Category: Politics

Media, Politics

“Blood On The President’s Hands”: Chuck Todd Again Criticized For Biased Attack On Trump

We have previously discussed how NBC News anchor Chuck Todd uses questions to express extreme condemnations of President Donald Trump and his supporters. While Todd realizes that he would be fired for saying outright that Trump supporters “just want to be lied to,” he can make the same point by asking another person if they “just want to be lied to.” Todd returned to his feigned neutrality in asking presidential candidate Joe Biden if “there is blood on the president’s hands.” Not to be undone, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has declared that “as the president fiddles, people are dying.” At least Pelosi had the integrity to make the statement outright.

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Bizarre, Environment, Politics, Society

Washington State Prohibits Citizens From Fishing, Cites Corona Virus Outbreak

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

The restrictions enforced against Washingtonians are approaching absurdity. Somehow Washington State believes that fishing alone in the middle of Banks Lake will lead to worsening the COVID19 outbreak, so it banned recreational fishing. Yet going into a crowded big box store to panic-buy toilet paper and bags of flour is legal and safe.

Is there a threat that we the public are not aware. Is it that Corona Viruses from China can waft into the jet stream and drop like paratroops onto fisherman at Westport? Might it be frightfully possible that we may be swallowed whole by mutant razor clams lurking beneath the sand. What, if we may ask, is this horrorshow?

I suspect it is one of the worst kind of threat…a government agency given too much authority.

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Academics, Bizarre, Media, Politics

A Foundation For Fascism? Critics Warn of Authoritarian Design Behind Trump’s Call For Classic Building Styles

There are many who disagree with the executive order to mandate that new federal buildings follow classical styles of architecture. There are also those of us who have objected to some modern designs like the eyesore design in London of our new embassy. It is a view shared by Prince Charles who lamented how modern designs were ruining the classic profile of key London areas. However, Yale History Professor Glenda Gilmore and columnist Mark Lamster see a far more sinister and frightening meaning in President Donald Trump’s executive order: the blue print for fascism. It appears that we are just one Corinthian column way from an authoritarian structure.

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Criminal law, Free Speech, Justice, Politics, Society

COVID-19 Situation Demonstrates The Potential For Harm To Society Caused By Politicians

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

Putting aside the discussion of whether or not actions taken by various elected officials were reasonable, the hurried effects suffered by the public during the COVID-19 virus pandemic at the behest of politicians should if anything prove the potential for damage caused by unscrupulousness or incompetence in government.

Today’s events should be by now a self-evident reminder of the great importance of putting the right people in office and the folly of settling for very fallable politicians. The next coming weeks will make that point likely more for you, with less consideration to your rights or interests.

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Media, Politics, Society

“I Think Bernie Needs Space”: Warren Repeats 2016 Strategy In Refusing To Endorse Sanders

In a repeat of her refusal to endorse Bernie Sanders in 2016, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren again refused to do so before the critical Michigan primary after she pulled out. At the time, she said that she needed more time. Now, as liberal supporters have grown angrier at her failure to support Sanders (with many of the same priorities and policies), Warren is saying that she will not endorse because “Bernie needs space” to decide what to do. It now appears that Sanders is done after his losses this week. For Sanders, it is a familiar knife delivered by a familiar hand.

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Columns, Constitutional Law, Media, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Supreme Identity Politics: Biden Pledges To Only Consider Black Females For Supreme Court Pick

Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on former Vice President Joe Biden’s pledge that he will select a black women as the next nominee to the Supreme Court.

Here is the column:

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Bizarre, Media, Politics

A Vast Virus Conspiracy?Clinton Accuses Trump Of “Racist” References To The “Chinese Virus” To “Distract” The Public

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has joined other critics of President Donald Trump in denouncing what she sees as racist language being used to “distract” the public. She is referring to Trump’s reference to the “Chinese virus.” The reference to the origin of the virus is fairly common and it is hard to see how such a reference “distracts” anyone from any aspect of the pandemic. China does appear to have failed to immediately notify the world of the virus or share accurate information in the early critical period. The response of China this week was to throw out reporters from leading media organizations for reporting on the origin and spread of the virus in China. Two Chinese experts referred to this as the “Wuhan virus” until they were pressured to take down their column. Now, it appears that others want all reference to the origins barred as an act of racism.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics

MSNBC Legal Analyst: Trump Must Be Investigated For Negligent Homicide And Manslaughter
YouTube Screenshot/MSNBC

We recently discussed how an American University professor called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Not to be outdone, MSNBC legal analyst Glenn Kirschner is now declaring that Trump should be charged with negligent homicide over his conduct. While insisting that, as a former prosecutor, this is something he “actually know[s] too much about,” Kirschner proceeds to utterly misrepresent the controlling law and definitions of such a criminal case. While I come from the other perspective of a criminal defense attorney, the argument being put forward by the MSNBC legal analyst is devoid of any basis in the law. It does however play well for those who believe impeachment or prosecution are entirely fluid and relative concepts when it comes to Trump.

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Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics

Free The Trolls: The Justice Department Moves To Drop Major Mueller Case Against Russian-Linked Companies

It appears that trolls are enjoying St. Patrick’s Day as much as Leprechauns. The Justice Department shocked many by dropping the matinee case of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller against two Russian companies accused of funding the “troll farms” in the 2016 election. Many critics have charged that the trolling operation was laughingly ineffective and clumsy. Moreover, the evidence against the companies, including Concord Management and Consulting LLC and Concord Catering, was questioned. The prosecutors, while defending the original charges, moved to dismiss the case because they viewed the trial as threatening national security secrets. That claim seemed like more of a spin in a case that never seemed to materialize into hard evidence to support these charges. Update: The company has announced that it will sue the U.S. government for billions in damages — a move that will once again raise this same information for trial.

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Columns, Courts, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

The Death of Irony: How A Judge’s Attack On Judicial Bias Backfired

Below is my column in the Hill newspaper on the recent criticism of the Roberts Court by a federal district judge. The law review article makes a stronger case for critics who view some judges are part of a deep bench movement against Trump. I do not see that pattern but I do view Judge Lynn Adelman as well outside of the navigational beacons for public commentary by federal judges.

Here is the column:

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Politics

The Corona Commutation: Michael Cohen Calls On Trump For The Immediate Release of Prisoners . . . Like Michael Cohen
C-Span/YouTube Screenshot

Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney and “fixer” for President Donald Trump, is calling on his former client to order the release of non-violent prisoners to avoid imposing a “death sentence” on him and others. The petition is a “plea to the President of the United States to save lives” to avoid a threat of lethal exposure for inmates like Cohen. Of course, given the extreme animosity that exists between Trump and Cohen, that may not be the optimal spin for inducing presidential action.

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Bizarre, Politics, Society

Nationalization Now: De Blasio Calls For Curtailing Capitalism To Fight Corona

I admit to being no fan of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio who achieved the distinction of a zero popularity polling with a 58 percent unpopularity rating in New York city for his presidential run. De Blasio failed to generate support despite his effort to unleash class warfare with such pledges as “we will tax the hell out of the rich.” Now, de Blasio appears to have gone full for Gosplan with his call for nationalizing certain industries to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. Capitalism again appears to be the problem; fueling the spread of corona by preventing decisive action. Call it coronalism and de Blasio is here to end it.

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Constitutional Law, Media, Politics

Connecticut’s Gun-Control Law Triggers New Challenge Under Heller

The Supreme Court has still not dismissed a New York gun case where New York City officials passed, in my view, a clearly unconstitutional gun control measure. Then, after proclaiming that they would defend the law to the Supreme Court, they tried desperately to withdraw the case after review was granted. That creates a serious question of mootness in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. City of New York. However, they may have pushed this game too far with the Court, which clearly did not like being played by politicians using the courts for grandstanding. Yet, there is a case out of Connecticut that could prove equally, if not more, important in defining the edges of the Second Amendment.

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Academics, Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Politics

American University Professor Calls For Trump Impeachment Over The Coronavirus Response

Professor Chris Edelson, assistant professor of government at American University, has penned an opinion column calling for President Trump to resign or be impeachment for his handling of the coronavirus crisis. It is just the latest in a long line of such impeachment theories that reflect a fundamental misconception of the function and standard for the removal of an American President.

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Bizarre, Media, Politics

A Family Or Corporate Matter? CNN Contributor Andrew Gillum Found Inebriated In Miami Hotel Room With Illegal Drugs

It is less than 24 hours since the story broke but CNN contributor and former Democratic candidate for Florida governor, Andrew Gillum is already being referred to as a “former rising star of the Democratic party.” That is not a good sign. Gillum was found “inebriated” early Friday morning in a hotel where meth was also recovered. The story may rekindle a long controversy over “morals clauses” in media contracts.

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