Category: Politics

Bizarre, Politics, Society

Fire Sale: Arizona Considers Selling House and Senate Buildings for Cash

125px-Flag_of_Arizona.svgThe fire sale of America continues this week with Arizona legislators considering selling their House and Senate buildings and then leasing them back from private companies to raise cash. As we continue to pour billions into the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, states are selling off parks and historic sites (here and here). The result is a windfall for private investors who are scooping up deals from legislators who are eager for ready cash.

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Academia, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Former Journalist and United Nations Worker Faces Flogging in Sudan for Wearing Pants

300px-Fomfr_whipLubna Hussein, a former journalist and current United Nations worker, is facing 40 lashes for the crime of wearing pants in a public place — an act of unspeakable “indecency” under Sharia law in Sudan. She says that 10 other women arrested at a restaurant in Khartoum, including some non-Muslims, were already flogged.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Lawyering, Politics, Society

The One That Got Away: Florida Fish Shop Wins Case Against Clearwater

largemouthbasstax1The City of Clearwater, Florida has decided to throw one back. We have been following the story of bait shop owners Herb and Lori Quintero in Clearwater, Florida who challenged a fine for having a fish mural painted on the outside of their business — later covered up by a copy of the first amendment. The controversy was a combination of remarkably bad lawyering and judgment by the city. It has now concluded after two adverse rulings against the city and a $55,000 settlement paid to the Quinteros.
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Academia, Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Military, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Yoo Must Be Kidding: Professor Argues That Bush Could Negate Both The Fourth Amendment and The Posse Comitatus Act By Simply Declaring Deployment To Be A National Security Matter

180px-john-yooThe debate continues to rage this week over the push by Vice President Dick Cheney and others to have former President George Bush deploy active military units in a suburb of Buffalo to arrest a small group of men who were suspected of supporting terrorism (here). Nor surprising, Bush officials went to Berkeley law professor John Yoo to tell them that (surprise!) the President was not bound by the Fourth Amendment or federal law if he unilaterally declared the operation to be a national security matter. Yoo and his former colleague conclude that “the president has the legal and constitutional authority to use military force within the United States to respond to and combat future acts of terrorism, and that the Posse Comitatus Act does not bar deployment.” I discussed the controversy on this segment of Countdown.
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Congress, Constitutional Law, International, Military, Politics, Religion, Society

Official British Military Magazine “Soldier” Features Openly Gay Soldier on Cover Next to Headline “Pride”

blogimage_gaysoldier2.jpg_thumbs_600x852_thumbs_200x284The British army took a remarkable and commendable step this month by featuring Trooper James Wharton, an openly gay soldier. While U.S. military officers continue to fret over gays in the military and discharge decorated heroes for their private relations, the British has shown that tough guys can be gay guys.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Baker Replaced By Cook: Alexandria Police Chief Arrested for Drunk Driving

DSC00606.JPGAlexandria (Va.) Police Chief David P. Baker, 58, has been put on administrative leave after crashing his unmarked city car and then blowing 0.19 on a sobriety check — twice the legal limit. Deputy Police Chief Earl Cook has replaced him as acting chief.

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Bizarre, Media, Politics

Palin: The American Media is an Anti-Military, Anti-Family Group of Liars

225px-palin1DVaderFormer Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin left office with a signature attack on the media in which she accused of making up stories against the military and persecuting her family. There was no mention of the various Republicans describing her as an embarrassment or former McCain staffers describing her as a living nightmare. It comes down to the media and their war on America.

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Academia, Bizarre, International, Politics, Society

Chinese Students Allege Officials Sold Their Academic Records — and Ruined Their Lives

China's flagThere is a bizarre story out of China where dozens of Chinese students have seen their future wiped out by the disappearance of the manila folders containing their records. In China, these paper folders follow a student throughout his or her career with every achievement, score, and prospect for a college education. While Chinese officials say that the folders were lost in a move of an office to a floor above, reformers believe that corrupt officials sold the folders to the parents of underachieving students, who then use their records to secure valuable jobs and college entrance.

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Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Sixteen-Year-Old Girl in Pakistan is Beaten and Gang Raped for a Year Before Being Turned Over to Police — Who Beat and Gang Rape Her

pray04sthumbnailPakistan flagThere is another horrific story out of Pakistan in the abuse of women and girls. In this case, Assiya Rafiq, 16, was kidnapped by a group of men who proceeded to beat and rape her for a year. When police accused them of bank robbery, the men agreed to turn over a bribe — and Assiya. The Police Chief and his officers then allegedly proceeded to rape her and accuse her of bank robbery.

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Bizarre, Media, Politics, Society

Navy Officer Accuses Reporter of Sexual Harassment

215px-His_Girl_Friday_posterMiami Herald Reporter Carol Rosenberg has been accused of sexual harassment in a complaint by Navy Cmdr. Jeffrey Gordon. In what may be the first complaint of its kind against a reporter, Gordon accuses Rosenberg of “multiple incidents of abusive and degrading comments of an explicitly sexual nature.” Gordon, 41, has added, rather implausibly, that he has “been abused worse than the detainees have been abused.” My guess is that working with Rosenberg is still a bit better than a turn on the waterboard. The question is whether she is more like Hildy Johnson, the hard-charging and tough-talking journalist — or foul-mouthed sexual harasser leaving Navy officers crushed in her path. [UPDATE: The Miami Herald has cleared Rosenberg of wrongdoing, citing lack of corroboration].
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Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Saudi Arabia Arrests Man For Speaking About His Sex Life in Public

Saudi Arabia flagSaudi Arabian police have arrested Mazen Abdul Jawad for the crime of speaking about his sex life in public. Shariah law makes it a crime for him to be “publicizing his sinful behavior,” according to prosecutors. Various people filed complaints after Jawad appeared on a Lebanese show called “Red Line.”
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Bizarre, Politics, Society

Palin: Being American is Never To Have To Say You’re Sorry

225px-palin1Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin continued to leave her mark on American politics just days before leaving officer early. In a speech before a wildly enthusiastic group, Palin told fans that good Americans should “never apologize for our country.” It was a curious lesson to give children at a picnic — no matter what our nation does, we should never apologize because we are Americans. Apologies are for non-Americans to make (who should presumably also apologize for not being Americans).
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Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Military, Politics, Society

Report: Bush Considered Sending Troops Into Buffalo for Terror Sweep

225px-richard_cheney_2005_official_portrait180px-Cpt._J._Dow_Covey_and_Staff_Sgt._Justin_Evaristo_2nd_Infantry_Division,_IraqIn yet another indication of how extreme Bush officials were in their war on terrorism, the New York Times is reporting that Vice President Dick Cheney and others pushed former President George Bush to send troops into Buffalo New York to arrest a group of men accused of terrorism.
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