We previously discussed how the attack on free speech on campuses around the world has led to even comedians being banned for insulting or disrespecting any group. Many comedians are now avoiding gigs at universities to avoid controversies. The latest such example occurred at Columbia where a fairly typical skit led to stand-up comedian and former “SNL” writer Nimesh Patel being forced off stage by students upset that he made jokes about race and sexual orientation. Continue reading “Columbia Students Shutdown Comedian For Joking About Race and Sexual Orientation”
Massachusetts District Court Judge Shelley Joseph is under investigation after she was accused of helping an undocumented immigrant, Jose Medina-Perez, evade an ICE officer at the courthouse. The Boston Globe is reporting that a federal grand jury is investigating Joseph and some have called for her to be barred from handling criminal cases in the interim. Continue reading “Massachusetts Judge Under Investigation For Allegedly Helping Undocumented Immigrant Evade ICE”
The long-awaited filing from Special counsel Robert Mueller on the sentencing of Michael Flynn did not go into detail on what precisely Flynn has given Mueller beyond acknowledging his “substantial assistance.” It did include however a surprising disclosure that Flynn was not only helping Mueller on the investigation of the Trump campaign’s ties to the Russian government but also two other redacted investigations. That has led to considerable unease in some quarters as to what those two additional investigation might be. Continue reading “Then There Were Three: Flynn Filing Refers To Three Investigations By Special Counsel”
New York is looking for this man after a brutal attack captured on the videotape below (warning: the video is violent and disturbing. The victim is a 38-year-old man who was left unconscious from the vicious beat down and robbery. The legal question is whether such attacks should be charged as a type of battery or attempted murder when they continued for such a prolonged period. The suspect was clearly enjoying the attack and resumed attacking the man but there is no way to prove intent to kill.
Continue reading “New York Police Seek Man In Vicious Attack”
Conservative author Jerome Corsi yesterday filed a “criminal and ethics complaint” against Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team trying to coerce him into giving “false testimony” against President Trump. The filing was reportedly sent to a scattershot list of addresses including Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, D.C.’s U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu and the Bar Disciplinary Counsel. There is no strong legal basis for such a challenge. If Corsi is charged, he is likely to be charged for alleged false statements and courts rarely explore the motivations in bringing otherwise valid criminal charges. The filing appears designed for public consumption before any indictment is brought against him. Continue reading “Corsi Files Complaint Against Mueller For Allegedly Pressuring Him To Lie”
A trophy hunter in Montana killed the most famous and beloved wolf in Yellowstone National Park after “Spitfire” wandered slightly outside of the park. This hunter will now be able to enjoy the thought of killing this beautiful animal that has inspired thousands of visitors. Spitfire was a seven-year-old wolf from the Lamar Canyon Wolf Pack and dubbed the Queen of the Lamar Valley. It is a tragedy that is all too familiar, including our prior discussion of the shooting of one of the last wolves from the most famous pack in Denali National Park in Alaska under similar circumstances. Continue reading “Famed Yellowstone Wolf “Spitfire” Killed By Trophy Hunter Just Outside Of Yellowstone”
Al Sharpton has long been plagued by criminal and ethical allegations (here and here and here and here). These have included allegations over his making a fortune from companies threatened by boycotts. Now, many are raising questions over the announcement of Sharpton’s National Action Network that it will to pay Sharpton $531,000 for his “life story rights for a 10-year period.” NAN is a non-profit and the deal has been criticized as another example of Sharpton using the organization for personal benefit. This is on top of Sharpton taking $244,661 in compensation from the group in 2017.
The media is replete this week with stories of the “demise” and “fall” of attorney Michael Avenatti, who skyrocketed to fame in his representation of porn star Stephanie Clifford, aka Stormy Daniels. Avenatti’s skill at both litigation and public advocacy led to calls for him to run for president. That was before Avenatti became embroiled in a public rift with his live-in girlfriend, who alleged physical abuse, and then allegations of unethical conduct by Daniels. It often seems that people enjoy only one thing more than a meteoric rise of a celebrity: the later fall from a great height. In this case, those declaring the ethical case as a threat to Avenatti’s license should look closer at the known record.
Continue reading “Daniels v. Avenatti: The Advance Authorization Defense”
Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on the recent insights into the efforts of Special Counsel Robert Mueller to bag President Donald Trump. There is little ambiguity in these efforts: while Trump is being called a “subject” of the investigation, he is being treated as a “target.” That danger became more apparent with the later allegations of Michael Cohen that he not only lied to support Trump’s account but that the worked with Trump’s counsel in preparing his false testimony. He claims to have had “regular contact” with Trump counsel during that period. That would pose some serious questions for counsel if Cohen was clear that he was giving false testimony. However, he does not say that. It still remains unclear how much Cohen is suggesting that the President or his counsel knew about the specifics on the “Moscow Project” or his own falsification of dates and information.
What is clear is that Mueller is still on the hunt for Trump and all eyes should be on Corsi, Stone, and possibly Donald Trump Jr. for the next move. Continue reading “What Does Mueller Have On Trump?”
It has been 106 years since New Mexico became a state but word is a bit show getting to the D.C. government. Gavin Clarkson told the Las Cruces Sun-News that both a District of Columbia clerk and a supervisor refused to give him a marriage license because New Mexico is a foreign government and he needed to show a proper foreign passport.
Egypt is again showing the world that it is regressing into medieval religious orthodoxy under the enforcement of Islamic values through criminal laws. The latest victim of religious orthodoxy is actress Rania Youssef who may go to jail for wearing a revealing dress. That’s right, she is facing criminal charges for wearing a dress at the Cairo Film Festival. Just for the record, I hate the dress. But that is a stylistic matter. The case is an attack on free speech and what is most disturbing is that it is the work of two lawyers who seem to relish being vehicles of repression and intolerance. Continue reading “Egyptian Actress Faces Incarceration Over Wearing Revealing Dress To Film Festival”
In Thailand, police are dealing with a rather novel case of road rage after a man was driving at an excessive speed through the Khao Yai National Park after being warned about animals on the road and hit an elephant in its back legs. The elephant proceeded to crush the car with the man in it.
Continue reading “Road Rage: Man Hit Elephant . . . Elephant Crushes Man”
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Move over Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, the Russians have a more potent form of holy-war materiel.
On November 29th, Russian Military Forces deployed at Dzankoy, Crimea an S-400 Anti-Aircraft System as part of its military occupation of the peninsula. Not to be without an appropriate blessing for this divinely inspired weapon system, the military arranged for consecration of these Anti-Aircraft Missiles of Antioch by priests of the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Pie erucae dominus
Dona eis requiem
Continue reading “Russian Orthodox Church Priest Consecrates Holy Anti-Aircraft Missile Of Antioch”
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Those familiar with the former federal office building in Wenatchee, Washington, who have actually noticed, are familiar with the strange earthen mounds situated at the Northwest of the property. They were constructed in 1981 by Artist Stan Dolega who received $19,000.00 (about $54,000.00 today) from the government to place the dirt, a concrete retaining wall, and sod.
Anecdotally, the work faced much criticism since its inception as being the archetype of government waste through mandatory spending on artwork. It was not popular with those in the community and faced considerable ridicule as to its lack of utility, and that could credibly be claimed that the government paid nearly twenty grand for a pile of dirt.
Now the city wants to remove the mounds to make room for additional parking but discovered that it cannot due to a covenant designed to protect a problematic artwork that simply will not go away.
Continue reading “Public Art Or Public Nuisance? Mound Of Dirt Art That Won’t Go Away”
It appears nothing escapes the wrath of our divided country. This week however it is Melania Trump who has been slammed for what are being called “the Blood Christmas Trees” after she went with crimson trees that left many . . . all right . . . seeing red. It was not my cup of tree but I am so traditional that I have opposed the smallest changes in the Christmas dinner menu for five decades. The review have been scathing from comparisons to “The Handmaid’s Tale” to the “The Shining” and worse. Frankly, the red trees are not as bad as people suggest and there is a traditional tree at the end. Moreover, they are certainly not the biggest eyesores in Washington. That distinction goes to the Four Seasons were I spotted these two abominations which left you simply wishing for New Year’s Eve.
Continue reading “Save The Trees: Washington Appears In A Contest For The Ugliest Christmas Trees”