Congress, Constitutional Law

Does Congress Have A Constitutional Obligation To Raise The Debt Ceiling?

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Section four of the Fourteenth Amendment, known as the public debt clause, states that “the validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law … shall not be questioned.” The clause was included to prevent Southerners or their sympathizers from preventing payments owed to Union soldiers or their widows. However, the language goes beyond the narrow issue of Civil War debts.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

What Meth Would Jesus Choose? Florida “Officer of the Year” and Christian Blogger Arrested as Meth Dealer

In selecting Police Officer David Britto in 2010 as “Officer of the Year,” many cited his “uncanny knack” of tracking down drug dealers. It become less uncanny this week after he was arrested as a drug dealer of methamphetamine.

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Bizarre

Video: Arkansas Man Arrested After Videotaping Police From His Own Front Yard

We recently saw a video of a New York woman arrested in her own front yard for videotaping officers in the course of an arrest. Now, a video has been released of a Jonesboro, Arkansas man who arrested after filming police conduct a search of a neighbor’s vehicle and body. The video was taken last year.

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Politics, Science

Tomahawks Over Telescopes: Congress Moves To Scrap Hubble Successor To Save Money

We have often marveled at the extraordinary discoveries and pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope. However, a panel of the House Appropriations Committee Science has moved to cut the successor to Hubble — the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). It is part of a $1.6 billion cut into NASA — an agency already slashed deeply in prior budgets.

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Academia, Bizarre

Chicago Cuts Writing From Standardized Testing To Save Money

As the country struggles to pay billions for three wars, states continue to shutdown basic services and programs. Chicago this week joined other jurisdictions in dropping writing as part of the standardized exam for students to save $2.4 million a year. It is not clear if children will be given lessons on the oral tradition of story telling and refreshers in cave drawing.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Forbidden Apple: TSA Worker Arrested After Allegedly Stealing iPad and Stuffing It Down His Pants

Transportation Security Administration employee Nelson Santiago, 30, allegedly had a keen eye and an even quicker hand in manning a TSA security checkpoint at the Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Santiago is accused of stealing $50,000 worth of electronics over the last six months from passengers — often selling the items before the end of his shift. Police say that he was nailed after a Continental employee saw him steal an iPod and stuff it down his shorts.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

A Man Walks Into An Irish Bar Carrying A Rare Picasso . . .

No it’s not another bar joke. This picture is from Lefty O’Doul’s in San Francisco and the man in question appears to be the culprit in a bold theft of Picasso’s 1965 drawing entitled “Tete de Femme.” The man simply walked into the Weinstein Gallery and walked out with the valuable drawing. He proceeded to hail a cab and disappear — but not before passing in front of Lefty O’Doul’s.
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Animals, Bizarre, Criminal law

Michigan Medical Student Admits To Killing More Than A Dozen Dogs Out Of Anger

Andrew David Thompson, 24, is studying to be a doctor at Michigan State University. His career, however, in osteopathic medicine has been delayed a bit by an anger issue and his tendency to kill dogs. Police say that Thompson has admitted to killing more than a dozen dogs — all Italian Greyhounds — out of anger by beating them on the floor or against the walls.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

North Carolina Woman Arrested After Blowing 0.0 On Test . . . Police Then Pull Over Lawyer Husband After He Follows Them To Jail

Two North Carolina State Highway Patrol officers, Senior Trooper Edward Wyrick and Trooper Andrew Smith, have been suspended pending investigation after Gina Tessener said she was arrested despite blowing a 0.0 on a breathalyzer test. She then alleges that the officers arranged to pull over her husband, attorney Hoyt Tessener, who followed his wife to the magistrate. Recently released exchanges between the officers show profanity and hostility in dealing with the couple.

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Bizarre, Environment, Politics, Society

Tomahawks Over Turtles: Congress and Obama Administration Move To Slash NOAA Budget

Wondering where the money is coming from for our three wars, including the over $1 billion for the latest war in Libya? Well, as we spend billions on the wars (including one for an oil-rich nation which has refused to re-pay any of the costs), the White House is slashing domestic programs. A good comparison is that the cost to date of the Libyan war is basically what Congress is about to cut from the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Politics, Society

Lone Star State: Perry Refuses To Stop Execution Of Mexican Citizen Despite Treaty Violation

Many people thought it was a bit odd when Governor Rick Perry indicated that he might run for President of the United States after previously suggesting that Texas may want to secede from the United States. Perry seems not only want to be the John C. Calhoun of presidential aspirants, but he has also decided to add the violation of international law and treaties as a resume booster. Over the objections of President Obama and a host of leading international figures, Perry has refused to stop the execution of of Humberto Leal Garcia — a Mexican national denied his rights under the Vienna Convention.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Lawyering, Society

Report: Russian Anti-Corruption Lawyer Beaten To Death By Eight Guards in “Sailor’s Silence” Prison

A leading Russian anti-corruption lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky died recently in custody. It was immediately called suspicious and now there is a report that eight guards who beat him while handcuffed in a small cell. The guards reportedly forced an ambulance to wait as they beat him to death.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Religion, Society

Ohio Family-Values Politician Arrested Full of Alcohol and Viagra In Car With Stripper

Ohio Rep. Robert Mecklenborg is a Republican legislator and former prosecutor who has made his career on family values legislation, including his opposition to abortion rights. The Roman Catholic legislator seemed to have strayed a bit after he was arrested in a car with temporary Kentucky plates in Indiana with a young stripper. Tests found he was loaded with not just alcohol but Viagra.

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