Category: Media

Media, Politics

Clinton Surrogate Ed Rendell Predicts Landside Of “Ugly Women” Voting For Clinton

Ed_RendellTrump supporters have repeatedly objected to what is viewed as a bias in the media in favor of Hillary Clinton, including the failure to recognize that Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton have previously said things that are now denounced as hateful or extremist. Now a Clinton surrogate has sounded positively Trump like in his criticism of Trump. Ed Rendell, the former Pennsylvania governor and Philadelphia mayor had a curious way of analyzing the impact of statements by Trump about women on voters. I will say it again: this election cannot get more bizarre.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Environment, Media, Science

Three Men Arrested For Trashing Death Valley Park Area and Killing Endangered Fish

la-1463144937-snap-photoWe have been discussing the scourge of graffiti and destruction by vandals in our national parks. The lack of deterrence was vividly shown by the laughable fine given to actress Vanessa Hudgens for defacing a rock wall. An exception to this dismal enforcement may be the case of three men who were caught on video drunkenly vandalizing Death Valley National Park and possibly causing the death of an endangered Devils Hole pupfish. Steven Schwinkendorf, Edgar Reyes and Trenton Sargent are all facing felony charges including killing of an endangered species, destruction of habitat, trespassing, and destruction of property. One is charged with the crime of an ex-felon possessing a firearm.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Media, Politics, Society

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WINS HISTORIC RULING IN CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE UNDER THE ACA

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This afternoon, Judge Rosemary Collyer issued a final ruling in United States House of Representatives v. Burwell, the challenge to unilateral actions taken by the Administration under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Judge Collyer ruled in favor of the House of Representatives and found that the Administration violated the Constitution in committing billions of dollars from the United States Treasury without the approval of Congress. The historic ruling reaffirms the foundational “power of the purse” that was given to the legislative branch by the Framers.
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Criminal law, Media, Politics

“We Do Investigations Here At The FBI”: FBI Director Reportedly Contradicts Clinton On Email Investigation

Hillary_Clinton_Testimony_to_House_Select_Committee_on_BenghaziThe FBI and its director James Comey have been careful not to be swept into the political campaign in comments about the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s personal server. The Clinton campaign, and the candidate herself, have repeatedly scoffed at any danger of an indictment and insisted that this is merely a “security review” or “security inquiry.” Indeed, close Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal was on CNN this morning stressing that this was nothing more than a security review. Now Comey is being quoted by Fox News chief intelligence correspondent Catherine Herridge as directly refuting this core claim by Clinton and saying that this is a criminal investigation. He would also likely disagree with Bill Clinton’s recent claim that the investigation was just a “game” and nothing more.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media

Scottish Man Arrested After Teaching Dog To Give Nazi Salute

Screen Shot 2016-05-09 at 7.43.09 PMThere is another bizarre free speech case out of Europe. This case involves a 28-year-old man in Coatbridge Scotland who taught his pug to give a Nazi salute to a screen showing Adolph Hitler. He was arrested after posting a video for hate speech.

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Constitutional Law, Courts, International, Media, Politics, Society

Turley To Speak At ASCRS Conference in New Orleans

img_3550It will be my distinct pleasure to serve as the keynote speaker today at the conference of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) in New Orleans. I will be addressing the society tonight in New Orleans on the rise of the Fourth Branch and how it relates to the practice of medicine in the 21st Century. It is always fun to return to New Orleans where I started my teaching career at Tulane University, though this will regrettably have to be a short visit due to a speech in Michigan. Since today is my birthday, I will have to at least get out to a couple of my favorite haunts for some good food and drinks with the Napoleon House at the top of the list for a Pimm’s Cup . . . or two.

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Bizarre, Media, Politics, Society

Poll: Negative Views Of Trump and Clinton Reach “Historic” Levels

495px-Donald_Trump_by_Gage_SkidmoreHillary_Clinton_Testimony_to_House_Select_Committee_on_BenghaziA new poll again shows what we have previously discussed as the absurdity of an election that produced the two least popular candidates as what many view as the only choices for the general election. In prior discussions, due to the duopoly on power, citizens will be told to choice between two people that they dislike to an unprecendented degree. What is fascinating is the Democratic National Committee head Debbie Wasserman-Shultz has stated that she is opposed to independents even playing a role in primaries — the reason why Clinton has struggled despite every advantage given to her by the establishment. Wasserman-Shultz, who may be the least popular DNC head in history, sees the problem is giving too many people a voice in the candidates.

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Bizarre, Media, Politics, Society

Tow Truck Driver Refuses To Assist Disabled Driver After Spotting Sanders Sign In Her Car

572a77ce160000890331db94 I have often been mystified by how some people justify the most base or hateful acts with religion. That seems to be the case with two truck driver Ken Shupe, 51, who was called to an accident where he found a disabled woman, Cassandra McWade, next to her car. He was reportedly preparing to tow the car when he spotted a Bernie Sanders sign in her Toyota Camry. He then announced that he was a conservative Christian and would not help her because she supported Sanders.
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Criminal law, Media, Society

Navy Seal Killed In ISIS Battle Was Grandson Of Infamous Banker Charles Keating Jr.

imagesThe U.S. Navy SEAL killed in combat has been identified and the name will strike a cord with those of us who recall the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s. He is Charlie Keating IV and, yes, his grandfather is indeed that Charles Keating. It turns out that the grandson is everything that the grandfather failed to become: a man of loyalty, principle, and unbridled courage. It is hard to imagine the loss of such a remarkable young man. The family gave this nation a true hero who gave his life fighting side by side with his fellow seals against Islamic extremists.

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

Egyptian President Announces That Civil Liberties Are Just A “Western Perspective” That Has No Place In Egypt

sisi-mouseBacked by the United States, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has led a crackdown on civil liberties in Egypt, particularly when it comes to critics and journalists. In Egypt, a teenager was jailed for cartoons of Muhammad and a leading businessman was attacked for a cartoon of Micky Mouse with a beard. Then there was the three-year sentence given Amr Nohan, a 22-year-old law graduate for posting a Facebook image of al-Sisi with Mickey Mouse-style cartoon ears shown above. A leading cartoonist Islam Gawish, 26, was arrested in Egypt by the hyper sensitive al-Sisi government. This year, al-Sisi went after journalists who dared to even criticize his policies as a criminal act against the state. Now al-Sisi has finally had enough with the pretense of civil liberties. On Wednesday, he reportedly rejected even the notion that civil liberties should apply to Egypt as a “Western perspective.” In other words, such freedoms have no place in Egypt. What is really remarkable is that he told his to a congressional delegation from the United States without fear of any question over the massive aid that he receives from this country.

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Academia, Animals, Bizarre, Criminal law, Media

Illinois Professor Charged After Falsely Claiming In Class That She Found A Puppy On the Roadside In Sealed Pillowcase

woodstock-dog-jpg-20160429Hope Sanchez, 38, (right below), an adjunct psychology professor at McHenry County College, is at the center new case out of Illinois with a rather bizarre twist. She reportedly told her class about her finding an abandoned boxer puppy inside a duct-taped pillowcase. The incident was ultimately reported it to the police and the police determined that the story was untrue. Police charged her with filing a false report even though it does not appear that she went to the police.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Politics

“This Is A Game”: The Clintons Continue To Mock Email Investigation

225px-Bill_Clinton136px-US-FBI-ShadedSeal_svgI have previously written about the peculiar position of being counsel for Hillary Clinton when your client, her advisers, and allies mock the massive federal investigation that continues into her reckless use of an unsecured personal server for her official communications as Secretary of State. As counsel you usually strive to show investigators that your client understands the gravity of such violations and accepts responsibility for serious mistakes of judgment or action on her part. The Clintons however have been yielding to a political rather than a legal narrative in mocking the investigation — something that truly must mystify those FBI agents working the case. In the latest such example, former president Bill Clinton used a speech in Kokomo, Indiana to dismiss the FBI investigation is nothing more than “a game.”

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Columns, Courts, Criminal law, Environment, Media, Politics, Science, Society

The Flint Charges and The Murky Legal Waters Facing Prosecutors

220px-Water_droplet_blue_bg05Below is my column in USA Today on the prosecution of three state and local officials in the Flint, Michigan water scandal. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has promised more (and higher ranking) defendants in the coming weeks. However, as discussed in this column, these cases are not as straightforward as the pictures of bottles of Flint water juxtaposed against clean water. While there are strong elements to some of the charges, the prosecution is not nearly as easily or obvious as has been suggested in the media, in my view.

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Media, Politics, Society

Poll: Half of Americans View Primary System As Rigged and Undemocratic

Freedom_of_SpeechWe have previously discussed the bizarre situation of two candidates (Trump and Clinton) with historic negative polling numbers emerge as the frontrunners for the general election. Six out of ten voters say that they are unwilling to vote for either Trump or Clinton. Now a new poll shows that over half of American voters believe that the primary system is “rigged” and more than two-thirds want a new system for electing their leaders. What is remarkable is how detached the system appears from the voters. The GOP primary is advancing a candidate with high exceptionally negatives for the general election. In the meantime, the public is in open revolt of the “establishment” so the Democratic leadership has lined up to guarantee the selection of the candidate who is the ultimate establishment figure.  Now one-fourth of voters are saying that they will stay at home rather than vote for either of the frontrunners.

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

Dutch Newspaper Publishes Front Page Cartoon Mocking Erdogan After The Arrest Of Dutch Journalist

Cg3jHtBWIAAAf4iAs Western leaders like Angela Merkel cave into the authoritarian demands of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in crushing free speech, journalists and cartoonists are fighting back. After a Dutch journalist was arrested in Turkey this weekend for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the most-read newspaper in the Netherlands threw down the gauntlet and published a front-page editorial cartoon that shows Erdogan as an ape crushing Europe’s free speech. Since Erdogan demands the prosecution of journalists even outside of Turkey who insult him, the publication could force another confrontation with the aspiring dictator. In the meantime, the West (including the United States) continue to prop up Erdogan as he destroys secular government in Turkey, arrests journalists, and denies the most basic forms of free speech.

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