Educators in the United Kingdom have a curious view of teachable moments. The educators found that many of their students could not tell the time at schools because they could not read analog clocks. The solution? They replaced all of the clocks with digital clocks. Problem solved. Of course, people from other countries may have to help them with reading Big Ben . . . unless it will also go digital.
We recently discussed the bizarre attacks on Utah senior Keziah Daum, 18, for wearing a Chinese Choengsam (also known as a qipao) dress to her prom at Woods Cross High School. Various people responded to her posting as blatant cultural appropriation. Now China has responded and said thank you for appropriating us.
Continue reading “China: Yes, Keziah, Please Appropriate Us”
Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski has, through counsel, sent a intent to sue letter to New York Magazine over an alleged home invasion by reporter Olivia Nuzzi. Nuzzi in March admitted that she entered his home without permission — an act that certainly would be a crime as well as a tort. Update: There is an interesting twist (and potential defense) to the potential criminal or tort case involving the “home” of Lewandowski, which also happens to be the office of Turnberry Solutions, a lobbying firm started a close Trump campaign associate. Continue reading “Corey Lewandowski Threatens To Sue New York Magazine Over Reported Unlawful Entry By Reporter Olivia Nuzzi [Updated]”
Thomas Tramaglini, 42, was arrested for a particularly vile alleged crime: being a serial pooper on a high school football field. That alone would make him a standout as an alleged felon. Yet, the real surprise for police was to learn of his day job: Superintendent of Schools in Holmdel, New Jersey. He was named superintendent of Kenilworth schools in August 2015. Tramaglini also worked as a lecturer at Rutgers Graduate School of Education. Continue reading “School Superintendent Accused For Being Serial Pooper On High School Football Field”
Rocco Mantella, 34, is accused for being a menace to swans after being allegedly seen in public parks practicing his karate on the birds. He has been banned from two Florida parks and charged with cruelty to animals for what witnesses say is a pattern of kicking swans as well as a sleeping duck. Continue reading “Fowl Crime: Florida Man Accused Of Using Karate On Swans In Public Park”
Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on the leaking of the questions outlined by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for an interview with President Donald Trump. The leak occurred shortly before the resignation of Trump counsel and his replacement with Emmet Flood. The change removed the lawyer who was most eager to cooperate with Mueller to bring an end to the investigation. If the leak was designed to poison the well for an interview, the statements of Trump’s counsel certainly indicated a harder line toward Mueller. Giuliani has stated that Mueller would be given no more than a couple hours on narrow topics — a public statement that could push Mueller toward fulfilling his earlier threat to subpoena Trump. If Trump fights Mueller on the subpoena, he is likely to lose. He could then find himself pulled into a grand jury room without the benefit of counsel (though he could always reverse himself and agreed on a sit down with the Special Counsel).
Here is the column: Continue reading “The Danger To Trump Rests In The Sleeper Questions Of The Special Counsel”
Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt seems a virtual perpetual motion machine of scandals. With 11 different federal probes into his conduct, two of his top aides quit their jobs in the middle of the investigations, according to the New York Times. I certainly will not deny my opposition to many of the actions taken by Pruitt, who is widely viewed as one of the most anti-environmental EPA chiefs in history. However, this is not about policy differences. Trump is fulfilling his campaign promise to reduce regulations and he is entitled to take the EPA in a different direction. Rather this is about fundamental values of good government. Pruitt continues to be an embarrassment in his relations with lobbyists and alleged spending of public funds — a sharp and glaring contradiction to the pledge of Donald Trump to “drain the swamp.” Continue reading “Pruitt Goes For An Even Dozen: EPA Chief Is Now Facing 11 Federal Probes Into Excessive Spending, Special Dealing, and Ethical Violations”
One of the great qualities of art is that it can transcend social, political, and ethnic divisions in appealing to the aesthetic and concepts of beauty or meaning. While the backgrounds and periods of artists often inform the viewing of their work, it is the art not the artist that it is focus most people. The Baltimore Museum of Art, however, cannot separate the race of the artist from the art. It is selling masterpieces by white painters to buy art of non-white artists in a move that its own director, Christopher Bedford calls “an unusual and radical act to take.” This will include work by by Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and other masterpieces because the artists are white.
President Nixon’s White House counsel John Dean claimed that if the Trump administration leaked questions from special counsel Robert Mueller it could qualify as obstruction of justice. Once again, I disagree with such sweeping interpretations of the crime of obstruction of justice. Leaking such questions or topics would not be a crime under any case that I am aware of in defining the crime of obstruction.
Continue reading “John Dean Calls Leaking The Questions A Possible Basis For Obstruction Of Justice”
President Donald Trump lashed out at the leaking of the questions that Special Counsel Robert Mueller wants to ask him in an interview as “so disgraceful.” In the meantime, various news organizations (including Fox News) pointed fingers at former counsel John Dowd. Since the New York Times said that the leak did not come from “current counsel,” Dowd instantly became the leading suspect. Dowd however has denied the allegations and maintained “I was not the source.” Continue reading “Trump Denounces Leaked Questions As “Disgraceful” and Dowd Denies Being The Source”
Dr. Harold Bornstein has caused a firestorm of controversy after describing a “raid’ of his office by Trump’s longtime personal bodyguard, a top lawyer at the Trump Organization, and an unidentified third man. Bornstein said that he felt “raped, frightened and sad” from the encounter. Bornstein’s description however not only conflicts with the description of the Trump aides but stains credulity. It is common for newly elected presidents to have such records collected. Moreover, Bornstein in my view showed appalling judgment in disclosing a medication used by his former client. In the meantime, Bornstein has struck back by disclosing that he did not write his controversial letter during the campaign declaring Trump’s health as “astonishingly excellent” and his “physical strength and stamina are extraordinary.” He now says that Trump dictated the letter to him. Continue reading “Former Trump Doctor Assails “Raid” By Trump Lawyer and Aide”
The United States continues to fail our children in public schools in cranking out children who are below basic proficiency in both math and English. With an increasingly competitive economy demanding higher levels of skills, we are leaving most of our children in a position with dwindling opportunities and futures. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress test results released by the U.S. Department of Education, sixty-five percent of the eighth graders in American public schools in 2017 were not proficient in reading and 67 percent were not proficient in mathematics. That dire situation is even worse in cities like Detroit.
Former FBI Director James Comey continues to market his book – and himself – as a lesson in “ethical leadership.” However, the historical record is proving increasingly at odds with Comey’s account and image. After months of spins and swerves by defenders, a consensus is emerging that Comey is indeed a leaker. The most damaging evidence, however, comes not from Comey’s critics but Comey himself. Indeed, Comey v. Comey could be the most telling conflict in this still unfolding scandal. However, at issue, is not simply whether Comey will be viewed as a leaker or a liar, but a perjurer.
I will have the pleasure today of serving as a keynote speaker at the Connect: ID 2018 conference in Washington. Connect:ID is an international conference on identity technologies including biometrics, mobile applications and secure credentials. I will be speaking on identity, privacy, and anonymity. The speech will be at 8:30 am at the Washington Convention Center.
Continue reading “Turley To Give Keynote At Connect:ID Conference”