Category: Media

Bizarre, Media, Politics

Why? President Trump Engages In Name Calling With Daniels In New Low For Public Discourse

I have previously and repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump for his tweets and comments, including personal attacks and name calling that is below the dignity of his office.  Some on this blog have (perhaps correctly) labeled me as something of a prude when it comes to foul language and uncivil exchanges in professional sports, academia, or politics. However, even discounting my sensitivity over such conduct by adults, this is a new low. After news of a judge tossing the defamation lawsuit of Stormy Daniels, Trump lashed out at her and her counsel, Michael Avenatti.   Trump called Daniels “horseface” and Avenatti as a “third-rate lawyer.” Daniels responded by calling him “Tiny” and a man with a penchant for “bestiality.” Once again, why? Trump is President of the United States calling a porn star a adolescent schoolyard name and triggering a name calling contest on social media.  Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans have again criticized the President for such language.

 

Continue reading “Why? President Trump Engages In Name Calling With Daniels In New Low For Public Discourse” →

Columns, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Society

Fourteen Months and Counting: Rob Rosenstein Should Recuse Himself From The Mueller Probe

Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on recent stories indicating that top Justice Department officials raised the recusal of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein back in June 2017.  I first raised Rosenstein’s recusal in June and August of that year when the Mueller investigation began based on his role in the firing of James Comey and I have repeatedly called for the recusal since then (here and here and here).  Unless Mueller has told Rosenstein that he does not consider obstruction to be a serious matter for criminal investigation in this context, it is difficult to see how Rosenstein can continue. Indeed, even if Mueller rejects obstruction theories, Rosenstein should not have continued as his superior in the investigation while that matter was explored in compliance with the mandate given Mueller.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “Fourteen Months and Counting: Rob Rosenstein Should Recuse Himself From The Mueller Probe” →

Academia, Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, Media, Politics, Society

Ohio University Student Arrested After Making False Claims Of Threatening Messages Due To LGBTQ Status

Anna Ayers, a student at Ohio University and a member of the OU student senate, recently caused an uproar at the university after saying that she received threatening messages, including a death threat, due to being part of the LGBTQ community.  Police now say that Ayers made the entire thing up and have arrested her for “making false alarms.” That wording seemed a bit curious so I went to the state code, which indeed has a provision that departs from the usual language of a false police report.   Continue reading “Ohio University Student Arrested After Making False Claims Of Threatening Messages Due To LGBTQ Status” →

Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Media, Politics

Turley and Toobin To Debate Impeachment In Dallas After Midterm Election

images-1The National Constitution Center and the Old Parkland Debate Series has announced that a debate will be held on November 12th between George Washington Professor Jonathan Turley and CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin on impeachment.  The debate will occur a week after the 2018 midterm elections and many have called for the impeachment of both President Donald Trump and Judge Brett Kavanaugh following a Democratic takeover of the United States House of Representatives.  The debate question is: Resolved, the framers designed impeachment as a political, rather than a legal process.  Toobin will argue that the Framers intended impeachment to be a political judgment while Turley will argue that the Framers intended more of a legal judgment. Turley was the last lead counsel in an impeachment trial in the Senate and Toobin previously worked for Independent Counsel Lawrence E. Walsh.

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

Washington State Strikes Down The Death Penalty As Racially Biased and Arbitrary

washington-flag-sealWashington’s Supreme Court unanimously struck down the state’s death penalty Thursday based on the way that it has been used in an arbitrary and racially discriminatory manner. It was a surprising basis since usually capital punishment is rejected as cruel and unusual punishment. It is the punishment, not the imposition of the punishment, that is the common argument against executions. Continue reading “Washington State Strikes Down The Death Penalty As Racially Biased and Arbitrary” →

Bizarre, Media, Politics, Society

West Wing-Nut: Kanye’s Visit To Oval Office Leads To Unhinged and Demeaning Rave

350px-US-WhiteHouse-Logo.svgIn one of the most bizarre (and frankly demeaning) moments for the White House, President Donald Trump invited Kanye West into the Oval Office for what became an unhinged and profane rave sessions in front of the world’s press.  As with the high-level visits with a Kardashian to talk policy, these sessions have a freak show quality more fitting a reality show than the Oval Office.  For anyone who reveres that office, West raving about how he is a “crazy motherf***er” is an utter disgrace. Not to be outdone, CNN proceeded to demean news coverage by racing to the bottom on the story with April Ryan.

Continue reading “West Wing-Nut: Kanye’s Visit To Oval Office Leads To Unhinged and Demeaning Rave” →

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

Kuwait: We Are Not Orwellian . . . We Banned Orwell

504px-Coat_of_Arms_of_Kuwait-2.svg1984-Big-BrotherKuwait has continued to remind the world that, despite its advances in the modern world, it remains a religiously orthodox government imposing medieval values on its population.  That fact was on display this week as the government banned such works as “The Little Mermaid” and Michelangelo’s David as unIslamic or indecent.  Sounds Orwellian? Perhaps but Kuwaiti’s would not know it . . .  Orwell’s masterpiece “1984” was also banned.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Politics

Pro-Life Executions? Idaho Republican Calls For Prosecutions For Women Who Get Abortions, Including Capital Punishment

Nonini45.jpgIdaho Republican lieutenant governor candidate Bob Nonini has triggered a firestorm after saying that women who get an abortion should be criminally prosecuted and indicated that that could include the death penalty. If it seems a tad conflicted to execute someone in the name of being pro-life, Nonini seems to be still trying to thread that needle with a later effort to walk back from his comments.

 

Continue reading “Pro-Life Executions? Idaho Republican Calls For Prosecutions For Women Who Get Abortions, Including Capital Punishment” →

Media, Society

Nasty Gal Barred From Running Ad Featuring Thin Model
images.jpgI have previously criticized the effort to criminalize or sanction companies for using models who are deemed too thin in an effort to change the expectations for young girls.  There is no evidence that these efforts have a real impact on the social preference for thin body types, but officials continue to police the body shapes and weight of models.  That was the case this week with the action against Nasty Gal by the U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for using models deemed “unhealthily underweight” women in a 30-second ad.

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Bizarre, Media, Politics, Society

Taylor Swift Votes The GOP

downloadIf John Kerry was swift boated in 2004, the GOP appears to be Swift voted in 2016. In a measure of the power of celebrity status in our culture, Taylor Swift has reportedly caused a massive registration after she endorsed Tennessee Democrats.  For the GOP hoping for a “Brett bounce” of Republicans going to the polls (with money pouring in for both  parties after the Kavanaugh confirmation), Swift appears to have blunted the impact, particularly in Tennessee, with a single posting on Instagram. We remain a celebrity driven society.

 

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Bizarre, Media, Politics

“I’m Just Glad We Ruined Brett Kavanaugh’s Life”: Colbert Writer Tweets Out A Celebration Of The Politics Of Personal Destruction

As discussed today, the Kavanaugh nomination unleashed a form of primordial politics that seemed to reach horrifying levels on both sides of personal destruction and no holds barred attacks.  No sooner had that column run in the Hill when Ariel Dumas, a writer for CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” declared that “Whatever happens, I’m just glad we ruined Brett Kavanaugh’s life.”  It summed up in a Tweet that vicious character of our politics and discourse. Continue reading ““I’m Just Glad We Ruined Brett Kavanaugh’s Life”: Colbert Writer Tweets Out A Celebration Of The Politics Of Personal Destruction” →

Columns, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Media, Politics, Supreme Court

“Horror Has A Face”: Primordial Politics and the Aftermath of the Kavanaugh Confirmation

Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on the aftermath of the Kavanaugh confirmation. It is not that there is no winner and loser as much as both Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh are both winners and losers.

It will take time to decide which party will benefit, but there is clearly Brett bump for Republicans going into the midterms.  Yet, the confirmation will also continue to resonate Democratic voters.

Continue reading ““Horror Has A Face”: Primordial Politics and the Aftermath of the Kavanaugh Confirmation” →

Media, Politics, Supreme Court

A Court Without A Center: Kagan Laments Loss Of Swing Justice

Continue reading “A Court Without A Center: Kagan Laments Loss Of Swing Justice” →

Bizarre, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Supreme Court

John Paul Stevens: Don’t Confirm Brett Kavanaugh

As I have written previously, I have long been a huge admirer of former Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens — not just for being a fellow Cubs fan.  However, I was surprised to see that Stevens broke a long-standing uwritten rule of former and current justices not to speak on pending nominations or confirmations. According to The Palm Beach Post, Stevens spoke publicly at an event with a retirement group that Kavanaugh should not be confirmed. The event was described as “closed” so it is not clear that Stevens realized that he would be quoted, but it was obviously a large crowd setting. Stevens said that the anger and language used by Kavanaugh raises serious questions of his temperament.   Continue reading “John Paul Stevens: Don’t Confirm Brett Kavanaugh” →

Academia, Bizarre, Media, Society

California State University Dumps “Prospector Pete” As Offensive

prospector peteI have previously expressed my concerns over the removal of long-held mascots and names in colleges from “the Cowboys” to “Shooter the Fox” to the Aztecs to the “Fighting Sioux” to “Chief Illini.” Now, the California State University at Long Beach has decided to dump its mascot, “Prospector Pete,” because some students complained that a gold miner from the 49ers is  “offensive.” Continue reading “California State University Dumps “Prospector Pete” As Offensive” →

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks