And it’s revealed — publicly — on this website.
“Reasonable Expectation Of Privacy”
So I was perusing the legal brief (pdf) that the ACLU wrote in support of Larry Craig (the Idaho senator who was caught attempting to engage in hanky-panky in a Minnesota airport restroom). And I came across this passage: Now, I happen to think that the law for which Craig stands accused is unconstitutional, at least as applied to the … Read More
FISA Fear-Mongering
White House Spokesman Tony Fratto, urging Congress to pass FISA legislation (which will, among other things, give telecom companies retroactive immunity for breaking privacy laws) told Congressional Quarterly yesterday: “We’re exactly three weeks away from the date when terrorists can be free to make phone calls without fear of being surveilled by U.S. intelligence agencies”. I have two points to … Read More
Glenn Greenwald On “Judicial Activism”
Glenn Greenwald writes the post that someone (myself included) should have written a long time ago. He skewers rightwing bloggers and pundits who bluster uncontrollably about "judicial activism". The thrust of Greenwald’s post is this: Our public discourse has taught conservatives that any time a court issues a ruling that produces an outcome that they dislike, that’s "judicial activism." But … Read More
A Black Dodge Pickup With NC License Plate “TR1522”
We’ve got a manhunt here in North Carolina, although I strongly suspect that the dude is least likely to be in this state by now.
CLE
I’m stuck all day in a Holiday Inn Select, listening to 12 hours of lectures as part of my annual Continuing Legal Education Requirement. Sigh. Why can’t legal education be more like this?
Cooking Instructions
Not to make light of mental illness, but: HAYDEN, Idaho (AP) — A man who believed he bore the biblical "mark of the beast" used a circular saw to cut off one hand, then he cooked it in the microwave and called 911, authorities said. *** The Book of Revelation in the New Testament contains a passage in which an … Read More
I Don’t Think You Can Do That
In New York (ah, only in New York), two guys tried to cash their friend’s social security check. Their friend had died, but they thought they could cash the check if they dragged (well, wheeled more like — they used an office chair) their dead friend to the bank. Which they did: "Witnesses observed Mr. Cintron flopping from side to … Read More
Our Supreme Court
How did he get there? Justice Antonin Scalia said states have been careful to adopt procedures that do not seek to inflict pain and should not be barred from carrying out executions even if prison officials sometimes make mistakes in administering drugs. "There is no painless requirement" in the Constitution, Scalia said. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito … Read More
“Well It Does Seem A Waste”
What’s the sound of the world out there? It’s man devouring man girlfriend, my dear, and who are we to deny it in here?
Recommended Reading
Slate’s Top Ten Bush Administration’s Dumbest Legal Arguments of the Year. It’s a doozy. Number one: 1. The United States does not torture. First there was the 2002 torture memo. That was withdrawn. Then there was the December 2004 statement that declared torture "abhorrent." But then there was the new secret 2005 torture memo. But members of Congress were fully … Read More
Unconstitutional Gifts
The AP reports: Motorists may be in for a surprise if they spot flashing red lights in their rearview mirrors in this Sacramento suburb [Rancho Cordova] during the holiday season. Police are stopping law-abiding motorists and rewarding their good driving with $5 Starbucks gift cards. A traffic officer came up with the idea to "promote the holiday spirit and enhance … Read More
Playing The Victim
Conservatives often like to play the victim over imaginary threats (i.e., the left-wing conspiracy to attack Christmas [the so-called "War On Christmas"]), and I find that (for some reason) very very amusing. Some conservatives, however, let their imagination run away with them: A Princeton University junior who claimed to have been beaten by two men in black ski caps for … Read More
I Think I Saw This Movie
From the Associated Press: ELIZABETH, New Jersey (AP) — Two inmates escaped from a county jail, hiding the holes they made in the walls by putting up photos of bikini-clad women, officials said.
The FISA Fight Begins
The Senate is set to begin debate today on a FISA bill that would overhaul the rules for electronic surveillance. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has elected to bring legislation to the Senate floor that would provide retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that participated in the Bush administration’s illegal spying efforts. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) will reportedly filibuster the bill. FDL … Read More