February 22, 2008

In Allison Engine Co. v. United States ex rel. Sanders, the high court is being asked to expand the coverage of the bounty-hunting statute from contractors paid by the federal government to the potentially much larger class of contractors paid with federal money -- e.g. by state governments, universities, etc. carrying out federally supported programs. Jenner & Block's Linda Listrom writes that the case "could extend the False Claims Act to almost any company in any industry". Sen. Grassley, inevitably, is waiting in the wings with new legislation to help out the whistleblower/qui tam bar should they lose this one. More coverage: Cincinnati Enquirer.