Category: Justice

Congress, Justice, Politics, Society

Tea Party Versus the Middle Class

Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger

 

It seems like everywhere you turn there is a story about the how bad the deficit is and how the government must make drastic cuts to save the economy and reduce the deficit.  The Tea Party is clinging to their demands for $100 Billion in budget cuts or they say they will shut down the government.  “Rep. Mike Pence (R) of Indiana, a tea party favorite in Congress, urged taking a hard-line on budget cuts – and if that meant a shutdown, then so be it.  “If liberals in the Senate would rather play political games and shut down the government instead of making a small down payment on fiscal discipline and reform, I say, shut it down,” Congressman Pence said, eliciting a chant of “Cut or shut! Cut or shut!” from the crowd. Republicans worried about blame for a shutdown might not be so happy with Pence for that.” Christian Science Monitor Continue reading “Tea Party Versus the Middle Class” →

Justice, Society

Who’s Minding the Kids?: Have Profits Distorted the Mission of Rehabilitating Inmates at Mississippi’s Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility?

 Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

A few days ago, I was listening to All Things Considered on NPR while I was driving in my car. Host John Burnett was talking about an investigation into Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility in Mississippi. The prison facility for youthful offenders is being run by a private company called GEO Group. According to NPR, privatized prison services are a $3 billion dollar industry in this country—and GEO Group is our nation’s second largest for-profit prison operator.

Continue reading “Who’s Minding the Kids?: Have Profits Distorted the Mission of Rehabilitating Inmates at Mississippi’s Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility?” →

Justice, Religion

Jesuit Group Agrees to Pay Huge Settlement to Native American and Alaskan Native Victims of Abuse

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

The Society of Jesus, Oregon Province—a group of Jesuits who serve the Northwest—has agreed to pay a settlement of $166 million to childhood victims of sexual and physical abuse. The abuse of approximately 500 Native Americans and Alaskan Natives is reported to have taken place at mission and boarding schools operated by the Jesuits on Indian Reservations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and Montana.

Continue reading “Jesuit Group Agrees to Pay Huge Settlement to Native American and Alaskan Native Victims of Abuse” →

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

Obama Orders Limits on Miranda Rights For Domestic Suspects

President Obama has continued his attack on basic constitutional and legal principles with an astonishing new order that allows investigators to not only hold domestic terror suspects for longer periods but to deny them Miranda rights under a strained interpretation of the public safety exception. Obama had attempted to get this change from Congress but was rebuffed. He has now again adopted a tactic of his predecessor and acted unilaterally to trump recognized constitutional rights.
Continue reading “Obama Orders Limits on Miranda Rights For Domestic Suspects” →

Constitutional Law, International, Justice, Politics, Society

Obama Administration Supports Illinois Teacher’s Discrimination Claim After Being Denied Leave For Trip To Mecca

There is an interesting case out of Berkeley, Illinois involving alleged religious discrimination. The Obama Administration is supporting former teacher Safoorah Khan who alleged discrimination at her middle school after she was refused leave of three weeks to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. The school insists that she was the only math lab instructor and would have left at the critical end-of-semester period for the school.

Continue reading “Obama Administration Supports Illinois Teacher’s Discrimination Claim After Being Denied Leave For Trip To Mecca” →

Constitutional Law, Justice, Lawyering, Politics, Society

Second Circuit Rejects Obama Administration’s Effort to Block Privacy Lawsuit

In a significant victory for civil libertarians and a loss for the Obama Administration, the Second Circuit has reinstated a lawsuit based on the unlawful warrantless surveillance programs launched by former President George W. Bush. The Obama Administration has been aggressively fighting to kill this privacy lawsuit as it has dozens of other lawsuits seeking judicial review of the unlawful program. The case is Amnesty v. Blair.

Continue reading “Second Circuit Rejects Obama Administration’s Effort to Block Privacy Lawsuit” →

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

The Coronation of the One-Eyed Men: Two Former Bush Officials Are Reportedly Leading Contenders For Next FBI Director

Civil libertarians have long objected to the continuation (and in some cases the expansion) of Bush policies in the national security areas by President Barack Obama. Obama has blocked the investigation and prosecution of Bush officials for torture, renewed the military tribunal system, extinguished dozens of public interest lawsuits against telecommunication companies and agencies as well as other controversial moves. Now, two former Bush officials are considered leading contenders to take over the FBI despite their involvement in some of the worst abuses during the Bush Administration. They are James Comey and Kenneth Wainstein. As discussed below, they are a case of the coronation of the one-eyed man as King of the land of the blind.

Continue reading “The Coronation of the One-Eyed Men: Two Former Bush Officials Are Reportedly Leading Contenders For Next FBI Director” →

Congress, Courts, Justice, Politics

Just How Sunny is Sunshine Week?

 

Submitted By Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger

I know what you may be thinking. What is that crazy title all about? It wasn’t discussed much in the Corporate Mass Media, but this past week was dubbed, Sunshine Week. Sunshine Week was supposed to celebrate “open Government practices”. I for one, wasn’t convinced that our government had any “open” practices. The Freedom of Information Act was passed in 1966 and it was designed to allow individuals the right to find out exactly what government was doing on our behalf. The Act has been amended on several occasions and it has aged with mixed results. Continue reading “Just How Sunny is Sunshine Week?” →

Congress, Justice, Politics, Religion, Society, Things That Tick Me Off

Is This The America That We Want?

 

Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw) Guest Blogger

Over the past few weeks and months, we have read repeatedly about how politicians are upset that the government is doing nothing about jobs.  We hear it from the Right and we hear it from the Left, but the unemployment rate is still around 9.0% with many out of work Americans no longer looking for work.   With this background, I was incensed when I read about a Minnesota legislative proposal to bar citizens on public aid from having more than $20.00 cash in their pocket at any time! Continue reading “Is This The America That We Want?” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Justice, Politics, Society

Obama Administration Forces Dayton To Lower Standards For Police Officers To Guarantee More Minority Officers

There is a controversy in Dayton over the decision of the police department to lower its testing standards under pressure from the Obama Administration to allow for more minority officers.

Continue reading “Obama Administration Forces Dayton To Lower Standards For Police Officers To Guarantee More Minority Officers” →

Animals, Justice, Politics, Things That Tick Me Off

Puppies vs Corporations

Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger

In just the latest example of corporations taking over the reins of government, the Missouri State Senate has decided that the voters of Missouri are stupid. Last fall, the voters approved a referendum that placed restrictions on the countless puppy mills in the state to ensure humane and healthy conditions were enforced by state regulators. Of course, the tea party lobbied against the passage of the referendum and since the Republicans gained a majority in the State Senate, a new bill was passed in the Missouri Senate to over ride the will of the people in the fall referendum and remove the safeguards that were approved directly by the voters! Continue reading “Puppies vs Corporations” →

Courts, International, Justice

Spanish Judges Rule That U.S. Torture Case Can Proceed

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

We have previously discussed the Obama administration’s attempt to derail a Spanish judicial investigation into torture, here. Spanish law recognizes the principle of universal jurisdiction. Universal jurisdiction (UJ) is a doctrine of international law that holds that certain crimes are so terrible that the duty to prosecute them transcends all borders.

Continue reading “Spanish Judges Rule That U.S. Torture Case Can Proceed” →

Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Media, Society

In One Texas Town, There is No Such Thing as Rape!

Submitted By Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger

 

I actually thought that I had misread the article when I first read it.  It described the horrific gang rape of an 11-year-old in the Texas town of Cleveland.  Eighteen young men and teenagers have been charged with the rape that is alleged to have started in a house and eventually moved to a deserted trailer nearby.  I am sure that this kind of vicious crime occurs all too often in our country, but there is one thing that makes this crime a little different.  Many of the townspeople are blaming the eleven year old girl for her own gang rape! Continue reading “In One Texas Town, There is No Such Thing as Rape!” →

Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, Justice

When Judges Become Linebackers

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Poster’s Note: Today’s  will be my last set of posts for a couple of weeks. Suzanne and I will be traveling to her family’s homeland for a pint and song or two. I’ll try to send JT a picture from Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day. Erin Go Braugh !

America's Version of a Football Judge, Hon. David Doty, Embroiled in His Own Contest

The usual skills of judgeship like prudence, patience, neutrality, and gravitas pale sometimes to good tackling form. His honor Judge Marks Moore,60, learned that fact the hard way immediately following a jury trial in his London courtroom.

Continue reading “When Judges Become Linebackers” →