While going to law school in Chicago, many of us were envious of kids that graduated from Wisconsin law schools who were not required to take a state bar. It now turns out that we may have been victims of an unconstitutional discrimination against outside law schools. In an interesting opinion written by Judge Richard Posner of the United States Supreme Court, the Wisconsin rule was found to be a violation of the commerce clause.
Category: Politics
A London doctor is telling a horrific story of how she was tricked by her family to return to Bangladesh, drugged, put into a psychiatric hospital, and then married to a stranger. The Muslim family felt that Dr. Humayra Abedin was too independent and living a non-traditional life as a physician.
Continue reading “English Doctor Allegedly Drugged, Kidnapped, and Forced to Marry Stranger”
Newsweek is reporting that Attorney General Eric Holder is leaning toward the appointment of a special prosecutor on the issue of torture. Much, however, was not stated and there remains a question of whether Holder will appoint a special prosecutor with the full authority to pursue any and all crimes related to the torture policy. There are rumors that, if an investigation occurs, it may be sharply curtailed.
Continue reading “Holder Reportedly Considering Special Prosecutor — But Serious Questions Remain”
Sonia Sotomayor has been heralded as a judge with a life story that should inspire all Americans and, even though she has a fairly conservative voting record in some areas, liberal activists have rallied around her nomination. A new poll, however, suggests that most Americans are neither inspired nor supportive. Only forty-seven percent of people polled by CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation support Sotomayor and, more importantly, forty percent outright oppose her confirmation.
With the Senate hearings about to begin on the Sotomayor nomination, this morning’s column below addresses what we ideally should be looking for in a nominee.
Continue reading “The Sotomayor Nomination and the Search for Judicial Greatness”
In light of this week’s latest disclosures of secret and allegedly unlawful programs by the Bush Administration, this picture seems apropos.
It goes without saying that, where there is a story of constitutional or human rights abuse, Dick Cheney cannot be far behind. It is therefore little surprise to learn this week that, according to sources in the recent disclosure of a hidden counterterrorism program, the prior concealment from Congress was allegedly ordered by Cheney.
Continue reading “Report: Cheney Ordered Concealment of Secret Program From Congress”
Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo is joining other zoos which are considering closing or killing (or transferring) animals due to budget shortfalls — as we continue to spend billions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even if the zoo does not closed, one thousand animals may be euthanized or transferred from the zoo.
Continue reading “Boston Considers Closing Franklin Park Zoo and Killing Animals Due to Budget Shortfall”
The Bush Administration was accused this week of helping cover-up the massacre of possibly thousands of Taliban prisoners by an American-backed warlord, Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum. Dostrum is widely viewed as a butcher and war criminal. He was also on the payroll of the CIA.
Continue reading “Bush Administration Accused of Cover-Up of Massacre of Taliban Prisoners”
We have been reading of the struggle of media and civil libertarians in England where the government continues to pass and enforce laws prohibiting things like photography of police and other sites. Now, we have a report of Alexander Turner who was given a citation for taking a picture of a fish and chips shop under the English anti-terrorism laws. The incriminating picture is below.
Continue reading “Man Caught Photographing Fish and Chips Shop in England”
A new government report has disclosed that President Bush authorized secret surveillance activities that went beyond the previously disclosed NSA program – raising the prospect of additional unlawful conduct by the Bush Administration. At the same time, a House member has revealed that CIA Director Leon Panetta has shutdown a program that was never revealed to Congress in direct violation of federal law. I discussed these stories on this segment of MSNBC Countdown.
Continue reading “Reports Shows Additional Undisclosed Surveillance Programs — And Likely Unlawful Conduct by Bush Administration”
Gay Rights activists are protesting the handling of a dispute at a Chico’s Tacos restaurant in El Paso, Texas. When two gay men kissed, the group of five gay men were reportedly told by guards to leave because the restaurant did not approve of “the faggot stuff.” An El Paso police officer later allegedly told the men that they could be arrested for kissing another man in public.
Last year, many of us denounced the police checkpoints in the Trinidad area of Northeast Washington as grossly unconstitutional despite the insistence of D.C. Attorney General Peter J. Nickles that he had ample law on his side. Now, a conservative panel of the D.C. Circuit has ruled as expected that the checkpoints presumptively violate the fourth amendment and granted a preliminary injunction.
Continue reading “D.C. Circuit Rules Police Checkpoints Unconstitutional”
William Junge of Las Vegas has triumphed in an historic battle for both grammar and garden implements. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles denied the use of his “HOE” license plate, but a court ruled that Junge should be allowed to drive with a Hoes on his trunk and hood.
Sen. John Ensign’s affair is moving from the politically damaging to the downright pathetic. Ensign’s lawyer has released a statement confirming that the $96,000 given to former aide and close family friend Cindy Hampton came from his parents.
Continue reading “Family Affair: Sen. Ensign’s Parents Wrote $96,000 Check to Lover”