The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James has publicly released a statement that it is now pursuing a criminal rather than a purely civil investigation against the Trump Organization. The investigation is being handled in conjunction with the Manhattan district attorney’s office. The investigations appear to focus on tax and business dealings. While I have challenged claims of a long litany “slam dunk” crimes related to Russia or Ukraine (or even tweets) that legal experts declared regularly on outlets like CNN and MSNBC, I have long opposed Trump’s effort to withhold his tax records and viewed these tax and transactional crimes as the greatest threat for actual prosecution. Tax and fraud cases are easier to prosecute and more difficult to defend in court.
There is a controversy in my hometown of Chicago after various reporters confirmed that they were told by the spokesperson for Mayor Lori Lightfoot that she is only giving interviews to black and brown reporters. Reporters wanted interviews to mark the halfway mark of Lightfoot’s first term. The Mayor has faced controversies from her breaking her own COVID rules to surging crime rates. The question is whether a race-based criteria for reporters is not just actionable but whether the media is prepared to sue Lightfoot for discriminatory policies. Lightfoot’s “Bring in the Light” campaign for mayor was based in part on promises of greater transparency.
Continue reading “Mayor Lightfoot Facing Media Outcry Over Reported Race-Based Access Policy”
We previously discussed the shooting of Andrew Brown, 42, one of a number of recent police shootings sparking protests. The body camera footage has now been released with a decision not to charge any officer. The finding of a justified shooting is based on facts that are sharply different from those reported at the time in media coverage. It appears that Brown did come into contact with officers with his car, though Brown appears to be trying to evade the officers who surrounded the car. The Brown family previously declared that the videotape showed that he did not drive toward the deputies which now does not appear to be the case.
There is an extraordinary column in the Washington Post from Glenn Kessler on a key figure in past coverage on the removal of Confederate statues. The Post ran a widely cited article on how Robert E. Lee’s own descendant wanted the general’s statues to be removed. The problem is that no one at the Post appears to have actually checked to see if Rev. Robert W. Lee was an actual descendant. It now appears that he is not, according to Kessler. While Kessler strangely does not believe this warrants his signature “Pinocchios,” he should be credited for doing something that no one in the media seemed inclined to do: confirm the story, even belatedly. It was, as the old journalistic saying goes, “a fact too good to check.”
Below is my column in USA Today on the announcement that Ohio will be using federal relief funds for a lottery giveaway to lure people to take the vaccine. In the meantime, New York City announced it would give out an array of free items, including a seven-day free Metro card. I have little doubt that such programs can increase participation but the use of millions of federal funds for a give-away program raises issues worthy of debate. However, the lack of any significant limit on spending of these federal funds has made such lotteries possible.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “Ohio’s Vaccine Lottery: How DeWine Converted Federal Funds Into A State Giveaway”
Over the strong opposition of pro-choice groups, the Supreme Court just granted cert in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 19-1392. The case could prove a turning point for the Court on reproductive rights. The Mississippi law at issue banned abortions after 15 weeks — seven weeks earlier than past laws passing constitutional muster. State legislators have been passing laws like live torpedos on the water and this one just hit with a 6-3 conservative court. Continue reading “Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Major Abortion Challenge”
The media went into a frenzy this weekend when the bonny Prince Harry gave a huge Hurrumpf to the First Amendment. On a show appropriately called “the Armchair Expert,” Harry declared the First Amendment “bonkers” and expressed frustration of how it protects the media in its “feeding frenzy” over his life. Harry’s criticism of the First Amendment can be dismissed as the unfamiliarity of a royal refugee. However, it is actually far more serious than that. Harry and his American wife Meghan Markle have attacked media rights in England and succeeded under the laws of the United Kingdom. They are now joining a growing anti-free speech and free press movement in the United States. Continue reading “The “Bonkers” Interview Of Bonny Prince Harry: Why The Attack On The First Amendment Should Concern Americans”
Below is my column on the recent Colonial Pipeline attack. President Joe Biden and his Administration (as well as the media) has referred to the actors as “criminals” and “hacker” but notably not “terrorists.” Many cyberattacks are forms of extortion. They seek money from businesses to release data. This is different. This was an effort to coerce a population; to cause economic chaos.
Notably, DarkSide announced that it would shutdown its operations after receiving the ransom, an announcement heralded by many. It is a dubious claim. First, the declaration serves assure the public and to tamp down calls for a global hunt for the culprits. Second, it is meaningless. Whether DarkSide continues as a moniker or as a functioning organization, we just paid off terrorists. We long maintained a policy not to yield to terrorism because it fuels more attacks. DarkSide and other such attacks have proven how ineffective we are in preventing such attacks or defying such demands. These are despicable people willing to cause deaths and social disarray, but they are also rationale actors. For the moment, cyber terrorism works and the success of this attack is not going to lead to a unilateral ceasefire from cyber gangs.
Here is the column: Continue reading “Welcome To The DarkSide: Why The Biden Administration Will Not Define The Pipeline Attack As Terrorism”
One of the oldest celebrations of the LGBTQ community in the world has been New York City’s annual Pride celebration. The parade began 51 years ago and has long been a symbol of the strength, defiance, and pride of this community. The whole idea was to show the full spectrum of LGBTQ influence, participation, and expression in our society. This year, however, activists have decided to discriminate against one group: police officers. In a parade that was found to reject discrimination in every form, the organizers have told the Gay Officers Action League and other such groups that they will not be allowed to march. Their presence is viewed as a threat to others in the parade and a denial of a “safe space” for LGBTQ members. It is hard to imagine a more antithetical position for the parade in excluding officers who are part of the community and who want to publicly stand with other LGBTQ members.
Continue reading “New York’s Pride March Bans Police Officers From Marching”
Mark Twain once said that “A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.” Professor Hannah Berliner Fischthal may have cause to question that pearl of wisdom after she was sacked by St. John’s University after reading a Twain passage using the n-word. While adjunct instructor explained to the class that the word would be used in the context of the work and hoped it would not offend anyone, she was still fired. This is not the first such controversy over academic freedom at St. John’s.
We have been discussing the effort in Congress to punish dissenting viewpoints among members on issues ranging from the Jan. 6th riot to the pandemic to racism. This has included sweeping calls for members to be disbarred or expelled for their criticism of the 2020 election or continued questioning of election irregularities. Rep. David Cicilline (D., R.I.) has been one of those calling for punishment of members who have the temerity to disagree with his view of the election or the riot. Now, Cicilline is asking Democratic colleagues to sign on to a resolution to censure three House Republicans who are accused mischaracterizing the Jan. 6 riot, including refusing to call it an “insurrection.” It is the latest attempt to regulate how members and others discuss issues, dictating viewpoints by controlling speech used to express views.
We have previously discussed efforts to ban classic books, including To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Lee’s book has been banned in states from Mississippi to California. The work, which exposed the deep-seated racism in our society, has been denounced as “violent and oppressive for black students.” I have opposed such efforts. Now, Loudoun County teacher Andrea Weiskopf has publicly called for the book to be banned in my neighboring county of Loudon. The reason? The character Attitus Finch is white and therefore the book is nothing but a “white savior” tale that traumatizes black students. The remarks reflects a harmful but growing movement to ban such books in public schools. The attack on this book in particular has left many of us dismayed. As Atticus himself said “remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Continue reading ““Remember It’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird”: Loudon Teacher Pushes To Ban Classic Book Due To Its “White Savior””
We often discuss criminals who are standouts for their stupidity or audacity or savagery. When it comes to Stormee Wagner, 40, and James E. Wagner, 37, there are few words that capture the callous character of their crime. The couple wanted to get police to find their stolen truck faster, so they triggered an Amber alert by claiming that their daughter was kidnapped in the truck. Continue reading “Arizona Couple Arrested After Falsely Claiming The Kidnapping Of A Child To Get Police To Find Their Stolen Truck”
There is a new controversy over university speech codes with a “red light” rating given to the University of Wisconsin (Oshkosh) and its prohibition of “insulting” or “demeaning” comments, including insulting someone over their political views. Continue reading “Gosh Oshkosh: University of Wisconsin Bans Any Speech Deemed “Insulting” or Demeaning””
Audrey Nicole Francisquini, 28, wanted people to check out her Instagram account so much that she dressed like a student to pass out flyers at the American Senior High School in Hialeah. She got her wish. After she led police, they identified her off her Instagram account. The charges however are a bit odd.