The two owners (a husband and wife) are being charged with 34 counts of negligent homicide, because 34 residents of the nursing home drowned. Here’s the story: The charges stem from the deaths of elderly patients at St. Rita’s nursing home in Chalmette, located just southeast of New Orleans. The patients drowned in the flooding after hurricane Katrina struck on … Read More
Roberts and Roe v. Wade
I realize that I said I wasn’t going to blog about the Roberts confirmation hearings, but I was surprised that Roberts came out today and said this: Supreme Court nominee John Roberts said Tuesday that the landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion was "settled as a precedent," as he was immediately pressed to address the divisive issue on the second day … Read More
Roberts Confirmation FAQ
You’re a lawyer (the card-carrying ACLU kind) and a progressive… Yes. What’s your question? So why aren’t you writing about the Roberts confirmation hearings? Quite simply, it’s a non-event. Roberts is qualified to sit on the bench. That’s all there is to it. End of story. Do you like his apparent political views? No. Don’t you think his political … Read More
Freedom – Registration Required
Apparently without any sense of irony, the Pentagon informs us that anyone attending this weekend’s 9/11 "Freedom Walk", a commemorative march to public memorial spaces throughout D.C., must be registered. "Interlopers" will be arrested. Boy.
Bush Nominates Roberts For Chief Justice Slot
President Bush nominated Judge John Roberts to replace Chief Justice William Rehnquist, "whose death late Saturday opened a second vacancy on the Supreme Court and a new front in the ideological battle over the judiciary," the New York Times reports. The Washington Post focuses on the upcoming confirmation hearings, noting "the degree to which Roberts’s religious beliefs may inform his … Read More
Pat Robertson’s Prayers Answered – Rehnquist Dead
In a week of national nightmares, this is all we need. Saving grace is that Bush is so low in the polls that he really might be forced to nominate someone very moderate. But I’m not holding my breath. P.S.: If you don’t know what the Pat Robertson reference means, you can check out his prayer points here, e.g.: Pray … Read More
In Which I Blog About U.S. Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts’ Penis
I’ve always thought the half-joking "Is Roberts gay?" meme coming from the left was childish and even a little offensive. But, you know, how can it be avoided when pictures like this surface? Okay, maybe’s not gay. But "metrosexual"? Hel-LO? Lobster, quiche and a Hall-and-Oates wannabe?
Not Angry
In response to a comment on that his blog is "full of hatred and anger", Corrente not only denied the charge, but set out to compile a list of things he was not angry about, as well as things he doesn’t hate. It’s not only long, but a work-in-progress, so check out Corrente’s site for the latest revisions and updates: … Read More
North Carolina Now Has A State Religion
This is an unbelieveably unconstitutional decision: GREENSBORO, N.C. — Traditionally, witnesses taking the stand in court are sworn in by placing their hand on the Bible . But when Muslims in Guilford County, N.C., tried to donate copies of the Koran for courtroom use, judges turned them down. Chief District Court Judge Joseph Turner says taking an oath on the … Read More
Fourth Circuit And Invocation Of Jesus
A few months ago, I blogged about a Fourth Circuit opinion which ruled against a woman who challenged her local government’s practice of beginning meetings with an invocation of a monotheistic God. The Fourth Circuit stupidly said that the practice did not violate the Establishment Clause because, to put it bluntly, only monotheism is protected by the Establishment Clause. (I … Read More
Carry The Card!
Libertarian Radley Balko (via The Poor Man): For quite awhile now, I’ve flirted with the idea of joining the ACLU, mostly for the organization’s work on drug laws, upholding criminal protections, and its opposition to the PATRIOT Act. Problem is, each time I come close to joining, the ACLU takes some public, statist position on the ADA, affirmative action, speech … Read More
It Was A Summary Execution
Mark Honigsbaum Thursday July 28, 2005 The Guardian Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian shot dead in the head, was not wearing a heavy jacket that might have concealed a bomb, and did not jump the ticket barrier when challenged by armed plainclothes police, his cousin said yesterday. Speaking at a press conference after a meeting with the Metropolitan police, … Read More
Bush, Roberts and Government Secrecy
The Bush White House is once again play hide-and-seek, this time with memos written by Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. While they are turning over some documents from Roberts’ past, they are refusing to turn over documents from 1989 to 1993, when Roberts was deputy solicitor general. The stated reason? Attorney-client privilege. A-C privilege is a sticky wicket, but it … Read More
Lying As A Natural Habit
So Scottie sez that Supreme Court nominee John Roberts “doesn’t recall ever paying dues or being a member” of the conservative Federalist Society. But John Roberts himself said that participatws in Federalist Society events and gave speeches for the organization. And the Washington Post reported Monday that it had obtained from a liberal group a 1997-98 Federalist Society leadership directory … Read More