Author: jonathanturley

Congress, Constitutional Law

Is the 10-Year Term Limit for the FBI Director Constitutional?

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

One of the legacies of J. Edgar Hoover, who severed as Director of the FBI for 48 years, is a federal statute enacted in 1976 — Pub. L. 94–503, quoted in the historical and revision notes following 28 U.S.C.A. § 532: “A Director may not serve more than one ten-year term.”

The current FBI Director is Robert Mueller and his ten-year term of office expires in September. President Obama wants to extend his term by two years. It appears that President Obama doesn’t have the stomach for a messy confirmation fight with Republicans. Not that it will make any difference, but, the statutory term limit is clearly unconstitutional.

Continue reading “Is the 10-Year Term Limit for the FBI Director Constitutional?” →

Bizarre, Politics, Society

Mission Accomplished: Bush Takes In $15M In Speaker’s Fees Despite Vowing to Keep Low Profile

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Former President George W. Bush has a strange way of keeping a low profile. Following his reported sore ego for not being afforded enough credit in the demise of Bin Laden, Bush declined an invitation to go to New York and appear with President Obama at “ground zero.” The ex-President, it was said, wanted to keep a “low profile.” That desire didn’t stop him though from traveling to New York the following week and giving three speeches to hedge fund managers for a cool $450,000.00.

Continue reading “Mission Accomplished: Bush Takes In $15M In Speaker’s Fees Despite Vowing to Keep Low Profile” →

Politics

Protecting the Wealthy – By Deception

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

The Wall Street Journal is doing its part. In an article meant to show the futility of taxing the wealthy to close the deficit, the WSJ instead lies with numbers. The WSJ article purports to show that the bulk of taxable income lies with the middle class and without entitlement cuts along the lines of the Paul Ryan model, soaking the middle class is the only option available. They show a graph supposedly depicting that the bulk taxable income lies with the middle class. The graph in question is displayed full size below the fold.

The graph made the usual rounds among the protect-the-wealthy blogs. Surprisingly, it was the pro-business Tax Foundation, in its Tax Policy Blog, that debunked the WSJ graph. Unsurprisingly, the debunking post that embarrassed the WSJ was pulled by the Tax Foundation. But the memory hole isn’t what it used to be, the debunking post can be found here.
Continue reading “Protecting the Wealthy – By Deception” →

Travel Blog

Notice: Interruption of Service This Weekend For The End of Times

As many people are aware, the world will end on May 21, 2011 which is likely to cause an interruption in service on the Turley blog. Fortunately, your host will be going to his annual weekend at Shrine Mont with other families. I expect our weekend bloggers to remain at their posts through the rapture while I await the rapture on a mountain top in Virginia in a pure and sanctified state. I remind everyone that during the end of the world we will maintain the policy of civility and decorum on the blog. Profanity and uncontrolled screaming are strongly discouraged. There is also a chance that anonymity will be lost in the post-rapture judgment on any trolls.
Continue reading “Notice: Interruption of Service This Weekend For The End of Times” →

Criminal law, Society, Torts

Toddler Killed and Mother Injured By California Teen Texting While Driving

This beautiful child is Calli Murray, 2, who became the latest fatality of a driver who was texting while driving. The driver was Sonoma State University freshman Kaitlyn Dunaway who was texting while driving in California. She slammed her Honda into Calli and her mother Ling Murray, 40, who suffered a broken leg, a shattered pelvis and broken arm. However, Dunaway, 18, will only be charged with a misdemeanor offense.

Continue reading “Toddler Killed and Mother Injured By California Teen Texting While Driving” →

Courts, Criminal law, Lawyering

In God RIAA We Trust: Califormia Moves To Do Away With Need For Warrants In Seizing Pirated Music or Discs

We have watched as lobbyists for RIAA and other companies have steadily increased trademark and copyright limitations, including new criminal penalties. Now, State. Sen. Alex Padilla (D., Los Angeles), has sponsored RIAA legislation in California that would allow law enforcement to enter optical-disc plants and seize disc-stamping equipment, and pirated movie and music discs without a court warrant.

Continue reading “In God RIAA We Trust: Califormia Moves To Do Away With Need For Warrants In Seizing Pirated Music or Discs” →

Society, Torts

Nothing Like a Brando: Harley-Davidson Sued Over Name of New Line of Boots

Harley-Davidson Motor Company is facing a tort action over its use of the name “Brando” for a new line of boots resembling the boots worn by actor Marlon Brando in the 1953 classic The Wild One. Brando Enterprises says that the boot constitutes the appropriation of name or likeness of Brando.

Continue reading “Nothing Like a Brando: Harley-Davidson Sued Over Name of New Line of Boots” →

Bizarre

“You’re Going To Like Where We Land”: United Under Fire For Ad Placed Above Ground Zero

Some New Yorkers were a bit displeased to see a sign put up at the Cortlandt Street R subway stop above ground zero for United Airlines reading “You’re going to like where we land.” The last flight to land at the location was United Flight 175, which struck the south tower on September 11th. This has not been a great week for United, which had to apologize for reinstating the flight numbers for the flights that crashed into the World Trade Center and at Shankville, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.
Continue reading ““You’re Going To Like Where We Land”: United Under Fire For Ad Placed Above Ground Zero” →

Academia, Bizarre, Science, Society

Dr. Levengood’s Scab: CDC Seizes 180-Year-Old Smallpox Scab

Now this would have made for an interesting tort suit, but the surgical-booted thugs from the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) have spoiled it. After Dr. Paul Levengood of the Virginia Historical Society put on display a small pox scab from 1831, CDC officials covered in surgical garb rushed to the museum, seized the scab, irradiated it and threw it into a “medium security area.” It is not clear if the scab has counsel.
Continue reading “Dr. Levengood’s Scab: CDC Seizes 180-Year-Old Smallpox Scab” →

Bizarre, Lawyering, Society

Illinois Prosecutor Charged With Ethical Breach in “Grandma Ruse”

Illinois Assistant Attorney General Paul Ambrose Rathburn is the subject of an interesting ethical charge after allegedly using the “grandma ruse” to gain evidence against a condominium project for lack of handicapped access. Rathburn is accused of entering the premises under the false pretense that he was looking for a condo for his grandma when he knew the party was represented and sought information under false pretenses.

Continue reading “Illinois Prosecutor Charged With Ethical Breach in “Grandma Ruse”” →

Academia, Bizarre, Science

Fat Head? New Study Shows Thinking About Food Can Reduce Cravings For Food

A new study suggests that common wisdom on dieting may be wrong. Many people try to avoid thinking about food but researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh found that imaging yourself eating foods can reduce your cravings . . . but does it give you a fat head?
Continue reading “Fat Head? New Study Shows Thinking About Food Can Reduce Cravings For Food” →

International, Society, Torts

Father Wins Almost $1 Million Verdict Against Law Firm in Paternal Kidnapping Case

A jury in Bergen County, N.J., awarded $950,000 to Roy Innes and his daughter after finding that the New Jersey law firm of Lesnevich & Marzano-Lesnevich had released the passport of Innes’ daughter — allowing his mother to take her to Spain where she remains. Partner Madeline Marzano-Lesnevich was named as the attorney responsible for giving the passport to Maria Jose Carrascosa.
Continue reading “Father Wins Almost $1 Million Verdict Against Law Firm in Paternal Kidnapping Case” →