Former Senator Al D’Amato Caught on Videotape In Heated Hospital Scene

Alfonse_D'AmatoFormer Sen. Al D’Amato (R. N.Y.) has demonstrated a single clear rule for anyone going through a nasty divorce or custody fight: do not use your estranged wife’s hospital room to vent your anger as she begs you to stop. A video was released by D’Amato’s wife Katuria Smith  that showed D’Amato raving at her as she laid in bed recovering from neck surgery. Warning: the video and discussion involves foul language.

Continue reading “Former Senator Al D’Amato Caught on Videotape In Heated Hospital Scene”

Beware The “Lawyer Acquaintance”: How Fifty-Six Words May Have Just Sunk Trump and Cohen In The Daniels Litigation

donald_trump_president-elect_portrait_cropped790px-A_Streetcar_Named_Desire_(1951)President Donald Trump’s struggle with the Stormy Daniels scandal has become Washington’s version of A Streetcar Named Desire . . . without the gritty charm. Rather than shutdown this litigation over a sordid alleged affair, the President has been left looking like Stanley Kowalski declaring to Blanche DuBois that he has “a lawyer acquaintance” who can “study these out.” For Trump, that “lawyer acquaintance” was Michael Cohen, a fix it lawyer who has become infamous for threatening women connected with Trump with financial and legal ruin. Until, that is, former porn star Stormy Daniels (the Blanche DeBois of this drama) called his bluff. Now, Trump’s fix it man has a fix it man, David Schwartz, who proclaimed that he also has “studied things out” and has threatening both Daniels and her lawyer with ruin. The problem is that Schwartz may have just cratered the case for both his client, Cohen, and Cohen’s client, Trump. Schwartz has finally declared that Trump was never aware of the agreement negotiated for him by Cohen. That could spell serious trouble not only for Cohen but also Trump. Instead of a final scene screaming “Stella!,” it may be “Schwartz!” that is heard throughout Foggy Bottom.

Continue reading “Beware The “Lawyer Acquaintance”: How Fifty-Six Words May Have Just Sunk Trump and Cohen In The Daniels Litigation”

Federal Court Permits Emoluments Challenge To Move Forward

1600_executive_branchA federal judge issued a surprising decision that allowed part of an emoluments challenge to proceed toward trial.  The opinion has been widely misreported, but still represents a rare win for those arguing that President Donald Trump is accepting prohibited payments from foreign governments at the various Trump properties.  However, the decision is only on the threshold standing question and did not address the merits of the constitutional claim.  Moreover, United States District Judge Peter Messitte dramatically narrowed the action to only claims related to the Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C.  These is considerable debate over the meaning of the Constitution’s “emoluments” clause.  There are clearly good-faith arguments that such payments fall within the meaning of the language, but I remain highly skeptical.  Even with the much reduced action, I think Messitte is wrong and that the action should have been dismissed in its entirety.  Previous actions have been dismissed.

Continue reading “Federal Court Permits Emoluments Challenge To Move Forward”

Connecticut High School Student Posts Picture Of Airsoft Gun That He Received As Birthday Present . . . Police Promptly Arrest Him and School Suspends Him

amity-regional-high-schoolDespite national outcry over the blind application of “zero tolerance” rules, school and police officials continue to throw kids into the criminal justice system without any logic or judgment.  The latest example is Zach Cassidento, a high school senior at Amity High Regional School who suspended and arrested after simply posted a picture of his birthday gift — an “Airsoft gun,” on Snapchat.  He was not charged but was suspended for a day from school.

Continue reading “Connecticut High School Student Posts Picture Of Airsoft Gun That He Received As Birthday Present . . . Police Promptly Arrest Him and School Suspends Him”

Mount Holyoke Women’s College Orders Professors Not To Call Students “Women”

downloadWe have previously discussed the national trend in colleges and universities to require faculty to use an increasing number of different pronouns for students. Faculty questioning such alternative pronouns have been subject to discipline or condemnation. There is even a move in states like California to criminalize the failure to use alternative pronouns.  Now, the women’s college Mount Holyoke has ordered faculty to avoid calling its students “women” since some students may identify as non-genders or different genders.

Continue reading “Mount Holyoke Women’s College Orders Professors Not To Call Students “Women””

In the Wake Of Stormy Daniels: Trump Must Face A Credible Threat From An Incredible Character

donald_trump_president-elect_portrait_croppedBelow is my column in The Hill Newspaper on the potential legal fallout from the Stormy Daniels interview on CBS 60 Minutes.  Notably, yesterday the White House again expressly denied not just the “allegations” but specifically the allegation that President Donald Trump had a sexual tryst with the porn star.  That direct denial is precisely what I have warned against in this and other columns.  While the Daniels matter is not currently on the table with the Special Counsel, the worsening situation only reinforces why I believe Trump should close the deal on a sit down on the four prior subject matters lead out by Robert Mueller.  Notably, my repeatedly stated view that Trump should sever any ties with his radioactive personal counsel Michael Cohen does not appear likely since Trump just arranged a dinner with Cohen at Mar-a-Lago.  

Here is the column:

Continue reading “In the Wake Of Stormy Daniels: Trump Must Face A Credible Threat From An Incredible Character”

Democratic Attorneys General To Challenge Addition of Citizenship Question On U.S. Census

Continue reading “Democratic Attorneys General To Challenge Addition of Citizenship Question On U.S. Census”

North Carolina Middle School Suspends 13-Year-Old Boy For Drawing Stick Figure With Gun

Screen Shot 2018-03-27 at 8.20.24 PM We have yet another ridiculous example of school officials applying “zero tolerance” policies against a kid for an innocent page of doodling.  A 13-year-old boy in the seventh grade drew a stick figure holding a gun and another holding two knives and was promptly suspended from Roseboro-Salemburg Middle School.

Continue reading “North Carolina Middle School Suspends 13-Year-Old Boy For Drawing Stick Figure With Gun”

Report: Trump Met With Michael Cohen Night Before Stormy Daniels Interview

440px-Official_Portrait_of_President_Donald_TrumpI recently wrote a column that argued that President Donald Trump would be wise to accept the offer (and reported parameters) for a sit down with Special Counsel Bob Mueller. In addition, I argued for another obvious and long overdue action: severing any and all ties with his personal counsel Michael Cohen.  Cohen’s reckless and ham-handed lawyering has seriously undermined Trump’s position and he could very well find his bar license in jeopardy due to his prior actions.  Despite Cohen’s radioactive reputation and worsening legal position, Trump decided that the night before the 60 Minutes interview with Stormy Daniels was a good time to have dinner with Cohen at Mar-O-Lago.  It was a baffling decision when any competent lawyer would be insulating Trump from Cohen.

Continue reading “Report: Trump Met With Michael Cohen Night Before Stormy Daniels Interview”

“Revenge Rape”: Pakistani Council Orders Sister of Accused Rapist To Be Raped As Punishment

State_emblem_of_Pakistan.svgThere is another horrific report from Pakistan where village elders ordered a “revenge rape” as a punishment.  After a man was accused of raping a woman in Pir Mahal in the Toba Tek Singh district of Punjab province, the village council formed and ordered the sister of the accused to be raped by the brother of his victim as justice.  They all then reportedly watched the rape.

Continue reading ““Revenge Rape”: Pakistani Council Orders Sister of Accused Rapist To Be Raped As Punishment”

Turkish President Erdogan Calls For Anti-War Students “Terrorists” In Latest Crackdown On Free Speech

Continue reading “Turkish President Erdogan Calls For Anti-War Students “Terrorists” In Latest Crackdown On Free Speech”

Iraqi Couple Arrested in Texas For Allegedly Pouring Hot Oil On 16-Year-Old Daughter For Refusing Arranged Marriage

texasAbdulah Fahmi Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Saha Al Hishmawi, 33, have been arrested in another appalling case involving an attempted arranged marriage of a young Muslim girl.  This case however did not occur in Pakistan or Afghanistan but Texas.  They are accused of beating their daughter with a broomstick and the pouring hot cooking oil on her after refusing agree to the the arranged marriage.

Continue reading “Iraqi Couple Arrested in Texas For Allegedly Pouring Hot Oil On 16-Year-Old Daughter For Refusing Arranged Marriage”

Mr. President, Take The Mueller Deal

Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on the reported proposal that President Donald Trump sit down with Special Counsel Robert Mueller to address four specific areas of inquiry.  Those areas just happen to be the ones where Trump has the strongest and most obvious defenses.  If the deal is that this would be a one-time sit down (and any later issues would be addressed in written interrogatories), it is a deal that would be hard to pass up. It is not without considerable risks of course, particularly for any false statement allegations. However, if the President were ready to be properly prepped and listens to counsel, he could thread this needle.  It would also avoid a fight over a subpoena.  While the law on the question is hardly settled, Mueller could win such a court fight and force Trump into an interview.  Both the political and constitutional costs of such a fight should be avoided.

Here is the column:

Continue reading “Mr. President, Take The Mueller Deal”

Study Criticizes Engineering Programs For Focusing On Math and Science Rather Than Political Concerns

One_of_Diamonds_Mathematical_instruments_1702We recently discussed how University of Illinois math professor Rochelle Gutierrez triggered a national controversy over her work “Building Support for Scholarly Practices in Mathematics Methods” in which she criticized math classes as a “tool of whiteness.”  Then we discussed CUNY Professor Laurie Rubel’s publishing of a peer-reviewed article in the  Journal of Mathematics Education arguing that the concepts of meritocracy and “color-blindness” are ideological precepts that work against minorities.  Now four professors denouncing the “hegemony of meritocratic ideology” and the “masculine culture” in engineering courses as hostile to women. University of California (Irvine) Professor Carroll Serron’s March 1 study insists that merit-based advancement in engineering is harming women and fails to consider political factors in recognizing engineers.  The professors criticize the focus on “empirical science, technical thinking, merit, and individualism” as the cause for the isolation of female engineers.

Continue reading “Study Criticizes Engineering Programs For Focusing On Math and Science Rather Than Political Concerns”

“Are You Going To Cry To Ya Mommy?” New York Police Search For Man Who Attacked Five-Year-Old Boy In Subway

1521998850844

New York police are looking for this man in a truly incomprehensible crime.  At 4:30 pm, a mother and her child were waiting for a train at the Bergen Street Station in Brooklyn when this man allegedly walked up and punched a five-year-old boy in the face.  According to New York Daily News he then yelled at the boy, “Are you going to cry to ya’ mommy?”

Continue reading ““Are You Going To Cry To Ya Mommy?” New York Police Search For Man Who Attacked Five-Year-Old Boy In Subway”

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks