The Case of the Jena Six September 9, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law, Law Enforcement , add a commentIn a Louisiana school, there’s still segregated shade!
After a black student sat under the “white only” shade tree, someone hung three nooses from the tree. Racial tensions erupted, and six young black men were charged with attempted murder for a fight at school. Apparently no whites were charged, although at least one black student was beaten up.
P.S. A librarian in town called the nooses “a prank.”
We don’t have a race problem. It’s not black against white. It’s crime. The nooses? I don’t even know why they were there, what they were supposed to mean. There’s pranks all the time, of one type or another, going on. And it just didn’t seem to be racist to me.
Mitch McConnell: Sen. Craig’s sex-solicitation “Unforgivable.” August 31, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law, Law Enforcement , add a comment
It’s galling that the Senate Minority Leader calls a hypocritical GOP colleague’s homosex misdemeanor “unforgivable” while:
— the bombs continue to fall on the Iraqis in Bush’s unprovoked war;
— those within the GOP who outed Valerie Plame as a CIA spook go unpunished; and
— GOP Attorney General Alberto Gonzales endorsed torture as a legitimate option for the United States, apparently committed perjury, and generally shamed himself and the Department of Justice.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday called Craig’s conduct “unforgivable” and acknowledged that many in his caucus believe Craig should resign.
P.S. Interestingly enough, Senator McConnell may have a homo-skeleton of his own in his closet. It’d all be kinda funny, if the blatant crimes these goons have gotten away with weren’t so serious.
Gonzales testimony eyed in Justice Department probes August 30, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law, Law Enforcement , add a comment It’s a sad day when the Attorney General of the United States is suspected of lying under oath.
Justice Department investigators are examining the truthfulness of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ testimony to Congress on the firings of federal prosecutors and domestic wiretapping.
And in case you forgot, here are some examples of how former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales not only destroyed his credibility, but humiliated himself:
A video of the top 10 most memorable statements Alberto Gonzales made over the course of his tenure as Attorney General.
Soviet Union “justice” comes to America? August 5, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law , add a comment In The Best Defense, Alan Dershowitz told of a political prisoner in the Soviet Union who was punished because he “had been found guilty of ‘continuing to consider himself not guilty.’ ” Id. at 277.
In Texas, sexual offenders who have been civilly committed can be considered in violation of their civil commitment order if they “fail to progress in sexual offender treatment.” Violating a civil commitment order is a felony, and can subject the defendant to severe penalties. If one of these defendants maintains his innocence of the underlying crimes (for which he served his sentence) his “treatment” providers can send him back to prison.
Sunstein on Executive Privilege August 2, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution , add a comment I think this piece by Professor Sunstein is helpful, whether you agree with President Bush or can see through him.
p.s. I’ve been away a while (on vacation and now sick).
Sunstein on Executive Privilege
The Constitution does not refer to executive privilege at all, and some “strict construction[ist]s” believe that the whole idea is a constitutional myth.
U.S. Constitution suffers appellate defeat. July 6, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law, Law Enforcement , 1 comment so farFederal appeals court reverses Detroit judge’s ruling on Bush spying program
The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled 2-1 that the plaintiffs in the case, a group of several dozen academics, activists and journalists, could not demonstrate they had been harmed by the surveillance and therefore cannot sue the government.
Recently, supporters of the Constitution celebrated a major victory in the lower court. Now, the appellate court reversed that decision. One step forward. Two steps back! 
The enemies of our Constitution never surrender. Neither will we.
Honk if you believe Anita now July 6, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution , add a commentEllen Goodman argues that Supreme Court Justice Thomas “is the most extreme justice when it comes to rolling back civil rights [and] the most predictable member of the conservative camp.”
“This justice was confirmed by the smallest margin in history. He not only convinced senators that Anita Hill lied, he convinced them that he wouldn’t be a rigid ideologue. Honk if you believe Anita now.”
Hmmm… The “conservative camp of the United States Supreme Court.” Isn’t that nearly all of them now?
Jailed for upholding law at Guantanamo July 6, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law , add a commentJailed for upholding law at Guantanamo
Diaz is not the first member of the U.S. military legal system to face trouble for challenging conditions at Guantanamo.
Republican Outrage at Libby Scooting July 5, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Criminal Law, Law Enforcement , add a commentRepublican Outrage at Libby Scooting
Republican Outrage at Libby Scooting
It’s not just us; Republicans are equally incensed over Bush’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence
Wow, the Brains and Eggs blogger grudgingly (yet brilliantly) admits his respect for Republican politicians who have chosen consistency over partisanship. Read it here
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph July 4, 2007
Posted by Idta in : Constitution, Quotes , add a commentDavid Van Os describes today’s summer soldiers and sunshine patriots:
To quote one of the great pamphleteers (of whom today’s bloggers are the successors) of the Revolution, Thomas Paine,
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph” COMMON SENSE, December 23, 1776.
Who are today’s summer soldiers and sunshine patriots? They are the representatives of tyranny who claim the power of the Constitution and the protection of the law while trampling on the very Constitution and rule of law which give them the power and protection they claim; they are the acolytes who proclaim a love of freedom while suppressing dissent; they are the royalists who mouth support for democracy while establishing aristocracy in their own country[.]
