Decades-Old Racketeering Suit Still Haunting State Farm

A federal judge has certified a class action in a case that alleges State Farm lied about supporting a state Supreme Court candidate who won election in 2004, and then voted to reverse a billion-dollar judgment against the insurer. The class action status will represent 4.7 million State Farm policyholders. Clifford Law Offices, which represents the plaintiffs, said potential damages could be as much as $7.6 billion, “given the interest that has accrued.” State Farm said in a statement it is “disappointed in the court’s decision on the class certification question, and respectfully disagree with it. We intend to ask the appellate court to review this ruling in the very near future.”