Category: Congress

Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Politics, Society

Holder Reportedly Considering Special Prosecutor — But Serious Questions Remain

holderericNewsweek is reporting that Attorney General Eric Holder is leaning toward the appointment of a special prosecutor on the issue of torture. Much, however, was not stated and there remains a question of whether Holder will appoint a special prosecutor with the full authority to pursue any and all crimes related to the torture policy. There are rumors that, if an investigation occurs, it may be sharply curtailed.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Justice, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Poll: Less Than Fifty Percent of Americans Support Sotomayor Nomination — Numbers Lower Than Harriet Miers Going Into Confirmation Hearings

200px-Sonia_Sotomayor225px-harrietmiersSonia Sotomayor has been heralded as a judge with a life story that should inspire all Americans and, even though she has a fairly conservative voting record in some areas, liberal activists have rallied around her nomination. A new poll, however, suggests that most Americans are neither inspired nor supportive. Only forty-seven percent of people polled by CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation support Sotomayor and, more importantly, forty percent outright oppose her confirmation.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Report: Cheney Ordered Concealment of Secret Program From Congress

225px-richard_cheney_2005_official_portraitIt goes without saying that, where there is a story of constitutional or human rights abuse, Dick Cheney cannot be far behind. It is therefore little surprise to learn this week that, according to sources in the recent disclosure of a hidden counterterrorism program, the prior concealment from Congress was allegedly ordered by Cheney.
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Congress, Criminal law, International, Justice, Military, Politics, Society

Bush Administration Accused of Cover-Up of Massacre of Taliban Prisoners

Abdul_Rashid_Dostum_Jan_20_2005225px-george-w-bushThe Bush Administration was accused this week of helping cover-up the massacre of possibly thousands of Taliban prisoners by an American-backed warlord, Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum. Dostrum is widely viewed as a butcher and war criminal. He was also on the payroll of the CIA.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Lawyering, Politics, Society

Reports Shows Additional Undisclosed Surveillance Programs — And Likely Unlawful Conduct by Bush Administration

225px-george-w-bushA new government report has disclosed that President Bush authorized secret surveillance activities that went beyond the previously disclosed NSA program – raising the prospect of additional unlawful conduct by the Bush Administration. At the same time, a House member has revealed that CIA Director Leon Panetta has shutdown a program that was never revealed to Congress in direct violation of federal law. I discussed these stories on this segment of MSNBC Countdown.
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Bizarre, Congress, Criminal law, Media, Politics, Society

Family Affair: Sen. Ensign’s Parents Wrote $96,000 Check to Lover

200px-Sen_John_Ensign_official(2)Sen. John Ensign’s affair is moving from the politically damaging to the downright pathetic. Ensign’s lawyer has released a statement confirming that the $96,000 given to former aide and close family friend Cindy Hampton came from his parents.
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Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society

House Members: CIA Repeatedly Misled Congress

225px-leon_panetta_informal_photo200px-CIA.svgDespite the outrage expressed by certain members and former Bush officials over allegations that the CIA may have lied about prior briefings with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, members revealed this week that the CIA has admitted to members that it did indeed repeatedly mislead members in reports since 2001. However, CIA Director Leon Panetta stands by the earlier denial of misrepresentations linked to Pelosi.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, International, Military, Politics, Society

Obama Administration Reserves Right to Indefinitely Hold Detainees Acquitted of Charges

225px-official_portrait_of_barack_obamaThe Obama Administration continues its retention and expansion of abusive Bush policies — now clearly Obama policies on indefinite detention and blocking the investigation of war crimes. Jeh Johnson, the Defense Department’s chief lawyer, has stated that it is a “policy question” whether acquitted individuals will be released or held indefinitely.
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Congress, Media, Politics, Society

The Post’s “Powerful Few”: Newspaper Under Fire for Arranging Dinners Between Reporters, Lobbyists, and Politicians

300px-FdeTroyLectureMoliereThe Washington Post is accused of arranging for meetings between power brokers, lobbyists, and politicians, including Post reporters and editors for $25,000 to $250,000. These meetings are billed as off the record, non-confrontational access to “those powerful few” in the Beltway. Called “Salons,” the entire program is raising eyebrows in both the media and business areas.

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Congress, Politics, Society

Vacationing for the Public Good: Members Massively Increase Travel at Taxpayer Expense for Themselves and Family

200px-Tour_Eiffel_Wikimedia_CommonsThe members of Congress are once again facing the dangers of public service from sunburns to shopping overload. Our public servants are again planning their summer vacations at public expense. Many of us have been concerned about the runaway spending of this Administration and Congress. For prior columns, click here and here. Even if one accepts some spending was necessary for stimulus, Democrats have used the economic recovery as an excuse to pile on spending programs and pork projects. Now, it appears that overseas travel expenses are up tenfold since 1995. Congressional delegations, or “codels,” have increased 70% since 2005.
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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Minnesota Supreme Court Votes Unanimously With Franken — Coleman Concedes

225px-AlFranken2009.JPG I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough, and Doggone It, the Minnesota Supreme Court Likes Me. This election may have been a virtual tie, but Al Franken swept the Minnesota Supreme Court today. The Court ruled that Franken should be certified as the winner of the state’s Senate race — rejecting a challenge by Republican Norm Coleman. With Franken, the Democrats will have the votes to overcome any filibuster (if you include the two independents).

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Lawyering, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Supreme Court Rules 5-4 to Reverse Sotomayor Ruling in New Haven Firefighters Case

supreme court200px-Sonia_SotomayorAs expected, the Supreme Court voted in Ricci v. DeStefano, the New Haven firefighters case, to reverse the decision of the Second Circuit panel, which included Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Also as expected, Justice Kennedy played the swing vote in giving cities a new defense in such cases. Kennedy wrote the majority opinion. The fear of litigation was not sufficient to justify the discrimination against white and Hispanic firefighters. Firefighters challenged a decision to throw out promotional exam results because no African-American firefighters were among the top scoring candidates for promotion — only white and Hispanic officers. Judge Sonia Sotomayor was on the panel that upheld the city’s decision in one of her most controversial decisions.
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Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Justice, Lawyering, Politics, Society

Judge Samuel Kent Resigns to Avoid Senate Hearing

Judge Kent-thumb-100x140U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent has finally resigned after Congress expedited his impeachment and Senate trial. In a remarkably dim-witted act, Kent’s lawyer announced that they had calculated that Congress could not possibly complete an impeachment and start a trial for a year. Thus, he decided that he would resign in a year to continue to bilk the government for salary and benefits. The inevitable result was that an infuriated Congress expedited the process.
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