Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Politics

“This Is A Game”: The Clintons Continue To Mock Email Investigation

225px-Bill_Clinton136px-US-FBI-ShadedSeal_svgI have previously written about the peculiar position of being counsel for Hillary Clinton when your client, her advisers, and allies mock the massive federal investigation that continues into her reckless use of an unsecured personal server for her official communications as Secretary of State. As counsel you usually strive to show investigators that your client understands the gravity of such violations and accepts responsibility for serious mistakes of judgment or action on her part. The Clintons however have been yielding to a political rather than a legal narrative in mocking the investigation — something that truly must mystify those FBI agents working the case. In the latest such example, former president Bill Clinton used a speech in Kokomo, Indiana to dismiss the FBI investigation is nothing more than “a game.”

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Uncategorized

Political corruption on the docket for the last case of the SCOTUS term

By Cara L. Gallagher, weekend contributor

Oral arguments for the last case of the Supreme Court’s term were this week. The case,  McDonnell v. U.S., was about ethics and potential corruption between a donor and the former governor of Virginia. The timeliness of this case is not lost on this citizen of Illinois, where we should probably consider putting links to contribute to our candidates’ legal defense funds on our ballots. That’d be funny if their chances of going to jail for ethics violations or corruption weren’t actually greater than fifty percent. Four out of the last seven governors have been imprisoned. But at least our criminal governors make it easy on the courts! Dear Children’s Memorial Hospital, I won’t release your $8 million of state funding until you give me a $50,000 campaign contribution. Sincerely, Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

But what would it mean if for “the first time in our history that a public official has been convicted of corruption despite never agreeing to put a thumb on the scales of any government decision.” Do we have to wait for them to put a thumb on the scale in order for it to be punishable corruption? Today’s case shines a spotlight on former Virginia governor Robert McDonnell and could serve as an opportunity for the Supreme Court to send a bold warning to elected officials everywhere that quid pro quo corruption need not be as heavy handed as a thumb on a scale. Continue reading “Political corruption on the docket for the last case of the SCOTUS term” →

Columns, Courts, Criminal law, Environment, Media, Politics, Science, Society

The Flint Charges and The Murky Legal Waters Facing Prosecutors

220px-Water_droplet_blue_bg05Below is my column in USA Today on the prosecution of three state and local officials in the Flint, Michigan water scandal. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has promised more (and higher ranking) defendants in the coming weeks. However, as discussed in this column, these cases are not as straightforward as the pictures of bottles of Flint water juxtaposed against clean water. While there are strong elements to some of the charges, the prosecution is not nearly as easily or obvious as has been suggested in the media, in my view.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Politics, Society

Philippino Presidential Frontrunner Jokes About Pledges To Pardon Human Rights Abusers Including Himself

220px-Rodrigo_Duterte_(2009)If you thought Donald Trump was raising eyebrows in a presidential election with his support for torture and killing the families of terrorists, he appears perfectly moderate in comparison to Philippine presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte likes to comment on his genitals and recently attracted international criticism for a disgusting joke about his desire to rape a female minister who was savagely killed in 1989. Now he is being quoted as saying that he would pardon himself for mass murder if elected and hand out thousands of pardons to government officials accused of such crimes.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

New Jersey Man Loses Mercedes After Police Arrest Him For $12,000 In Unpaid EZ Pass Tolls

1461855672868If police are correct, Oscar Sanchez, of Jersey City, has taken hubris to a new level. Sanchez’ black Mercedes Benz was seized after he was pulled over for a missing front license plate. That turned out to the least of the problems.

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Media, Politics, Society

Poll: Half of Americans View Primary System As Rigged and Undemocratic

Freedom_of_SpeechWe have previously discussed the bizarre situation of two candidates (Trump and Clinton) with historic negative polling numbers emerge as the frontrunners for the general election. Six out of ten voters say that they are unwilling to vote for either Trump or Clinton. Now a new poll shows that over half of American voters believe that the primary system is “rigged” and more than two-thirds want a new system for electing their leaders. What is remarkable is how detached the system appears from the voters. The GOP primary is advancing a candidate with high exceptionally negatives for the general election. In the meantime, the public is in open revolt of the “establishment” so the Democratic leadership has lined up to guarantee the selection of the candidate who is the ultimate establishment figure.  Now one-fourth of voters are saying that they will stay at home rather than vote for either of the frontrunners.

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Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, International, Lawyering, Society

Disgorging The Record: Russian Lawyer Caught Eating Evidence In Judge’s Chambers

338B3DF000000578-3559294-image-a-1_1461668927275Lawyers often try to take a bite out of the evidence but one Russian lawyer takes that expression to a literal degree. This Russian lawyer was caught on CCTV actually eating the report showing the level of alcohol in his client’s system at the time of an automobile accident. The video is below.

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Academia, Bizarre, International

Bamboccioni: Italian Court Orders Father To Pay For His 28-Year-Old Son’s Advanced Degree Education

tumblr_md0qu0Pggt1qggdq1In Italy, there is a term “bamboccioni” or chubby child or big babies to refer to children who are staying with their parents for longer and longer periods into their adult years. One decision however has shocked many Italians in Modena in Northern Italy where a court ordered a middle-aged father to keep supporting his 28-year-old son financially. The son wants another academic degree and the court held that the father remains liable for the costs.

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Criminal law, Society

Indiana Burglar Sues Homeowner Who Shot Him

David Bailey There is an interesting case out of Indiana where a would-be burglar who was shot by an owner is suing over the wounding. David A. Bailey, 31, reportedly broke into the garage of David McLaughlin of Dunkirk, Ind., on April 21, 2014. McLaughlin, now 33, fired gunshots at the intruder as Bailey fled from his property — hitting him in the left arm.

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Constitutional Law, International, Religion

Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Calls For Islamic State

İsmail_Kahraman_Ankara_cropped220px-Recep_Tayyip_ErdoganWe have followed the rapid decline of civil liberties under the authoritarian rule of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the past few years as well as his empowering of Islamic parties in the once secular state. When Erdogan first ran, he assured Turks that he was committed to the secular traditions and constitution of the country. He then did precisely the opposite in power by chipping away at secular laws, introducing Islamic governing principles, and assuming authoritarian power. Now,Turkish Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman has finally taken Erdogan’s policies to their natural conclusion and called for the dismantling of secular government and the creation of an Islamic state. Now, Erdogan is again saying “trust me” and, that secular values remain safe in his hand..

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Criminal law, Religion, Society

Bangladesh Embassy Worker And Secular Blogger Hacked To Death By Suspected Islamic Extremists

UnknownThe slaughter of intellectuals and civil liberties advocates has continued in Bangladesh. A U.S. Embassy worker and editor of Bangladesh’s first LGBT magazine Xulhaz Mannan was one of two men hacked to death this week in what is believed to be the latest murders by Islamic extremists. We have been discussing the surge of Islamic extremism in Bangladesh, particularly targeting secular writers. Law student and secular writer Nazimuddin Samad, 26, was the sixth such victim recently. Then last week we had the murder of a popular professor.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Society

Dutch Newspaper Publishes Front Page Cartoon Mocking Erdogan After The Arrest Of Dutch Journalist

Cg3jHtBWIAAAf4iAs Western leaders like Angela Merkel cave into the authoritarian demands of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in crushing free speech, journalists and cartoonists are fighting back. After a Dutch journalist was arrested in Turkey this weekend for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the most-read newspaper in the Netherlands threw down the gauntlet and published a front-page editorial cartoon that shows Erdogan as an ape crushing Europe’s free speech. Since Erdogan demands the prosecution of journalists even outside of Turkey who insult him, the publication could force another confrontation with the aspiring dictator. In the meantime, the West (including the United States) continue to prop up Erdogan as he destroys secular government in Turkey, arrests journalists, and denies the most basic forms of free speech.

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Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Free Speech, Religion, Society, Supreme Court

Brown Family Asks Entire Tenth Circuit To Review Sister Wives Decision

240px-sister_wives_tv_series_logoLate Monday, the Brown family filed their appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Brown v. Buhman, No. 14-4117. The Sisters Wives case raises core issues of free speech and free exercise — constitutional violations found by the trial court in striking down the Utah cohabitation law. This “en banc” petition is to the entire Tenth Circuit in seeking review of the recent panel decision vacating the earlier decision on standing grounds.

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Bizarre, International, Society

Winnipeg Mother Faces Child Welfare Inspection and Questioning After Allowing Her Children To Play Alone In Their Fenced-In Backyard

Coat_of_arms_of_Manitoba.svgWe have another bizarre case of child welfare overreach on the same week as a story where child welfare officials appear to have ignored one of the worst cases of child abuse in recent memory in Washington state. In Winnipeg, Jacqui Kendrick, a stay-at-home mom, was called out by Child and Family Services because she let her children play in her fenced-in backyard. That’s right, a neighbor called to complain that children were playing on their own in their own fenced-in backyard.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Washington Parents Sentenced To 20-Year Terms For Child Abuse Including Beatings And Forcing Them To Eat Hot Dog Smoothies

BBsbKS5.imgThere is a notable sentencing in Washington of two parents who received 20-year prison terms for child abuse. The sentencing of Christopher Sefton, 30, and Lori Lloyd, 31, is unusually high due to the shocking level of abuse of their young children including beatings and making them eat disgusting hot dog-and-cooking oil smoothies. What is bizarre is that we read of parents who face senseless child wellfare actions for letting their kids play in their fenced in backyards or honest mistakes made at sporting events. Yet these two people were the subject of repeated complaints of abuse and their kids came to school bruised and under-nourished without any serious action taken.

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