Category: Media

Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Military, Politics, Society, Uncategorized

An Upside Down World of Justice

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Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty, (rafflaw) Weekend Contributor

In our sometimes upside down world, it can seem that the lives and secrets of our intelligence service employees and their agencies are worth more than the lives and physical and mental well-being of the countless prisoners who were tortured by the CIA .  That is the same torture that was authorized and approved at the highest levels of our government.

Let’s also not forget the many instances of allegedly criminal activity by large banks and their employees that resulted in civil fines or no action at all, notwithstanding the lives that were shattered in the meantime.

Recently it was disclosed that the Department of Justice and the FBI have recommended that Gen. David Petraeus be criminally prosecuted for allegedly passing his classified CIA email account and exposing state secrets to the biographer/author he was having an affair with.  This is the very same Department of Justice, along with the Obama Administration that claims it did not have enough evidence to file charges against admitted torturers and those that authorized the torture and destruction of evidence. Continue reading “An Upside Down World of Justice” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Religion

India Charges Former Minister After Defense Of Paris Terror Attack

1024px-Flag_of_India.svgIndian officials have arrested former Uttar Pradesh minister and BSP leader Haji Yakub Qureshi after he defended the terror attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. India has a law — similar to U.S. laws — have make it a crime to incite violence but the country appears to impose a relatively lower standard as evidenced in this case.

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Academia, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Society

Irish Muslim Leader Warns Any Newspaper From Publishing Charlie Hebdo Cartoons Or Face Blasphemy Charges

FlagbigAli Selim of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland has declared publicly that he will bring legal action against any Irish newspaper or publication that runs the Charlie Hebdo or other similar cartoons featuring Muhammad. As discussed in my Sunday Washington Post column, these laws in Western countries like France have served to emboldened those like Selim in demanding that others confirm to their religious sensibilities. Despite his effort to deter others from speaking in this fashion, Selim insists without any appearance of embarrassment that he is “a great advocate of freedom of expression” . . . so long of course that it is his expression or an expression that does not offend him.

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Media, Politics, Religion, Society

Howard Dean: Stop Referring To “Muslim Terrorists” In Describing Paris Attackers

220px-HowardDeanDNC-croppedFormer Democratic Party head Howard Dean has caused a controversy with his remarks on Wednesday criticizing people who call the murderers in Paris “Muslim terrorists.” Dean certainly makes a strong point when he says “They’re about as Muslim as I am,” he said. “I mean, they have no respect for anybody else’s life, that’s not what the Koran says.” It is easy to forget that most Muslims are as appalled and outraged as non-Muslims by these horrific crimes. However, I do not agree that we have to adopt another verboten term. The fact is the “Muslim extremist” or “Muslim terrorist” refer to the motivation and self-identity of the killers not their adherence to the proper reading of Islam. I have used it in publication as the most accurate descriptive term for those committing these atrocities.

Continue reading “Howard Dean: Stop Referring To “Muslim Terrorists” In Describing Paris Attackers” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Society, Torts

Dershowitz Threatens To Sue Victim’s Attorneys For Defamation . . . Attorneys Respond By Suing Him First

image.hmlAlanDershowitz2We previously discussed the threat of retired Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz to sue Utah Law Professor and former federal judge Paul Cassell (and his co-counsel Bradley Edwards) for defamation for papers mentioning him in revelation to the sex trafficking scandal of Florida financier Jeffrey Epstein. The lawyers sought unsuccessfully to depose Dershowitz who has been accused of being one of the men who were given underaged girls to sleep with by Epstein. At the time, I wrote that Dershowitz’s statements themselves could be viewed as defamatory and actionable. It appears that Cassell and Edwards were thinking the same thing. They have now sued Dershowitz for defamation.

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Media, Politics, Society

Christie Jumps Into Hot Water Over Appearance At Cowboys Game
YouTube Screen shot
YouTube Screen shot

It was the climax of a great Lions-Cowboys game when, after the last minute win of the Cowboys, the camera showed the owner’s box as Jerry Jones was jumping up and down hugging folks. There was a familiar figure jumping up and down to get in on the hug with Jones. Like many people, however, I stopped and turned and asked “is that Chris Christie?” It turns out that there is only one Christie and he was in the box that night. How he got there is now raising ethical and legal questions.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media, Military, Politics, Society

Erdoğan Announces Turkey Has Greatest Level Of Press Freedom In World As Police Arrest Dutch Journalist For “Terrorism”

220px-Recep_Tayyip_ErdoganLike most of the world, we have watched the rapid decline of civil liberties in Turkey after the election of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his coalition of Islamic parties. Just last month, we discussed the arrest of Mehmet Emin Altunses, 16, who allegedly committed the crime of “insulting” Erdoğan. calling people who use birth control “traitors” and saying Muslims discovered America, you are not allowed to be disrespectful or insulting in discussing Erdoğan. The situation is even more dire for journalists who have found themselves threatened or arrested for reporting on Erdogan or his cronies. Now, Turkish police have arrested Dutch reporter Frederike Geerdink on terrorism charges. Erdoğan responded with one of his signature delusional statements, saying that this is just one more “false” report from Western media since it is about terrorism not journalism. It is his statement about the record of Turkey on press freedoms that truly takes Erdoğan’s menacing comments into the realm of madness.

Continue reading “Erdoğan Announces Turkey Has Greatest Level Of Press Freedom In World As Police Arrest Dutch Journalist For “Terrorism”” →

Academia, Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, International, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Society, Torts

Harvard Law Professor Dershowitz Threatens Utah Law Professor Cassell With Disbarment Action

image.hmlAlanDershowitz2Former federal judge and University of Utah law professor Paul Cassell is facing a rare threat of a bar complaint over his representation of a client in the notorious case of billionaire and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Even more rare is the source of the threatened complaint: retired law professor Alan Dershowitz of the Harvard Law School. Epstein is good friends with Bill Clinton and Duke of York Prince Andrew, 54, who have been mentioned in litigation over allegations of the use of underaged “sex slaves” and Epstein’s alleged penchant for watching (and filming) people having sex with these girls. Dershowitz’s name has appears on the ignoble list contained in motions before a federal court in Florida. Dershowitz is now threatening to initiate disbarment proceedings against Cassell and Bradley Edwards, a Florida attorney who also represents Jane Doe #3 in the controversy.

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Constitutional Law, Free Speech, International, Media, Military, Politics, Society

Tunisian Military Court Sentences Blogger To Three Years In Jail For Defaming Army Officers

B5ugWIBCQAA1JG3The attack on free speech continues unabated around the world. The latest violation occurred in Tunis where a military court has handed down an absurd three year jail sentence to a blogger, blogger Yassine Ayari, for “insulting” Army officers. That is what free speech means in Tunisia. You can be criminally sentenced for “undermining” the Army through criticism.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Military, Politics, Science, Supreme Court, Uncategorized

NSA Abuses Never End

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Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty (rafflaw) Weekend Contributor

The instances of reported abuse of our country’s laws by our Intelligence services seems never-ending.  The National Security Agency, or NSA is at the top of the list when it comes to violations of our laws and even its own rules and procedures that are allegedly designed to protect our privacy.

Pursuant to a court order in a case brought by the ACLU, the NSA is required to provide a list of its abuses on a quarterly basis.  Of course, the NSA redacts most of what it puts in its own disclosures. Continue reading “NSA Abuses Never End” →

Free Speech, Media, Politics, Society

Washington Revises Marijuana Advertising Rules: What Were They Smoking?

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

Entreating the GodfatherThe Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB), charged with administering the state’s legalized marijuana industry, has shown once again its detachment from common sense and business acumen by increasing Initiative 502’s restrictions through crafting administrative rules that border on absurdity.

It is a small example of the duality of the LCB in how it proffers its desire to see windfalls of tax receipts for the state but acts to suppress the same industry it extracts these taxes from.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Media, Politics, Society

Is The “Dear One” The Innocent One?

Sony_Entertainment_Networkkim-jong-unNow this would make for a great movie (certainly better than “The Interview”). Here’s the plot. A reportedly awful movie is produced by Sony with little expected success. Then the company is hacked with threats not to release the movie. All fingers are pointed at North Korea, including statements from the White House and the FBI. There are widespread reports of the U.S. shutting down the North Korean Internet in retaliation. However, the real culprits are actually laid-off Sony staff. In the meantime, the suppressed movie racks in millions as viewers (including my kids last night) rush to see the forbidden movie. Now that’s a movie plot. It is not clear however if it should be fiction or non-fiction. Media is reporting that experts believe that North Korea was in fact innocent of the hacking and that the culprits were former employees of that other hermit kingdom, Sony.

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International, Media, Politics, Religion

Turkish Government Arrests 16-Year-Old Boy For Insulting Erdogan

1533782_1013750711972480_2898209863156174231_n220px-Recep_Tayyip_ErdoganThe rapid decline of civil liberties in Turkey continue this month under the expanding control of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his coalition of Islamic parties. The latest sign came with the arrest of Mehmet Emin Altunses, 16, who allegedly committed the crime of “insulting” Erdogan. That is what free speech has become in Turkey. It is a crime to write or say things insulting about Erdogan who is viewed around the world as a menacing clown destroying secularism and civil liberties in Turkey. Despite such moments as Erdogan’s calling people who use birth control “traitors” and saying Muslims discovered America, you are not allowed to be disrespectful or insulting in discussing Erdogan.

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International, Media, Religion, Society

An Answer To ISIS

Screen Shot 2014-12-27 at 7.56.36 PM220px-Iraqi_insurgents_with_gunsLike most of humanity, I have been stunned by the sheer savagery and cruelty of the Islamic State. Yet, thousands have flocked to the ISIS forces from the West. For me, it has been a particularly shocking phenomenon. The images that repel us, attract them. Religion is clearly a release for these people. A release from the obligations of decency and humanity. Images show Islamic State fighters laughing and enjoying the torture and murder of captives. Muslim clerics with ISIS assure them that they can treat non-Muslims as lower than animals and commit rape as an Islamically pure act. It has been an incredibly depressing time for those of us who believe that humans can aspire to true greatest of spirit and caring. This Christmas, however, my daughter showed me the YouTube clip below of a man named Matt Harding who goes around the world getting people to dance with him. After watching him, my faith in humanity was restored.

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