The White House may have told District Judge Henry H. Kennedy not to “interfere” in the CIA tape controversy, but he appears to have other ideas. Today, he ordered a hearing for Friday on the question. He may be only the first judge to do so as the courts and Congress come to grips with an obvious case of obstruction and spoilation. Continue reading “Federal Judge Orders Hearing on Destroyed CIA Tapes”
Month: December 2007
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern has awarded dancer Michael Flatley (of Rvierdance fame) more than $11 million in his lawsuit against Tyna Marie Robertson, a real estate agent who accused him of rape. Flatley showed that the sex was consensual in the case. In the meantime, Robertson’s former lawyer, D. Dean Mauro has been found to have extorted Flatley and also made a substantial settlement over the case. Continue reading “Riverdance Star Michael Flatley Wins $11 Million Against Woman Who Falsely Accused Him of Sexual Assault”
One of the more interesting constitutional cases is developing in Austin Texas where strip clubs are contesting a $5 fee placed on their customers by the state. State sponsors insist that they are only trying to raise money to help women who are victims of crimes and that the clubs employ many women. However, it is unclear why other businesses with high percentage of women employees are not also singled out for the tax. Continue reading “Strip Clubs Challenge Special Tax on Customers in Texas”
The Washington Post has reported that the FBI did not view the torture of Abu Zubaida as yielding valuable information — one of the principle arguments for embracing an official torture program. Continue reading “FBI Agents Contradict White House Insistence that Torture Yielded Valuable Information from Abu Zubaida”
Archbishop Earl Paulk, co-founder of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church now faces an allegation from his adult granddaughter, Penielle “Penie” White, that he touched her inappropriately when she was about eight years old. This allegations will be thrown on the top of a growing pile of sexual misconduct allegations against the head of the megachurch. Continue reading “Archbishop Earl Paulk Faces New Allegation of Sexual Misconduct — From His Own Granddaughter”
Fort Thomas, Ky. has a deer problem that may soon be a human problem. The city council is allowing hunting (with bow and arrow) within city limits. Given the number of hunting accidents each year, it seems an invitation for accidents. Continue reading “Kentucky City Allows Deer Hunting Within City Limits”
The Senate has decided to delay its vote on the surveillance bill and specifically the immunity provision for the telecommunications companies. However, civil libertarians have little reason to celebrate. The telecom lobbyists appear to have the upper hand with some members of the Democratic leadership, which hopes to pass the immunity bill once attention fades in 2008. In an astonishing move, Sen. Diane Feinstein is trying to move the entire matter out of the federal courts and into the secret FISA court. The only value of such a move is to reduce the political fallout and make immunity more likely for the telecom companies. Continue reading “Senate Delays Vote on Surveillance Bill and Telecom Immunity”
The Bush Administration has lost another fight over privilege as it is advancing new claims in refusing information to Congress. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has ruled that the information is part of the public record and is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act as “agency records.” Continue reading “White House Loses Privilege Fight Over Visitor Logs”
It appears that all of the abuses recently with tasers, including the entry below, may have only driven up sales. Retailers are marketing designer tasers in such colors as hot pink for that special lady with a hankering for muscle-paralyzing electroshocks. Continue reading “Nothing Says I Love You Like 50,000 Volts: Retailers Marketing Designer Tasers”
We are all used to seeing cars with “Jesus is my co-pilot” and songs that say “Drop Kick Me Jesus through the Goal Post of Life,” but Mike Huckabee appears to be running with (or at least for) Jesus in an upcoming ad. The ad (to be shown in key states this month) is set in front of a Christmas tree and shows Huckabee saying that he wants to put politics aside — and just celebrate the birth of Jesus with voters. Continue reading “Video: Huckabee Takes Hard Stand in Favor of Christmas in New Ads”
In a rare criminal case, a New York jury convicted a millionaire perfume makers Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, and Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 45, of enslaving two Indonesian housekeepers while using bizarre forms of punishments like forced eating of hot peppers and vomit. While the defense insists that the allegations are merely “histrionics,” the jury clearly found the two women credible and convicted the wealthy couple. Continue reading “Wealthy Couple Convicted in Slavery Case in New York”
In the latest taser outrage, Edward Casey, who left a courthouse briefly to retrieve money to pay a fine, was tackled and repeatedly tasered by police. What is truly amazing is that U.S. District Judge Robert E. Blackburn did not feel that this was a viable claim of police abuse. Fortunately, the Tenth Circuit did not agree. Continue reading “Man Repeatedly Tasered for Leaving Courthouse Briefly with Court File”
In an extraordinary statement, an employee for the government contractor Jeppensen International Trip Planning ( a Boeing subsidiary) referred to flights taking individuals to other countries as part of the Bush Administration’s “extraordinary rendition” program as “torture flights.” The company director, Bob Overby, reportedly told an August 2006 breakfast of new employees, that these were torture flights but that the flights paid well. Continue reading “Witness: Government Contractor Called Rendition Transfers “Torture Flights””
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has issued a royal pardon for a rape victim sentenced to 200 lashes. This is progress for the kingdom but it is unlikely to reduce the utter shock of the world at the treatment of this woman. Continue reading “Rape Victim Receives Royal Saudi Pardon”
The American Bar Association Journal has received a torrent of irate messages over its announcement that disgraced former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would be named 2007 Lawyer of the Year. It has renamed its annual selection to be “Newsmaker of the Year” to try to quell the national riot among lawyers. Continue reading “Gonzales No Longer ABA Journal’s “Lawyer of the Year””