威尔明顿港 Edgemoor 诉讼被法官暂停：居民指控港口财务管理失当
特拉华州高等法院法官 Sheldon Rennie 10月22日裁定，暂停审理居民针对威尔明顿港 Edgemoor 项目提起的诉讼，批准港方提出的暂缓证据开示和书面辩论的请求。《特拉华在线》（Delaware Online）当天报道了听证结果。
这意味着在法官就是否驳回此案作出裁决之前，原告居民不得要求调取文件或询问相关人员。原告须在11月2日前就驳回动议提交答辩。这起诉讼于上月提起，指控港口运营方和州监管方在未经州议会必要审查批准的情况下签署协议，涉嫌财务管理失当和非法转移港口控制权。许多原告是“StoptheEdgemoorPort.com”联盟成员。
原告称，港口方面曾于2018年4月24日获得州议会批准（以众议院共同决议76号形式），与 GT USA Wilmington 公司签署最长50年的特许经营租赁，由该公司运营现有港口和拟建的 Edgemoor 资产，双方约于当年9月18日签约。但原告指控，2019年1月14日 GT USA 以钻石州港口资产获得约3.5亿美元信贷/抵押交易，却未按决议要求取得州议会书面同意。州参议员 Dave Wilson 在8月24日的宣誓证词中还指控 GT USA 欠缴租金、在 Edgemoor 场址非法倾倒约1万吨有毒轮胎碎屑、拖欠钻石州港务公司近300万美元医保费用。被告（包括承接 GT USA 权利义务的 Enstructure 公司）则主张原告及 Dave Wilson 均无诉讼资格，且协议符合州政策。原告律师 Darrell Baker 表示，若驳回动议获准，诉讼可能终结，任何一方也可上诉至州最高法院。
Judge pauses Port of Wilmington Edgemoor lawsuit: residents allege financial mismanagement at the port
Delaware Superior Court Judge Sheldon Rennie ruled on October 22 to pause a residents' lawsuit over the Port of Wilmington's Edgemoor project, granting the port officials' request to halt evidence gathering and written arguments. Delaware Online reported the hearing outcome the same day.
Until the judge decides whether to dismiss the case, the resident plaintiffs may not request documents or question witnesses. The plaintiffs must file their answer to the dismissal motion by November 2. The lawsuit, filed last month, alleges that port operators and state overseers entered into agreements without the required review and approval of the state legislature, amounting to financial mismanagement and an unlawful transfer of control of the port. Many plaintiffs are members of the StoptheEdgemoorPort.com coalition.
According to the plaintiffs, the port received General Assembly approval on April 24, 2018, in the form of House Concurrent Resolution 76, to sign a concession lease of up to 50 years with GT USA Wilmington to operate the existing port and the proposed Edgemoor property, and the parties signed on or about September 18 that year. But the plaintiffs allege that on January 14, 2019, GT USA obtained a roughly $350 million credit line and mortgage transaction secured by Diamond State port property without the written consent of the General Assembly required by the resolution. In an August 24 affidavit, state Senator Dave Wilson also alleged that GT USA failed to pay rent, illegally dumped about 10,000 tons of noxious tire scraps at the Edgemoor site, and owed the Diamond State Port Corporation close to $3 million in health care premiums. The defendants, including Enstructure, which succeeded GT USA as operator, argue that neither the plaintiffs nor Wilson has legal standing and that the agreement aligns with state policy. Plaintiffs' attorney Darrell Baker said that if the dismissal motion is granted the litigation could end, and that either side could appeal to the state Supreme Court.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：威尔明顿港实景。摄影：Diiscool，CC0，来源：Wikimedia Commons
