The judicial council of the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has cleared Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the 9th Circuit of wrongdoing in the long investigation over sexually explicit materials on his personal website. However, the council found that he acted with “carelessness” and was “judicially imprudent.”
Continue reading “Judge Kozinski Cleared of Wrongdoing By Judicial Council — But Admonished Over Website”
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has come up with a sure-fire way to improving the performance of students in the low-ranked state: lower the academic standards so more students can pass.
Continue reading “The New Math: Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal Solves Low School Passage Rates By Lowering School Standards”
Pennsylvania State Sen. John Eichelberger (R) has refused to apologize after a statement that the public has allowed gays to exist. Eichelberger is pushing a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and made the statement after being asked by Sen. Daylin Leach (D) who gays should be treated.
Continue reading “Republican State Senator: We Allow Gays To Exist”
It appears that, despite the extensive litigation over assets seized by the U.S. government to pay victims of Bernard Madoff, Ruth Madoff had one more claim to make before being kicked out of her $7 million Manhattan home — her fur coat. While it is the dead of summer, Madoff insisted that she wanted to leave with the coat but the Marshals made her surrender the coat as part of the assets of estate.
Continue reading “Ruth Madoff Clings to Fur Coat — And Claim of Innocence”
In the ultimate proof that law is not a popularity contest, U.S. District Judge George H. Wu has tossed out the conviction of the much-despised Lori Drew — the woman behind the cyber-bully case that led to the suicide of 13-year-old Megan Meier.
The Washington Post is accused of arranging for meetings between power brokers, lobbyists, and politicians, including Post reporters and editors for $25,000 to $250,000. These meetings are billed as off the record, non-confrontational access to “those powerful few” in the Beltway. Called “Salons,” the entire program is raising eyebrows in both the media and business areas.
The members of Congress are once again facing the dangers of public service from sunburns to shopping overload. Our public servants are again planning their summer vacations at public expense. Many of us have been concerned about the runaway spending of this Administration and Congress. For prior columns, click here and here. Even if one accepts some spending was necessary for stimulus, Democrats have used the economic recovery as an excuse to pile on spending programs and pork projects. Now, it appears that overseas travel expenses are up tenfold since 1995. Congressional delegations, or “codels,” have increased 70% since 2005.
Continue reading “Vacationing for the Public Good: Members Massively Increase Travel at Taxpayer Expense for Themselves and Family”
The Justice Department is again being accused of withholding evidence and making false statements to the court. Judge Emmet Sullivan sharply questioned Justice Department lawyers about whether they are in violation of the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct by making false statements to the court or failing to correct false statements. The Justice Department has faced such objections in various cases, including the now dismissed prosecution of former Senator Ted Stevens before Judge Sullivan. The latest allegation comes in the conspiracy cases against businessman Zhenli Ye Gon, accused in an international drug trafficking scheme.
The New York Republican Senators are up in arms over what they insist was a Democratic trick: using the brief appearance of a Republican Senator to break a long-standing stalemate. Sen. Frank Padavan of Queens says that he was on a quest for a Coca Cola, not voting, when he cut through the Senate floor on the way to the member lounge’s soda machine. The Democrats immediately counted him as the 32nd vote and unanimously passed 125 bills in three hours with Republicans absent.
Continue reading “The Real Thing? New York Republican Claims Democrats Misconstrued a Coke Run as Political Statement”
In Burlingame, California, citizens are fighting to protect their cherished town’s symbol: the giant Pez dispenser. Pez Candy Inc. is suing to force the town to tear down the super-sized Pez — which is recorded as the world’s largest in the Guiness Book of World Records. The company insists that it is dispensing huge servings of trademark infringement.
Continue reading “Dispensing Justice: Pez Sues Town Over Giant Pez Dispenser”
John Longo, 69, has been ordered by a Wisconsin court of appeals to surrender roadkill that he found on the side of the road in February 2008. It appears that even a dead deer on the side of the road requires a permit, which Longo did not have.
Continue reading “Court Takes Man’s Head: Wisconsin Driver Ordered to Return Roadkill Trophy”
Joe Jackson, 65, of Washington State believes that he has discovered a secret sauce for McDonald’s burgers: bleach. In a disturbing lawsuit pending against McDonald’s, he claims that, after he returned a cold and crushed burger, a hostile employee gave him a burger laced with bleach that burned his mouth. It is unclear why this is not the subject of a criminal investigation, but it is more surprising that McDonald’s did not settle this case in April 2009.
Continue reading “McBleach: Man Accuses McDonald’s of Slipping Him an Intentionally Tainted Burger”
For some, third is the charm. For Shaun Campbell, it is more like the 79th time. Campbell, 40, plowed into a pickup truck while drunk, endangering Harold A. Bivins Jr., 48, and his 4-year-old daughter, Hannah Bivins. Police soon discovered that his license has been suspended 78 times.
In 2006, Joel Witriol broke barriers in becoming New York’s first Hasidic cop — a proud moment for both Witriol and the Hasidic community. He is now, however, embroiled in a controversy over whether he was abusive in the treatment of Chrissie Brodigan and her pug dog in a New York subway station.
Continue reading “Dog Owner Accuses New York’s First Hasidic Police Officer of Abuse and Sexism”
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that an Illinois baking machinery manufacturer, Bakery Machinery & Fabrication Inc., is liable to a default judgment blamed on the alleged legal malpractice of its attorney, James Hinterlong of Grand Ridge, Ill. Judge William Bauer ruled that the company was still responsible for the actions of its lawyer, even if the company were kept in the dark.
Continue reading ““Sins of the Lawyer”: Seventh Circuit Rules Against Company in Legal Malpractice Case”