co-chaired by top attorneys from his and Mitt Romney's 2012 campaigns, would develop "common-sense, non-partisan solutions" to reduce wait times and improve voting experiences.

"I commend the president for convening a nonpartisan commission to review our election procedures," North Dakota Assistant House Minority Leader Corey Mock (D-Grand Forks) told The Huffington Post. "It is a fine use of time and resources. That is something that all Americans should be proud of."

But Wyoming state Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyenne) told HuffPost that there's no need for such a commission. Standing by the federalism argument, he said the federal government has "enough of their own problems to worry about" and that election policy is a state-level issue.

"Each state is responsible for their voting procedures, and I don't believe a national commission is needed to make recommendations to states," he said.

Zwonitzer noted that each state knows its history of election administration and what works in its environment. Elections in Wyoming have worked well and would not need recommendations from a federal commission, he said. At the same time, states that have had long lines and other problems could develop solutions, he said.

Kansas state Rep. J.R. Claeys (R-Salina) agrees with Zwonitzer on the need for solutions at the state level. Claeys, who unsuccessfully ran for Kansas secretary of state in 2010, noted that he would like to see states share best practices on election administration, but not through an Obama-appointed panel.

"There are a number of ways we can improve voting processes without a blanket solution around the country," Claeys told HuffPost. "There are some states that prefer voter ID and some don't see it as an issue. Personally, I think in Kansas we have a great voter ID law and voter ID did not impede the process. Voter ID makes the process more transparent and free of human error."

Mock and Montana state Rep. Bryce Bennett (D-Missoula) disagree, saying that there are too many stories of people standing in line for hours to vote. Bennett, who led his party's election policy efforts, stressed that there is a role for the federal government in election administration. Obama's commission could help gather ideas from state and county officials nationally in order to develop ideas and help end "voter suppression," he said.

"I would see this as an opportunity for folks at the federal level to work with state leaders and get information from the folks on the ground, including county clerks," Bennett told HuffPost. "We need to take input from everywhere. We need to do something. There are too many roadblocks for people to vote. This is a pressing issue. This is the core of everything we do as a democracy."

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Gun Violence Victims To Attend State Of The Union With Lawmakers

WASHINGTON -- In an effort to keep up pressure for new gun safety laws, nearly a dozen House Democrats are planning to bring victims of gun violence as their guests to the State of the Union later this month.

Members of Congress are each allowed to bring one guest to sit with them in the House gallery during President Barack Obama's address to the nation on Feb. 12. In a letter to Democratic colleagues last month, five House Democrats urged lawmakers to use the occasion to highlight the need for action on gun violence.

"In December, President Obama declared that addressing gun-related violence would be a 'central issue' as he opens his second term. In an effort to continue the discussion and engage our constituents in this important debate, we ask you to join us in inviting a person who has been impacted by gun violence to be your guest at the President's State of the Union address on February 12th," the letter reads. "It is our hope that their presence in the House Gallery will send a strong message that it is long past time to act."

The letter is signed by Democratic Reps. Jim Langevin (R.I.), Carolyn McCarthy (N.Y.), Keith Ellison (Minn.), Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) and David Cicilline (R.I.). All five are part of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force formed by House Democrats.

At least 10 House Democrats are planning to participate in the effort, with another five to 10 lawmakers considering it, according to a Langevin spokesman. In addition to the five lawmakers pushing the effort, those confirmed to participate include Democratic Reps. Elizabeth Esty (Conn.), Janice Hahn (Calif.), Mike Thompson (Calif.), Ed Perlmutter (Colo.) and Jim Himes (Conn.).

Notably, Esty represents Newtown, Conn., the site of the December shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"We know all too well that difficult political obstacles continue to threaten the chances of enacting responsible legislation that would better protect our communities and especially our children. However, the vast majority of Americans want us to strengthen gun safety laws," Langevin said in a statement Tuesday. "For our effort to be successful in Congress, it is critical that our elected officials hear their outcry and particularly the stories of those who have been affected by gun violence. They can most powerfully send the message that the status quo is unacceptable."

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Hostess Union Hires Investment Bank To Represent Workers As Company Sells Off Iconic Brands

NEW YORK -- The pension fund for one of Hostess Brands' unions has hired an investment bank to represent workers and pensioners as the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread sells off its brands.

In a statement posted Sunday on its website, the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, which represents around 6,000 Hostess bakers, said Gordian Group LLC will represent the fund.

Gordian, a New York investment banking firm that specializes in distressed cases, has represented unionized workers at American Airlines, which is undergoing restructuring in bankruptcy. It's also an adviser in the ongoing liquidation of disgraced investor Bernard Madoff's firm.

Earlier this month, Irving, Texas-based Hostess selected Flowers Foods Inc. to buy its six bread brands, including Wonder Bread, along with 20 bakeries and 38 depots, for $390 million.

Flowers Foods, based in Thomasville, Ga., was selected as the stalking horse bidder for the bread brands. That means higher competing bids can still be made and the final deal must be approved in bankruptcy court.

Hostess is expected to find buyers for its dessert cakes, which include its iconic Twinkies and Ding Dongs, along with the Drake's Cakes and Dolly Madison brands, in the coming weeks.

Gordian President Peter Kaufman said his company will try to ensure that potential buyers hire former Hostess workers and honor Hostess' pension obligations.

"Given the sale process that is under way, we believe the bakers working with a buyer create the opportunity to increase value and are pivotal to the success of the business," Kaufman said in a statement. "Buyers should know that the Bakers are very interested in having direct discussions with them."

The Bakery and Confectionery Union and Industry International Pension Fund pays out $42 million in benefits per month to 52,000 pensioners, according to its website.

Hostess filed for bankruptcy protection in January 2012 after years of management turmoil and turnover. A bankruptcy judge approved its plan to liquidate its assets in November after it failed to reach a new contract agreement with the bakers' union.

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