The filmmaker of “Innocence of Muslims,” the anti-Mohammad video that sparked the recent protests and deaths around the world, has been arrested by federal authorities for allegedly violating the condition for his probation on a 2010 conviction for bank fraud — violations that could land him in jail for three years. Given the calls for his arrest and even execution by Muslim allies, the arrest raises obvious concerns that the Administration is again defending free speech while quietly moving to punish those who cause religious strife.
From my experience as a criminal defense attorney, the violations described in a case of his kind rarely warrant the 4-month term demanded for Nakoula Basseley Nakoula. In addition, the federal authorities insisted on his being jailed as a flight risk, though it is unclear why that is the case and why he could not be given an electronic bracelet.
Magistrate Judge Suzanne H. Segal found that Nakoula exhibited a “lengthy pattern of deception” and posed “some danger to the community.” I can see the basis for the first conclusion but not the evidence of a danger to the community. My concern is that the response to his film — which is a protected act of free speech — was weighed in the balance of such a decision. Nakoula is accused of eight charges of probation violation including making false statements to authorities about the film. He reportedly admitted that he wrote the film but authorities insist that he did not fully explain his role.
The U.S. Attorney suggested that he might charge Nakoula with making false statements about the film — charges that would seem an obvious act of retaliation by the Administration.
The distrust shown by many free speech advocates, including myself, is that the Administration has a checkered history of claiming to support free speech while supporting the creation of an international blasphemy standard. The federal agents quickly moved against the filmmaker after the controversy. Probation rules are written in a way that make it relatively easy to find violations. The immediate scrutiny left many with the impression that the Obama Administration wanted to show Arab allies that the filmmaker was under arrest while professing a commitment to free speech.
Source: LA Times
Here’s more.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL News Alert
IRS Faulted on Conference Spending
The IRS is facing criticism over past spending at its staff conferences, the latest controversy to hit the agency.
An internal watchdog at the Treasury Department is set to report Tuesday that the IRS spent almost $50 million on more than 200 employee conferences from 2010 through 2012, spending the tax-collecting agency’s new acting commissioner called “inappropriate.”
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Hi, all is going nicely here and ofcourse every one is sharing facts, that’s actually good, keep up writing.
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Here you have it.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL News Alert
IRS Also Targeted Donors to GOP Group
At the same time the IRS was targeting tea-party groups, the tax agency took the unusual step of trying to impose gift taxes on donors to a prominent conservative advocacy group formed in 2007 to build support for President George W. Bush’s Iraq troop surge.
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Meals & Entertainment is only 50% deductible. Maybe it’s their culture.
Shanda Lear, The Brightest Bulb in Trolldom 1, September 29, 2012 at 9:50 pm
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http://www.badgehungry.com/2012/06/07/pogo-france-germany-to-close-in-august/
🙂 Thanks, yes, Shanda does get around 🙂
lotta,
Allow me:
Thank you my dear. I am from France. I play Scrabble on Facebook. You must join us.
I moved to Germany. I watch a movie, Avengers. I must go now. Farewell from my new home in Italy.
the last bit is in Russian and I have no idea … 😉
She’s a troll … she moves around.
Shanda Lear, The Brightest Bulb in Trolldom, Sorry, my Google translator will not translate your postings (“Page is already in English”) and I am at a loss with languages other than English.
Gene,
I know 😉
Lotta,
You’re pointing out an obviously overlooked issue…. Lights maybe on…but………
I really do miss anon nurse…. I wonder if she’ll ever return…..
When it comes to Scrabble, you are the devil. 😀
I mean that in the nicest way possible.
SwM,
Dinner was superb. I’ll be back to Scrabble tomorrow.
Gene called me a devil. I think we should beat him up… gently.
SwM,
Приезжайте меня в России.
lotta,
Ich zog nach Deutschland. Ich beobachte einen Film ansehen, Avengers. Ich muss jetzt gehen.
Addio dalla mia nuova casa in Italia.
Shanda, You are the brightest as we have had so many dim bulb trolls.