The Securities and Exchange Commission has a curious concept of punishment. Bank of America is accused of misleading investors about $5.8 billion in bonuses paid to top executives at Merrill Lynch. The SEC responds with a penalty of a $33 million settlement.
Continue reading “Bank of America Misleads Investors Over $5.8 Billion in Bonuses — SEC Fines Company $33 Million and Executives Keep Jobs and Bonuses”
Category: Politics
There is a major fight brewing between New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Councilman Simcha Felder over an allegation of the unlawful use of discretionary funds. Between 2002 and 2006, the office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave $1.1 million to the Orthodox Agudath Israel of America and $400,000 to Ohel Children’s Services. Such use of funds is only allowed at the request of a council member and Bloomberg has said that it was requested by Felder – who has denied any such request.
Continue reading “New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Accused of Illegally Funneling Money to Two Jewish Groups”
Sudanese police beat women protesting outside a Sudanese court Tuesday during the trial of Lubna Hussein, a former U.N. worker and journalist, who is facing flogging for wearing pants in violation of Islamic laws. We previously discussed the story, here. The police fired tear gas into a group of 50 or so women and beat them with batons for protesting against the Sharia court proceeding. Hussein’s lawyer was also beaten.
Continue reading “Sudanese Police Beat Women Protesting Pants Ban”
The D.C. Council members have called for an investigation into the allegations of discovery destruction in the World Bank/IMF case. Given the inquiries into the case, I am posting the recent sanctions material to cut down on calls to my office. I am also posting the transcript from the last hearing. Given my role in the case, I am limited in what I can say about the case.
Continue reading “D.C. Council Members Call for Investigation of Protest Case and Resignation of Attorney General Peter Nickles”
Clearwater Florida’s Parks and Recreation Director, Kevin Dunbar, is under fire after he ordered the removal of 13 flagpoles and flags from the city this week. Dunbar concluded that flying old Glory was no longer affordable — a move that parallels the decision of various cities and states to sell parks and historic sites even as the United States continues to spend billions on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Continue reading “Florida City Park Director Orders Removal of Flags To Save Money”
There is a surprising development in the case of former Luzerne County Judges Mark Ciavarella Jr. and Michael Conahan in Pennsylvania. U.S. District Judge Edwin Kosik has rejected the plea bargain given the two former judges who previously pleaded guilty in a scheme to steer juveniles to for-profit detention facilities for $2.6 million in kickbacks. The decision of Kosik shows the dangers of defendants speaking to the media between pleas and sentencings.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez continues his authoritarian crackdown in Venezuela with the closure of 34 radio stations for alleged violations of government regulations. Despite the reluctance of some liberals to denounce an obvious dictator in the making, Chavez continues to consolidate power and punish critics — particularly in attacks on the free press.
Continue reading “Chavez Shuts Down 34 “Bourgeoisie” Radio Stations”
We have been following the lawyers and judges implicated in the corruption scandal surrounding lawyer Richard “Dickie” Scruggs. Now the scandal has claimed another individual: Mississippi judge Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter, 55, has pleaded guilty.
Continue reading “Mississippi Judge Pleads Guilty To Federal Obstruction”
DeKalb Officers Ryan White and C.M. Route are suspended pending an investigation in why they used a DeKalb County computer to run a check on President Barack Obama. Both are roughly two year veterans of the force.
Continue reading “Two Georgia Police Officers Suspended After Allegedly Running Criminal Checks on President Obama From Police Cruiser”
Karl Rove spoke to congressional investigators last week and reportedly admitted that he did play a role in the hiring and firing of federal prosecutors, including at least one of the nine U.S. Attorneys at the heart of the scandal.
After a new factory opened in Jilin, China, citizens flooded local hospitals with complaints about convulsions, breathing difficulties, vomiting and temporary paralysis. They all lived or worked near the new Jilin Connell Chemical Plant. The Chinese government responded in an all too familiar way: declaring the cases to be little more than “mass hysteria” and ordering doctors to stop treating the patients. More than 1,200 of the workers at the new factory has sought medical help.
The World Bank/IMF protest case had a sanctions hearing yesterday that had found its way into the media. Because I am lead counsel (with Dan Schwartz) in one of the two cases (Chang) against the District of Columbia, Federal government, Fairfax County, and various police officers, I will not comment on the controversy.
Continue reading “Federal Judge Calls for Investigation of “The Civil Equivalent of the Ted Stevens Case””
Two police chiefs — Martins Ferry Police Chief Barry Carpenter and Bridgeport Chief Chad Dojack — have reportedly been arrested and booked in a case involving actors Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker — and the surrogate mother who recently gave birth to their twin girls. The police chiefs are accused of illegally breaking into the home of the 26-year-old Michelle Ross to obtain information to be sold to a tabloid.
Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli overruled career lawyers at the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division to drop a complaint against three members of the New Black Panther Party of intimidating voters in Philadelphia during November’s election — including one member Samir Shabazz who brandished a nightstick.
Continue reading “Obama Political Appointees Reportedly Overruled Career Justice Officials In Dropping Charges Against New Black Panther Party for Voter Intimidation”
Boston Police Officer and National Guardsman Justin Barrett has gone public to deny he is a racist and apologize to professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. for repeatedly calling Gates a “banana-eating jungle monkey,” insisting that “I have so many friends of every type of culture and race you can name. I am not a racist.”