As reported here, a woman in Dekalb County was pulled over and given a $100 fine for having a bumper sticker that read "I’m Tired Of All The Bushit". Okay, it’s not a very funny bumper sticker, but it’s not obscene either. Rumor is that the police officer then went into the woods, where he started nailing citations to shittemwood … Read More
Scalia Recusal
According to Think Progress: Newsweek reports that in a controversial unpublicized March 8 speech, Scalia “dismissed the idea that the detainees have rights under the U.S. Constitution or international conventions.” “War is war, and it has never been the case that when you captured a combatant you have to give them a jury trial in your civil courts,” he says … Read More
Funeral Picketing
Fred Phelps, a supposed "Christian", has made a name for himself by leading a band of degenerates. Together, they protest at funerals across the country, usually of fallen soldiers. They shout and carry signs that say "Thank God for 9/11" and "Thank God For Dead Soldiers" — all to spotlight their belief that these things are God’s way of punishing … Read More
SCOTUS Limits Warrantless Searches
One thing that struck me in law school, and to this day, is how often the U.S. Supreme Court visits the issues of searches under the Fourth Amendment. Seriously. Every year they take a couple of these cases, it seems. I don’t even pay attention any more. But this morning, the Court addressed an interesting issue: consent searches. Consent searches … Read More
Book Plug
With millions of bloggers now out there, it’s hard to make a name for oneself. But that’s what First Amendment lawyer Glenn Greenwald did when he exploded on the blogosphere in November last year, writing mostly about the NSA wiretapping scandel. Since then, his site has become a must-read for many on the left and right, and includes some original … Read More
First Poll On Censure
A plurality of Americans support it. Specifically, 46 percent of Americans (48 percent of voters) support Sen. Russ Feingold’s censure resolution, while 44 percent (43 percent of voters) oppose the idea. Which begs the question: when Russ Feingold offered the resolution, why did Senate Democrats run away from it like he just lit a bomb?
Is Claude Allen Covering Up For His Evil Twin Brother?
That’s the scuttlebutt/running gag of the day. Yes, Claude Allen has an identical twin, who has had trouble with the law, so while it is still improbable, Josh Marsall applauds the "evil twin" theory for its "sheer neo-Brady Bunch theatricality". UPDATE: But Rep Jean Schmidt (R-Oh), who gained noteriety by calling Vietnam war hero John Murtha (D-Pa) a "coward" on … Read More
The Case For Censure
Sen. Feingold raised the notion of a Bush censure this week on The Week With George Stephonoplous, and the idea is already gaining much support. Georgia10 at Daily Kos makes the case: Five minutes is all it takes, really. Less, if you’re not that chatty. In five minutes, you can speak up for the rule of the law. In five … Read More
Orin Kerr’s Got A Blog
Volokh Conspiracy contributor Orin Kerr (GW Law Professor) is starting his own blog, focussing primarily on legal issues. I don’t always agree with him, but there’s no doubt he’s a smart dude. We’ll keep an eye on him.
Former Justice O’Connor Smacks The GOP Around
Amy Sullivan has the goods: Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor gave a speech yesterday at Georgetown in which she slammed Republicans–singling out Tom DeLay and John Cornyn–for undermining the judiciary. (You can listen to NPR coverage of the speech here.) She quoted DeLay’s attacks on the court during Justice Sunday, and then turned on the sarcasm: "This was … Read More
Very Funny
The three college students arrested for several Alabama church burnings have explained their behavior as a "joke that got out of hand". This is one of those times when I am rendered speechless with incredulity. To my mind, a "joke that gets out of hand" is a joke or prank that starts off as harmless and funny, and then mushrooms … Read More
Fraud
There’s no doubt in my mind that the GOP’s new fundraising letter is designed to confuse members of the public, particularly the elderly. It looks like an official IRS form, complete with instructions not to destroy the form. It admonishes the recipient to complete the form and return it (and of course, the document contains a place to donate money … Read More
The Solomon Amendment Case
Sadly, I simply won’t have time to do a timely, intelligent post on the Court’s unanimous decision yesterday on the Solomon Amendment. So, as a cheap cop-out, I beg, borrow, and steal from Blogometer for a round-up of what other people are saying: The SCOTUS ruled unanimously 3/6 in support the Solomon Amendment, requiring Yale law and other schools to … Read More
What’s In A Name
Here are a list of murderers with the middle name "Wayne". An asterisk means they are dead. Timothy Wayne Adams (Texas)Shannon Wayne Agofsky (Texas)Thomas Wayne Akers (North Carolina)Stephen Wayne Anderson (California)*Joshua Wayne Andrews (Virginia)David Wayne Arisman (California)Timothy Wayne Barnett (Alabama)Gerald Wayne Bivins (Indiana)Scott Wayne Blystone (Pennsylvania)Elvis Wayne Botley (California)Steven Wayne Bowman (South Carolina)Ricky Wayne Brown (Florida)Michael Wayne Brown (Oklahoma)Dennis Wayne … Read More
“Stand Your Ground” and Bernhard Goetz
The Christian Science Monitor has an article about the spread of "Stand Your Ground" laws throughout the United States. To date, Florida is the only one to enact such a law, but 21 other states are thinking about it. Through statute or common law, most states allow people to use deadly force when intruders enter your home. "Stand Your Ground" … Read More