Scientology has long been criticized for using litigation to wear down anyone who challenges or investigates its church. Now, Gawker and other sites found themselves the recipients of threatening letters not to show the video, which contains a rather odd interview with Cruise in a frenzy over Scientology and its powers. The claim of copyright infringement and criminal violations appears a scare tactic given the newsworthy content of the video. While some sites immediately buckled under the pressure, Gawker has taken a public and defiant stance against Church. While Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard told his supporters that litigation is meant to harass enemies not win cases, this is one first amendment fight the Church may want to avoid. Continue reading “Scientology Lawyers Go After Bloggers and Sites Featuring Bizarre Cruise Videotape”
Category: Justice
For weeks, there has been a concerted effort in both Congress and the White House to contain the scandal over the CIA torture tapes, while giving the impression of a serious effort to investigate. This week’s House Intelligence hearing seemed to confirm the worst suspicions along these lines as both Democrats and Republicans offered a rogue employee theory to explain the destruction — and in the process, relieve themselves and the Administration of serious blame. Continue reading “The Spin Begins: House Leaders Offer Rogue Employee Theory for CIA Torture Tape Destruction”
In the escalation of faith-based pitches by both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, Mike Huckabee has thrown down a new challenge: amending the Constitution to conform to the word of God. In a recent statement, Huckabee stated: “[Some of my opponents] do not want to change the Constitution, but I believe it’s a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God . . . and that’s what we need to do, is to amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards, rather than try to change God’s standards.” What is most remarkable is how little remarkable this statement proved to be with mainstream media. Continue reading “Huckabee Calls for Constitution to Be Amend to Conform to the Word of God”
In a rare defamation action, a group of retired federal drug enforcement agents are suing NBC Universal, alleging that the movie “American Gangster” falsely portrayed them. In the film starring Denzel Washington, the agents are portrayed as the bad guys in the story of a Harlem heroin trafficker. The former agents are seeking $50 million in damages plus profits from the film, including punitive damages. NBC Universal seems to be making matters worse for themselves by alternatively claiming that the story is based of fact or completing fictional. Continue reading “DEA Agents Sue for Defamation Over Denzel Washington’s Film “American Gangster””
The criminal trial of Wesley Snipes and two other men will focus on a little known movement based on Section 861 of the Internal Revenue Code. This group argues that citizens are only required to pay taxed on earnings made outside but not inside the country. Snipes could be looking at real jail time for his involvement with the group even after he signed a affidavit of incompetence in 2000 that he does not understand his basic tax obligations. Continue reading “Wesley Snipes Trial to Highlight 861 Scam — Considered a Cult-like Movement By Tax Experts”
Nothing becomes politics quite like death. With a presidential election approaching and three important cases before the Supreme Court, the country is once again grappling with the death penalty. Politicians and citizens alike are debating how — and whether — we should kill those who kill others.
It is a debate with particular importance to Ralph Baze and Thomas Clyde Bowling Jr., death-row inmates who are challenging the constitutionality of lethal injection as a method of execution in Kentucky. The court is set to issue its first ruling in more than 100 years on the method of executions. Continue reading “From The Brazen Bull to Lethal Injection: The Punishment Fits the Times”
Ezra Levant is hardly a popular choice for many who defend free speech. He is considered by many as something of a right wingnut in Canada who publishes the controversial Western Standard. However, he has released a disturbing video of a hearing in which he was called to account for his publication of the Danish Mohammed cartoon that led to the violence around the world. The hearing before the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission should not sit well with civil libertarians who resist government controls or coercion of free speech. Watching these videos raises serious questions about the scope of these laws and whether they are intruding on protected areas of speech. Continue reading “Hate Speech or State Coercion?: Video of Ezra Levant Hearing Raises Serious Questions over Hate Speech Investigations in Canada”
Despite its strong secular traditions, Israel remains a nation with many laws and customs enforced to protect Jewish religious practices. Public buses have long been a danger zone for women who are targeted by ultra-orthodox Jews for wearing trousers or mixing with men. Women have been physically assaulted and are forced to sit in the back of the bus in religious areas. Now, the Israeli Supreme Court is faced with a filing by women who have refused to move to the back of the bus like Rosa Parks. Continue reading “Rosa Parks Part II: Israeli Women Fight Against Attacks and Segregation on Public Buses”
“Judge Alex” may get good review on his TV faux court show, but he faced decidedly poor review before real justices on the Supreme Court. Alex Ferrer’s contract dispute with an artists’ manager, Arnold Preston, made it to the Supreme Court this week and most justices appeared to reject the TV judge’s claims in the contract dispute. Continue reading “Faux TV Judge Goes to Real Court: Justices Express “Skepticism” Over Claims of “Judge Alex” in Supreme Court”
In a surprising move, the Bush Administration has supported D.C. in the upcoming review of its gun control laws just as gun rights advocates thought they had finally achieved an upper hand on the long-unresolved constitutional question. Continue reading “Bush Administration Backs D.C. Gun Controls Before Supreme Court”
In the world of jail house law, Scott Anthony Gomez Jr. is a stand out. Convicted of weapons charges, Gomez escapted once from the Pueblo County Jail in Colorado, only to be caught again. In his his attempt, he fell from an 85 foot height, seriously injuring himself. He argues in his federal filing that, if the jail was better secured, he would not have attempt such an act. Continue reading “Inmate Sues Jail for Injuries from Escape Attempt — Alleges Negligent Security”
Dallas Police Officers Randy Anderson, 25, and Paul Loughridge, 48, apparently view foosball as more of a contact support. The two officers have been fired after they put their guns to the heads to two men — including country music singer Steve Holy — during a late night game in Holy’s garage. Continue reading “OK You Win: Two Police Officers Fired After Putting Guns to the Heads of Men Playing Foosball”
With little attention in the media, the Justice Department has filed papers in federal court arguing that the CIA did not have an obligation to preserve the infamous torture tapes and therefore was lawfully entitled to destroy them. The filing patently demonstrates the conflict of interest in Attorney General Michael Mukasey insisting that the Justice Department investigate the possible criminal conduct in the matter. Now, the Justice Department is not only investigating itself, but it is investigating a crime that it has rejected as baseless in court filings. The ACLU case has also shown that other officials were aware of the tapes, including the CIA Inspector General’s Office — which means that the agency “watchdogs” knew of a torture program – a clear criminal enterprise – and did nothing. Continue reading “Justice Department Argues in Court that CIA Did Not Have to Preserve Torture Tapes While It Continues to “Independently Investigate” That Very Crime”
Given the controversy over the new national identification card and government sharing of files on citizens, this prior column on the work of DARPA to achieve “total transparency” in society may be of interest. Continue reading “DARPA and the Administration’s Plan for “Total Transparency” in a Fishbowl Society”
In November 2001, I testified against the national identification card proposal when it was first made in Congress. Below is the oral testimony from that hearing before the House Government Reform Committee, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee on Nov. 16, 2001: Continue reading “National Identification Card Testimony”