Congress, Politics, Society, Torts

H.R. 5069: Chairman Johnson Introduces Bill To Remove Barriers To the Courts

Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr., chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, has taken on an important and worthy cause — reforming the federal rules to remove barriers to average citizens and public interest groups in the forms of financial costs and penalties. It is a move that should be supported by lawyers and lay persons alike — who should contact other members of the subcommittee and committee to convey their support. This is a bill that does not have any headline grabbing elements and, unlike Chairman Johnson, members may not see the value in supporting its passage. For that reason, civil libertarians and citizens need to rally behind Chairman Johnson.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Society

Congress Pulls D.C. Vote Bill

The Democrats have finally pulled the plug on the D.C. Vote bill — citing an amendment that would strip the city of its gun control laws. While D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) previously stated (here and here) that there was an agreement to pass the amendment as the cost for the D.C. vote, House leadership decided yesterday to pull the bill.

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Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Society

Terror Tots: Girl Suspended for Terroristic Threat in Pointing Finger At Teacher and Saying “Pew, Pew”

Our war on terror has nailed another domestic terrorist in our midst. This one is Taylor Trostle who was found lurking in the Bleyl Middle School in Houston, Texas. Trostle, 13, made her move at the end of math class when she suddenly turned on a teacher pointing her finger at her and said “Pew! Pew!” Thankfully, the teacher survived and Trostle was charged with terroristic threat.
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Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Saudi Head of Virtue Police Fired For Suggesting Men and Women Can Mix in Mecca

Ahmed bin Qassim al-Ghamidi is no longer the head of the religious police in Mecca. His offense is not corruption or nepotism or adultery. It is a single statement made in an interview in a newspaper where he suggested that men and women should be allowed to mingle in the district. He was immediately fired as head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. There will be no mixers in Mecca.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Politics, Society

Video: White House Pushes Media Out of Lafayette Park

This is a very disturbing video. A small number of veterans chain themselves to the White House fence. Reporters are eager to take pictures — even from across the street — and to shout questions on their protest of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Instead, the White House orders media pushed entirely out of the Lafayette Park.
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Courts, Society, Torts

Lawmiss: Judge Refuses to Recuse Herself While Suing Newspaper For Revealing Her Identity in Anonymous Postings

There is an interesting lawsuit filed over Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold who is suing the Plain Dealer over disclosing her identity and that of her daughter after the posted anonymous comments on articles. They are seeking $25 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages for alleged breach of contract and invasion of privacy. Her lawyer admitted that the judge may indeed have posted under the pseudonym “Lawmiss.”
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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Woman Charged After Tug-of-War Over Elderly Mother’s Applesauce

This video is getting a great deal of attention after the TSA brought charges against a woman, Nadine Hays, who is accused of hitting a TSA agent. Nadine Hays and a TSA agent got into a tug of war over a cooler with her grandmother’s applesauce. While you may want to do without the narrative, the video does raise the question of the basis for an assault charge.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International

Man Arrested While Driving Barbie Car While Intoxicated After A Very Very Slow Car Chase

No it was not Ken. Paul Hutton, 40, was arrested for driving a child’s Barbie car while drunk on a city road in England. He is accused for failing to stop and trying to flee at speeds reaching as high as 4 miles per hour.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Environment, International

Saudi Hunters Post Video Bragging About Killing Endangered Species

The video below features two of Saudi hunters who filmed their own depraved sense of sport: competing who could shot more endangered animals. The hunters display prohibited sniper rifles used to hunt gazelles in a massacre — that they proudly lay out on the desert floor.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Politics, Society

Mayor Allegedly Urinates on Tree . . . Then Defends Himself With Comparison to Jesus

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams in New Zealand appears to be an expert in moving things rapidly from bad to worse. When confronted over allegations that he drank heavily at a restaurant and then urinated on a tree, Williams reportedly defended himself by comparing the accusations to the crucifixion of Christ.

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