Today we discussed the curious case of the so-called “Dine-and-Dash Dater.” Paul Gonzales is accused of running out on several women at restaurants after expensive meal. As we discussed, much of the alleged crime would depend on the expectations or understanding of the daters. Below is a poll designed to gauge how jurors might view such a case.
Continue reading “Pre-Trial Poll: Should Men Still Pay For Dinner On the First Date?”
Below is my column in USA Today on recent disclosure of Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, received hundreds of thousands of dollars from companies like AT&T seeking access to Trump. Accounts indicate that Cohen actively sold himself as a conduit to Trump to companies seeking influence. Cohen is only the latest in a long line of sleaze winding its way through Washington.
Caught red-handed in influence peddling, AT&T reportedly fired the Vice President responsible for the Cohen contract and called it a “big mistake.”
Here is the column:
Continue reading ““Reach Out To Touch Someone”: Michael Cohen and Washington’s Only Indigenous Crop”
We have previously discussed Antifa and its violent anti-free speech philosophy. The latest violent clashes occurred at Berkeley where middle school teacher and Antifa leader Yvonne Felarca, 47, was arrested for battery and resisting arrest for fighting in Berkeley’s much maligned “empathy tent.” Felarca has fought the charges and called the charges a “witch hunt” to convince the court to drop the charges against her. It did not work with a California judge who refused to discuss her felony charges. What was surprising was the language used by her lawyer in both courts filings and public statements.
There is a novel criminal charge in Los Angeles where Paul Gonzales has been accused of being the so-called “Dine-and-Dash Dater.” He allegedly would take women to expensive restaurants and then bolt after the meal — leaving several women with restaurant bills. He arranged the dinners through dating apps. He is already facing allegations of petty theft.
Local media has been broadcasting his image above to warn women about Gonzales and his alleged eat-and-bolt technique. Continue reading ““Dine-and-Dash Dater”: California Man Facing Charges After Running Out On Expensive Meals With First Dates”
We have been discussing the rapid erosion of free speech on our campuses and the increasing confrontations with students who bar speech with which they disagree. (Here and here and here and here) The most disturbing aspect of this trend has been the active support of academics and administrators, including defining the prevention of free speech as an exercise of free speech. The result is that schools are caving into academic demands made by students. The latest example is the action taken by the State University of New York at Oswego administrator, who reprimanded a student for making other students feel “uncomfortable” by raising liberal intolerance of free speech at an “Open Mic” event last month. Nicole Miller was called out under an “unofficial policy” — thereby confirming the very point of her remarks.
As I mentioned yesterday, the highlight of my recent trip to New Orleans was my visit (with my son Jack) to the greatly expanded World War II Museum. I have visited the museum repeatedly since it was first opened. As someone who continues to study and write on military history, this museum has been a joy to watch expand and improve through the years. It is now the greatest military museum for the greatest generation. It is easily on par with the great museums of Europe like Musée de l’Armée at the Les Invalides in Paris. It should be a point of pride for all Americans in its expanding and unique collection of artifacts and weaponry from World War II. Moreover, it is expanding even further and is now composed of multiple buildings and soon will be joined by The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center along with the massive Bollinger Canopy of Peace that will cover all of the buildings. The result will certainly be a truly unparalleled facility committed to military history. Continue reading “THE GREATEST MUSEUM FOR THE GREATEST GENERATION: A TRIP TO THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM”
I recently visited New Orleans for a speech during the celebration of its 300th anniversary. It coincides with the French Quarter festival and my son Jack and I had an absolute ball. I lived in New Orleans when I taught at Tulane Law School (after clerking on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit). I still have tremendous love for this unique city and its wonderful people. Unfortunately, due to events in Washington, I have been delayed in posting some of the pictures. Tomorrow I will be posting the pictures from my visit to the greatly expanded World War II Museum. As discussed below, my only negative review is the Royal House restaurant, which was truly abysmal.
Continue reading “New Orleans at 300: Aging Gracefully Along The Banks Of The Mississippi”
You might want to hold back before swiping right on Jacqueline Ades, 31, of Phoenix. The Arizona woman is accused of not just stalking a man who she met through a dating site but proceeded to tell him that she longed to bathe in his blood. That tends to be a turnoff for most available men.
We have previously discussed the questionable assurances of reforms from the Russian government after its government-led, systemic doping scandal. The greatest proof came this week when the Russians barred German Journalist Hajo Seppelt, the man who broke the Russian state doping story, from entry to the World Cup in Russia. If the Russians were so shocked and repentant, they should welcome Seppelt as a hero. Instead, they declared him an “undesirable person” for revealing their systemic cheating. Of course, the FIFA (which has distinguished itself as one of the most thoroughly corrupt organizations) has taken no real action.
Most Americans rightfully view Sen. John McCain as a genuine war hero and American icon. That view is not shared by President Donald Trump’s supporters, it would appear. Kelly Sadler, a special assistant to the presidend, is under fire for telling staff that they should laugh off McCain’s opposition to Gina Haspel as CIA director over her record of torture because his opinion “doesn’t matter” since “he’s dying anyway.” On Fox Business, Thomas McInerney, a former Fox News military analyst, rebuked McCain by saying torture clearly “worked for John” and that is why is calling “Songbird John” for cracking under torture.
Continue reading “White House Aide And Former Fox Expert Mock McCain As Dying and A Traitor”
Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on the emerging strategy from the Trump legal team with the addition of Emmet Flood and the comments of Rudy Giuliani. It is strikingly familiar to those of us who were around for the Clinton impeachment. The team appears to be moving toward the worst case scenario as the only scenario. That puts the President on a path that increases the risk of impeachment. The rhetoric is already laying the foundation to refuse to cooperate and litigate issues like a subpoena in court. Just as the Clintons claimed a “vast right-wing conspiracy” was out to get them, the Trump team is alleging a “deep state” conspiracy. The team is now on a course of confrontation — a course that could make things far worse unless Special Counsel Robert Mueller yields to the public taunts by figures like Giuliani.
Here is the column: Continue reading “The Crack Suicide Squad: The Trump Team Moves Toward The Worst Case Scenario”
With his former personal attorney Michael Cohen spinning off ethical violations like some hurricanes spin off tornados, Rudolph W. Giuliani was meant to bring back some relief from the worsening scandal over Stormy Daniels. Instead, Giuliani gave a rambling, conflicted account that the President had to refute the next morning. The worse rebuke however came yesterday when Giuliani’s firm Greenberg Traurig severed ties with Giuliani and specifically refuted his claims that all lawyers regularly do what Cohen did. Many of us at the time noted that lawyers do not take these actions and pay hush money from retainer funds. The firm not only wanted to establish that it did not do such unethical things but that it was no longer going to be associated with Rudy Giuliani.
Despite long-standing allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment, Bill Clinton remains a draw for liberals and Democrats, including many women. That was strikingly evident when Town & Country reportedly disinvited former White House intern Monica Lewinsky to an event on “social change” when they succeeded in getting Clinton to attend. It appears that is a bit too much change for Town & Country.
The Democratic leadership defied the pressures from the catastrophic loss of Hillary Clinton by refusing to change its leadership, particularly the deeply unpopular minority leader Nancy Pelosi. It has also gone “all in” on issues like immigration that deeply divide the country. Now, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, shows that the Democrats’ once towering edge over Republicans going into the mid term elections has largely disappeared. With six months to go, 47% of registered voters say they back the Democratic candidate in their district, 44% back the Republican — within the margin of error.
Continue reading “Poll: Democratic Advantage Vanishes Before Midterm Evaporating”
Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers, Inc. is being sued for allegedly selling 3-month-old Labrador Retriever puppies for highly trained services at $18,000 to $27,000 per pup. Virginia’s Attorney General Mark R. Herring says that the puppies are “little more than incredibly expensive pets.” Fittingly, the company has attorney John B. Russell, Jr. to defend it. It is not clear if being a Jack Russell gave him an edge in taking the case.