English communities secretary, Eric Pickles, has proposed that the government may want to withdraw tax breaks for the Church of Scientology — noting controversies over the Church’s activities and alluding to the general view in England that it is more of a cult than a religion.
Continue reading “Oh Pickles: Scientology Could Face Loss of Tax Exemptions in England”
Category: Politics
In Florida, U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson has rejected an effort by the Obama Administration to dismiss a challenge of the health care law and has ordered the case to proceed — even criticizing the position of the Administration as “Alice in Wonderland” arguments.
Continue reading “Federal Court Rules Challenge To Federal Health Care Law Can Go Forward”
While the Obama Administration has announced an appeal in Massachusetts to reverse the victory with regard to same sex marriage, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips in Riverside, California has upped the ante by imposing a nationwide injunction on the policy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell– a move also opposed by the Obama Administration. The Administration is now likely to move to reverse this victory in California — further angering those “lethargic” liberals that the Administration has been pushing to work for the Democrats.
Continue reading “Federal Judge Imposes Nationwide Injunction of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”
The Obama administration will appeal the Massachusetts ruling in favor of same sex marriage. The Justice Department will defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA. This action will further alienate civil libertarians and liberals — particularly at a time when the Administration is trying to preserve the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy in a California case. Now on both coasts, the Obama Administration is fighting to continue discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Continue reading “Obama Administration Announces Appeal To Reverse Same Sex Marriage Victory”
The Nobel Committee may think a lot about MIT economist Peter Diamond, but he is currently blocked as a nominee for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. Sen. Richard Shelby has objected that Diamond is not qualified for the Board because his specialty is not in monetary policy.
Continue reading “Fed Nominee Blocked By GOP Senator As Unqualified Just Received The Nobel Prize”
Iran has reportedly arrested the lawyer and the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, 43, as well as two “foreign nationals” who interviewed her family. Ashtiani is still set to be stoned to death for adultery. In the meantime, Iran continues to mix Sharia law with old-fashioned totalitarian repression.
Continue reading “Iran Reportedly Arrests Ashtiani’s Lawyer and Son”
Prime Minister David Cameron told the public this week that British aid worker Linda Norgrove may have been accidentally killed by U.S. forces during a rescue mission in Afghanistan. He attributed the death to the possible use of a grenade by U.S. forces in the rescue effort.
Continue reading “English Prime Minister Suggests U.S. Military May Have Killed Linda Norgrove”
What is it about public officials and Nazi uniforms these days. We just saw a Portland police officer accused wearing a Nazi uniform and building a memorial to fallen German soldiers including a SS officer and a war criminal. Now, Rich Iott, Ohio Republican nominee for Ohio’s Ninth District (second from the right) has been shown in his World War II German uniform.
Continue reading “The Reich Man For the Job? Ohio GOP Candidate Shown in Nazi Uniform”
We have been following cases where public employees have been disciplined or fired for activities in their private lives from teachers to coaches to lunch ladies (and here and here) to prison guards to city officials to police officers. There have also been such cases involving private employers as well as international cases (here). Now, Portland police Capt. Mark Kruger has been disciplined for his actions celebrating the exploits of German soldiers — actions that have labeled him a “Nazi sympathizer.”
Continue reading “Oregon Police Officer Disciplined as “Nazi Sympathizer””
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has pulled an ad showing real West Virginia guys complaining about West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D). The problem is that the real guys were not only actors but actors from Philadelphia. The ad makers told the talent agency that “We are going for a ‘Hicky’ Blue Collar look.”
Continue reading “National Republican Senatorial Committee Uses Philadelphia Actors to Portray “Hicky” West Virginia Voters”
We have previously discussed how the Obama Administration played down the environmental damage caused by the BP oil spill, including public statements by people like Carol Browner that the oil (which was later found) had miraculously disappeared. Now, documents have been disclosed suggesting that the Obama Administration blocked efforts by federal scientists to tell the public of how bad the oil spill was. Once again, there is relatively little attention to this story. The Bush Administration was accused of the same type of manipulation of scientific reports and was generally (and rightfully) savaged in the press.
Continue reading “Obama Administration Accused of Blocking Report on Potential Seriousness of BP Spill”
In Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Judge Joseph Williams has caused a controversy by rejecting a plea bargain on the ground that it is the type of deal that “only goes to white boys.” The plea agreement involved three months probation for a man accused of fighting with police during a traffic stop.
Continue reading “Pittsburgh Judge Rejects Plea Agreement As Something That Prosecutor Only Gives “To White Boys””
Mississippi Chancery Judge Talmadge Littlejohn means it when he asks everyone to stand and say the pledge of allegiance. When attorney Danny Lampley of Oxford stood but did not recite, Littlejohn threw him in jail.
Littlejohn was just honored by the Mississippi bar for 50 years in public service.
Continue reading “Mississippi Lawyer Jailed By Court For Not Reciting Pledge of Allegiance”
As has been the practice on this blog, I wanted to disclose my representation of the Brown family, who are the subjects of the new series “Sister Wives” on TLC. As in the past, any comments on the case by me will be limited. However, various people have suggested the reported criminal investigation as a subject for this blog and I wanted to explain why I have not posted anything on the controversy.
Continue reading “Representation in “Sister Wives” Case”
There is a raging controversy in Israel where feminists and doctors have accused health officials of using a controversial birth control drug Depo Provera on female Ethiopian immigrants. The activists charge that the policy is based on racism and doubts over the “Jewishness” of the Ethiopians.
Continue reading “Report: Ethiopian Jews Allegedly Being Given Controversial Birth Control Drug”