Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has categorically denied knowing Dr. Christine Blasey Ford or going to the party where she says he tried to rape her in the 1980s. The categorical denial certainly clarifies the situation but it is not a response that most seasoned lawyers would advice. Ford cannot remember much about the location or the time of the party, but Kavanaugh is saying with certainty that he did not go to the party. Moreover, the denial puts Kavanaugh one polaroid away from disaster. One picture of the two teens at a football game or party would be enough for a coup d’grace on his confirmation. Continue reading “Kavanaugh Denies Knowing Ford And Ever Going To The Party”
We have previously discussed the meltdown in Venezuela and how the government of socialist President Nicolas Maduro has done everything possible to ruin the economy, including a one million inflation rate. The latest moronic move was to increase the minimum salary by nearly 3,500 percent when businesses are struggling to exist. The result? Nearly 40 percent of all Venezuelan stores have closed so now there are no wages. In the meantime, the Maduro government (and its Cuban intelligence forces) are doing what they do best: arresting anyone critical of the government including a couple firefighters are joking about Maduro.
Below is my column in The Hill on the Manafort plea agreement, which continued to release an unrestrained joy and ecstasy among commentators, who (yet again) predicted the imminent demise of Donald Trump. Norman Eisen, who served as White House Special Counsel for Ethics and Government Reform in the Obama administration, predicted that President Trump wouldn’t “survive” Manafort’s testimony. That is of course without knowing if Manafort has anything damaging on Trump. This appears an example of hope over experience in light of prior predictions of imminent indictments and resignations. Manafort may have damaging information or he may not. There are however some clear winners and losers in the Manafort plea that are not based on pure speculation.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “The Winners and Losers Of The Manafort Plea Bargain”
Filmmaker Michael Moore had a surprising suggestion in the ongoing sweepstakes over who is the anonymous author of the New York Times column suggesting that Trump is mentally unfit and rallying the resistance against him from within his Administration: Donald S. Trump. That’s right, Moore suggested that Trump himself is the the “senior official” who is working with the paper that he often refers to as the “enemy” and “the failing New York Times.” Moore says that it is “absolutely” possible that Trump is the author. Moore also predicted recently that Trump, who he calls an “evil genius,” will win a second term. Continue reading “Moore: I Think Donald Trump Could Be The Anonymous Source Calling Donald Trump Unstable And A National Danger”
We have previously followed the controversy over the shooting of “Cecil the Lion” by an American dentist Walter Palmer from Minnesota as well as subsequent controversies of a Idaho hunter taunting animal advocates and killing giant elephants or giraffes for trophies. As many of you know, I am no fan of such trophy hunts. I often hike in remote spots to see bears and other animals in their natural habitat. I cannot understand the joy of killing one of these animals or the challenge of shooting them with a high-powered rifle. I seek out these animals and take pictures with the same ease it would be to kill them. Yet, many feel a tremendous release in killing these animals and posing with their dead bodies. The latest is Tim Brent, 34, who played hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes before retiring in 2016. He is receiving a body slam from readers who do not understand his expressions of joy in posing with a dead grizzly bear. His description of the kill made things only worse. Continue reading “Former NHL Player Tim Brent Under Fire In Latest Big Game Trophy Controversy”
For a week, a scandal has grown over an anonymous accusation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. I previously wrote about the unfairness of this last minute accusation from an unnamed law professor who declined to be named. Moreover, the underlying letter has been in the possession of Democrats since July. Now, the mystery is over: Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford has come forward to say that she is indeed the accuser of Kavanaugh. It appears that the earlier leaks and media reports that this was a Stanford law professor were untrue. She is shown here from her high school yearbook picture. Notably, her lawyer has said that she passed a polygraph examination that found her account was truthful.
Below is my column in the Hill newspaper on the recent allegation of sexual assault against Judge Brett Kavanaugh and the demand for a delay in his confirmation vote. Both Kavanaugh and the other man referenced in the anonymous letter have denied the allegations from their high school days. The reported law professor who contacted Congress appears to want the allegation considered by members but has refused to come forward and said that she did not want to be drawn into the controversy. If that was her position, Democrats have now done the opposite and leaked the letter’s details and called for a full investigation. If this is a law professor, it is unclear why she is not willing to come forward with an allegation of a sexual assault. She clearly thought that the allegation should be raised with Congress but has refused to come forward to substantiate the claims. That leaves Kavanaugh in a grossly unfair position in my view. UPDATE: Kavanaugh’s accuser has now gone public.
Here is the column:
Let’s just put it this way: Matthew McCloskey, 52, makes the guy with the electric fence at the bus stop look kid friendly.
Continue reading “Can You Guess What This Person Was Charged With?”
I am always surprised by commentators who not only predict a historic event but put a specific date on its occurrence. Rudy Giuliani of course predicted that the Mueller investigation would be over by September 1, 2018 (though he insists that Robert Mueller gave him that date). Now, Scott Dworkin, a Democratic strategist and MSNBC contributor, has gone one better and predicted that Trump will resign in two weeks due to the plea bargain struck by former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort and Mueller. Most people would hedge at least to say “by the end of the year” or “before his term is up.” A fortnight prediction now puts Dworkin on the verge of being declared a political Nostradamus or nincompoop. Continue reading “MSNBC Analyst: Trump Will Resign In Two Weeks”
There is a curious criminal case out of Bolivar, Ohio where a grocery store employee was charged with felony theft worth $9,200. What is different about this case is that the almost $10,000 theft was composed of individual slices of lunch meat over the course of eight years at Giant Eagle. Continue reading “Deli Worker Charged With Felony For Eating Slices Of Lunch Meat”
I have previously written about the continued use of blasphemy laws in the West, including Spain and Ireland. The continued enforcement of medieval concepts of blasphemy as evidenced by the detention of Willy Toledo, who was accused of ridiculing God and the Virgin Mary in court. Toledo is being targeted due to comments made on social media in support of three women who are being prosecuted for blasphemy. It is chilling to think that an actual judge would hold such a hearing in modern times. The nation that gave us the Spanish Inquisition still claims the right to imprison people for insulting God.
We have previously discussed the alarming rollback on free speech rights in the West, particularly in France (here and here and here and here and here and here) and England (here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here). Much of this trend is tied to the expansion of hate speech and non-discrimination laws as well as blasphemy laws. Continue reading “The Spanish Inquisition: Actor Becomes Latest Blasphemy Target In The West”
George Washington University has found itself in the eye of the storm over Hurricane Maria after President Donald Trump has lashed out at its findings that roughly 3,000 people died in Puerto Rico rather than a couple dozen cited by President Trump. Trump has called the widely cited GW study “inflated” but the university (where I teach) is standing by its findings. Top Republicans have distanced themselves from Trump’s remarks and leaders like House Speaker Paul Ryan went public to say that there is no reason to doubt the GW findings. Even Trump supporter Florida Gov. Rick Scott who is running for the Senate tweeted “I disagree with @POTUS—
Continue reading “Trump Versus George Washington: GW Stands By Mortality Findings From Puerto Rico”
There is a truly bizarre case out of Arizona where Paul Menchaca, 30, is accused of an elaborate scheme to trick caregivers into bathing him and changing his diaper. Menchaca allegedly convinced the women that he had Down syndrome to retain them for these uses. The caregivers grew suspicious when Menchaca was often aroused during these procedures. He now faces novel counts of sexual abuse based on his alleged fraud. Continue reading “Man Arrested In Arizona After Allegedly Convincing Caregiver That He Had Down Syndrome”
Hillary Clinton surprisingly tweeted a clearly false allegation against Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Wednesday that had already been widely disproven. Clinton told followers that Kavanaugh referred to birth control pills as “abortion-inducing drugs.” He didn’t but that does not appear to matter to many spreading this false story, including Clinton. Clinton said that she wanted to be
“sure we’re all clear about” about Kavanaugh’s comment to “set off a lot of alarm bells.” It did but not the alarms that she intended. The false account was first spread by Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Cal.) who received four Pinocchios for the claim from The Washingon Post. Continue reading “Clinton Pushes False Story Against Kavanaugh”
College of Southern Nevada Sociology Professor Mark Bird allegedly had a curious way of protesting President Trump: he shot himself in the arm. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Bird was considerate enough to tape a $100 bill inside the bathroom with a note that it was “for the janitor” — presumably for the mess left behind. Continue reading “Professor Allegedly Shoots Himself On Campus In Protest Of Trump”