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”
We have a new texting tort. Alexa Longueira, 15, was walking and texting on Staten Island when she plunged into the ground. She fell into an open manhole and ended up in the pitch black sewer. Her family is preparing to sue the city, which itself is investigating the incident.
Continue reading “OMG SNERT HAS NU TXT TORT! Girl Walks Into Open Sewer Hole While Texting”
New York City health officials are investigating the death of a baby boy who died of herpes after a circumcision by Rabbi Yitzhok Fischer. Fischer carries the herpes virus and is believed to have infected two other infants while serving as a mohel. Under the Orthodox practice followed by Fischer, he actually uses his mouth to suck the blood from the infant’s penis when he cuts the foreskin.
Continue reading “Rabbi Accused of Infecting Infants with Herpes During Circumcisions — And Killing One Boy”
Since 1995, millionaire H. Beatty Chadwick, 72, has been released. We previously discussed the outrageous length of Chadwick’s incarceration for contempt since 1995 — 14 years! Judge Joseph P. Cronin finally ended the contempt incarceration.
Continue reading “Pennsylvania Man Released After Record 14-Year Incarceration for Contempt”
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”
This week, Vincent Smith II died after falling into a vat of boiling hot chocolate at a chocolate factor in Camden, New Jersey. Now, it has been disclosed that the company was operating without a license.
Continue reading “New Jersey Worker Dies Aftering Falling into Chocolate Vat”
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.