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April 2015

Posted by Fuzzy Slippers on April 11, 2015 22 Comments
Hillary Clinton has a number of hills to climb and unflattering revelations about her character to overcome, but one of the most problematic things that she faces is that no one can seem to name even one accomplishment from her time at State or even from her time in the Senate.  And by "no one" I don't mean republicans, libertarians, or anyone lurking in the darkened corners of the vast right-wing conspiracy, I mean attendees of the Democratic National Convention: The folks at Morning Joe can't think of anything, either:

Posted by New Neo on April 11, 2015 96 Comments
The killing of Walter Scott by Officer MIchael Slager was caught on video, leaving no doubt that he was shot in the back while fleeing from a traffic stop. A commenter on my blog asked whether the hue and cry that has resulted means that "if you can run away from a cop, you can get away with any crime because any effort to stop your pursuit using a weapon is unlawful and wrong?" No, but unless some very unusual mitigating information emerges, this was too much firepower considering the offense and the situation surrounding it. But don't take my word for it; here are the rules:
The Supreme Court held in a 1989 case, Graham v. Connor, that the appropriateness of use of force by officers “must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene,” rather than evaluated through 20/20 hindsight.

Posted by Amy Miller on April 11, 2015 3 Comments
On Wednesday, a jury in Boston found Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev guilty of capital murder. The prosecution went 30 for 30 on all counts, including all 17 charges that include a penalty of either death or life in prison. Yesterday, U.S. District Judge George O'Toole announced that the second phase in Tsarnaev's trial---the penalty phase---will begin on April 21st. Attorneys for both sides will present before the same jury on "aggravating and mitigating factors." This means that the prosecution will (most likely) present evidence that supports the maximum penalty, while defense counsel does her best to keep her client alive. Details from HuffPo:

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 10, 2015 39 Comments
Marco Rubio is set to announce a run for President on Monday. We haven't talked a lot about Marco recently, ever since the immigration debacle, from which he has backed away.  (Like Scott Walker?) That event seemed to take him off the radar. But why? We remember Marco. The insurgent Tea Party candidate who defeated Charlie what's his name, the National Republican Senatorial Committee anointed candidate. Those were heady days, all the way back in 2010, as we recalled in Give Some Credit To “Not One Red Cent”:
There are many stories to tell about this election cycle, but one group of bloggers deserves special credit. In May 2009, a group of bloggers started a blog called Not One Red Cent in reaction to the attempt by the National Republican Senatorial Committee to anoint Charlie Crist as the Republican nominee in Florida, and to deprive Marco Rubio of a fair chance to compete for the nomination.... In those first few months they blogged like crazy, and they were voices in the wilderness. Over time Marco Rubio began to pick up recognition and support and went mainstream, and NORC posts dropped off as others picked up the cudgel elsewhere. The rest, as they say, is history. When that history is written, I hope people will recognize the impact a few bloggers had in the revolution of 2010.
Since those days, the liberal media, Democratic politicians and the Republican establishment sought to crush the Tea Party, with mixed results. The Tea Party changed the dialogue, the national focus, and both houses of Congress.

Posted by Amy Miller on April 10, 2015 12 Comments
We already know that there's a lot the White House isn't telling us when it comes to the nuclear scam deal "framework" it claims to have worked out with the Iranians. Yesterday, Professor Jacobson explained that after the "framework" was announced, it became almost immediately apparent that the US, Europe, and Iran were not on the same page about how the deal was supposed to work. Then, David Gerstman penned a great takedown of the Administration's claims that the protocols in the framework (yes, the same framework we can't explain with any consistency) strengthen those in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Even Dick Cheney has chimed in, saying what we're all thinking: I think [Obama's] actions are constituted in my mind those of the worst president we’ve ever had. Yesterday, Senator John McCain talked with radio host Hugh Hewitt about the non-deal---and the White House is not happy about it. During the interview, McCain laid it all bare when he said that, with regards to the framework, "John Kerry is delusional.”

Posted by Amy Miller on April 10, 2015 9 Comments
Just when you thought it was safe to hop back on the motorcade... A member of the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service has been placed on administrative leave and had his security clearance suspended after being arrested Friday. The agent has been charged with misdemeanor destruction of property. We don't have any specifics yet, but according to U.S. Secret Service Spokesman Brian Leary, the Secret Service's "Office of Professional Responsibility will investigate this matter." The fact that the Secret Service released this (lack of) information tells me one thing: they're not taking any chances with the possibility that the media will try to pin another "transparency" scandal on the agency. Between the Colombian prostitutes, the resignations, the drunken romps through investigations (and onto the White House lawn via drone proxy), and the soft targeting of congressmen who are charged with maintaining transparency, it's clear that the agency really can't take any more heartache at the hands of its own people.

Posted by Amy Miller on April 10, 2015 7 Comments
In 2009, Nidal Hasan opened fire on Fort Hood. When the bullets finally stopped flying, 13 people lay dead, and another 32 were injured in what was the deadliest attack ever on a U.S. military installation. The United States government deemed the attack "Workplace Violence", drawing backlash amongst military advocates. Congress, led by a delegation from Texas, worked over the course of several years to reverse that label and retroactively award those injured or killed in the attack with eligibility for the Purple Heart and its associated benefits. Now, almost 5 years later, victims and families have finally gathered together to pay tribute to Hasan's victims. Via KXAN:
“You are not a victim. You are still here. Nothing has defeated you. Today is about victory,” said Retired Gen. Robert Cone to survivors.

Posted by Amy Miller on April 10, 2015 8 Comments
Presidential election cycles are exciting times. Normally, we like to focus on the "important issues" facing our candidates---the sorts of things that can really make or break a candidacy like policy, polling numbers, or debate prowess (or lack thereof.) Too often we get wrapped up in the things that actually matter and forget to enjoy the human circus that parades before us for years before the polls finally open, bringing an end to our long national nightmare. Sometimes the best stories are the ones that come about as candidates try---sometimes insultingly, sometimes hilariously---to fit in with voters in different parts of the country. Back in 2007, Hillary Clinton made a campaign stop in Selma, Alabama, and faked what would become the southern accent heard 'round the world:

Posted by Jay Caruso on April 10, 2015 18 Comments
ALEC, or the American Legislative Exchange Council is an organization that is described as such:
"...is a nonprofit organization of conservative state legislators and private sector representatives that drafts and shares model state-level legislation for distribution among state governments in the United States. According to its website, ALEC "works to advance the fundamental principles of free-market enterprise, limited government, and federalism at the state level through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America's state legislators, members of the private sector and the general public".
To many Democrats and others on the left, however, ALEC is some kind of modern version of the Illuminati, secretly working to take over the United States, using the people within their organization to brainwash public officials into doing their bidding.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 10, 2015 36 Comments
After being bombarded with threats last week for their traditionally Christian stance on marriage, Memories Pizza was forced to close. Yesterday, they reopened their doors with over $800,000 dollars in the bank. FOX News reported:
Northern Indiana pizzeria that backed religious law reopens A northern Indiana pizzeria that closed after its owner supported Indiana's religious objections law has reopened. Memories Pizza owner Kevin O'Connor says he reopened about 4 p.m. Thursday. He says that within an hour, all eight tables were filled and six people were waiting for carryout orders. There were no protests as of 7 p.m. O'Connor faced criticism after he and his daughter, Crystal, said they would never deny service to a gay customer but would decline to cater a same-sex wedding because it would conflict with their Christian beliefs. Protests led them to close the Walkerton pizzeria about 20 miles southwest of South Bend.

Posted by Amy Miller on April 10, 2015 125 Comments
Authorities have released more information regarding the police officer shooting of Walter Scott. Last weekend, cell phone footage surfaced showing South Carolina officer Michael Slager pursuing and then shooting a fleeing Scott several times in the back. The video evidence itself was damning, but it left a lot of people wondering what could possibly have happened to provoke such a seemingly vicious and senseless attack. Yesterday, authorities released "dash cam" footage that reveals what happened in the minutes before the cell cam footage picks up:
The video depicts the moments leading up to the fatal shooting: the officer is seen calmly walking up to the car, occupied by Scott and a second passenger, and asking Scott for his license and registration; Scott says that he is not the owner of the car, but planned to buy it soon. The exchange is cordial.

Posted by David Gerstman on April 09, 2015 9 Comments
I visited the State Department's website earlier this week and I was greeted by an item hailing the 45th anniversary of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). After hailing the treaty the article goes on to say more explicitly, "[i]f we didn’t already have the NPT, we would desperately need it today." A couple of paragraphs later the article boasts about the latest efforts to strengthen the NPT.
The United States is committed to strengthening the nonproliferation regime and the authority of the International Atomic Energy Agency to implement nuclear safeguards -- a set of measures to verify that nuclear materials are used for peaceful purposes. The Treaty provides the foundation and context to resolve outstanding challenges to the nuclear nonproliferation regime. The ongoing negotiations with Iran provide the best diplomatic path forward for Iran to return to full compliance with the NPT. The IAEA instills confidence among all NPT parties that a state’s civil nuclear energy is not being diverted into a nefarious weapons program. In New York, the United States will promote the IAEA Additional Protocol, now recognized as the foremost international standard for safeguards that provides the IAEA with the authority to ensure that all nuclear material is used for peaceful purposes, in accordance with the NPT.

Posted by Hans Bader on April 09, 2015 38 Comments
I and my wife are happily married, and neither of us is abusive, much less criminal. But under the University of Virginia's broad new "sexual assault" policy, my wife could be deemed guilty of "sexual assault" when she hugs me without advance permission. So, apparently, would any couple in America that engages in making out, without lots of explicit discussion in advance -- that is, pretty much every person in America who is married or in a committed relationship.  U. Va.'s policy bans a wide array of conduct that is perfectly legal under Virginia state law, and that neither involves sexual intercourse, nor occurs against anyone's wishes. This is an outrageous invasion of students' privacy, and an insult to U.Va. alumni and state taxpayers (like me). U.Va. adopted its new "Interim Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment" to appease the Office for Civil Rights, where I used to work. Under its policy, if you hug your boyfriend, and as an inevitable result your "clothed" "body parts" (such as "breasts") touch him, you could be accused of “sexual assault” that "consists of" "sexual contact.” That's because U.Va. now defines such touching, “however slight,” as sexual assault, lumping together both touching and intercourse as "sexual assault" when they are deemed "sexual" and occur without "affirmative consent."

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on April 09, 2015 22 Comments
It's been less than three weeks since Senator Cruz announced his presidential candidacy. First, Ted Cruz supposedly scared a child in New Hampshire, only he didn't. Then, Cruz was a hypocrite for exploring health insurance options on the exchange... just like the rest of Congress. And now? ONE TIME TED CRUZ HAD A JOB. Mother Jones' David Corn has blown the lid plumb off Cruz's latest scandal.
In his bio on his presidential campaign website, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) boasts of what he did as Texas solicitor general to defend the Second Amendment, the Pledge of Allegiance, and US sovereignty—all conservative causes. But Cruz does not detail another important chapter in his legal career: his work as a well-paid private attorney who helped corporations found guilty of wrongdoing.
We will pause here to momentarily savor Corn subtly arguing the guilty ought not be privy to a defense. Corn prattles on, feebly attempting to depict Sen. Cruz as a heartless, corporation-shilling, money-grubbing fraud. Though some would argue these are the virtues of a good attorney.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on April 09, 2015 11 Comments
A report released today by the International Business Times suggests the Clinton Foundation was indeed a thoroughfare for trading influence and political favors. Unless of course the timing was purely coincidental, IBT's report indicates the Clinton Foundation accepted money from a Colombian oil company while Clinton was serving as Secretary of State. After procuring the donation, Secretary Clinton then decided to support a Colombian trade agreement, though she'd vocally opposed it during the 2008 election cycle. The IBT report found:
For union organizers in Colombia, the dangers of their trade were intensifying. When workers at the country’s largest independent oil company staged a strike in 2011, the Colombian military rounded them up at gunpoint and threatened violence if they failed to disband, according to human rights organizations. Similar intimidation tactics against the workers, say labor leaders, amounted to an everyday feature of life. ...Yet as union leaders and human rights activists conveyed these harrowing reports of violence to then-Secretary of State Clinton in late 2011, urging her to pressure the Colombian government to protect labor organizers, she responded first with silence, these organizers say. The State Department publicly praised Colombia’s progress on human rights, thereby permitting hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. aid to flow to the same Colombian military that labor activists say helped intimidate workers. At the same time that Clinton's State Department was lauding Colombia’s human rights record, her family was forging a financial relationship with Pacific Rubiales, the sprawling Canadian petroleum company at the center of Colombia’s labor strife. The Clintons were also developing commercial ties with the oil giant’s founder, Canadian financier Frank Giustra, who now occupies a seat on the board of the Clinton Foundation, the family’s global philanthropic empire.
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