Despite the recent outcry over the massive increase in travel by members, these thinly disguised publicly paid vacations have not only continued but the House of Representatives has now approved nearly $200 million for the Air Force to buy elite Gulfstream jets to add comfort to their travels. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been singled out for much criticism in the increase of such vacations, but appears so unconcerned that the Democrats are pushing through an expansion of the fleet for the members to enjoy at public expense.
Isabella Kern, 4, was playing in the sprinkler in a playground in Queens when she ran barefooted on to the black rubber matting. She almost immediately suffered severe burns that required a week in the hospital. Her family’s lawsuit against the city should be an obvious matter of negligence — it is obviously foreseeable for kids will run from the sprinkler area on to the matting. However, the city is now suing the parents and alleging that they were negligent.
Continue reading “Four-Year-Old Girl Burns Feet in City Park With Improper Matting So City Sues Her Parents”
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”
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”
Prince William County police are accused of abuse in the tasering of a grandfather and a mother at a baptismal party in Manassas. The party was being held at the home of Edgar A. Rodriguez, 55, when police responded to a call about loud music. The police say that Rodriguez was drunk and failed to turn down the music after repeated demands by the police. The police ended up tasering Rodriguez and then, when his daughter Leticia Elias, 25, ran to him, police tasered her as well. She is the pregnant mother of the baptized baby.
Continue reading “Baptism Under Fire: Virginia Police Taser Grandfather and Mother At Baptism Party”
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”
Moorestown Patrolman Robert Melia, 38, is every criminal defense attorney’s nightmare. First, Melia was charged with aggravated sexual assault on three underaged girls. Now, he has been arrested for sex with cows.
Continue reading “Following the Herd: Police Officer Charged With Sex With Cows”
Having just gotten off my first bike ride in eight years (22 miles, one faint heart attack, and years of required therapy), this video struck a cord. Dominic Hargreaves has invented this incredible collapsing bike.
Shock jock Kyle Sandilands is under attack in a shocking incident in Australia. His show is under investigation after Sandilands did an on-air probe of a 14-year-old’s sexual history while she was hooked up to a lie detector. During the questioning by her mother and Sandilands, the girl said that she was raped at 12. Sandilands responded by asking: “Is that the only experience you’ve had?”
Continue reading “Shock Jock Exposes Rape on Air — And His Own Apparent Indifference”
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”
This may be one of the most unsettling ideas since the party-with-the-dead-guy embalming. The inventive people at Cremation Solutions have come up with the idea of having your loved one staring at you with a head full of his own ashes — as a tender memory.
Continue reading “Urning Your Love: Cremation Company Introduces Sculpted Urns”
Today, I am starting a new category for purely cathartic purposes: Things That Tick Me Off. The category is designed to reduce the chances of my committing battery or defamation out of an unexpressed frustration. By burdening our blogging community with a gripe, I hope to extend my life and my marriage. Today’s submission is airline baggage policy.
Continue reading “Things That Tick Me Off: Airline Baggage Policy”
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.
Anderson County Attorney Frank Campbell in Kansas was reportedly suspended from practice for six months after he showed pictures of a 17-year-old girl being raped — after declining to prosecute the case. A lawsuit is now being planned, according to news reports.
Continue reading “Kansas Prosecutor Suspended After Showing Pictures of Rape of Teen Girl”