"The alleged tortious conduct, namely the disclosure of Mrs. Wilson's status as a covert operative, was incidental to the kind of conduct that defendants were employed to perform," Bates wrote in an opinion released this afternoon.
"Incidental to the kind of conduct that defendants were employed to perform"? Am I hallucinating, or does this actually say "Cheney and Bush and company were hired to, among other things, rat out undercover intelligence operatives,"???
If I didn’t have access to a calendar, a watch, or any other time-telling device, I would have thought that the recent spate of local elections in Wisconsin took place during a presidential election. One ad features spooky haunted house-style music, claiming that an experienced lawyer will not prosecute sex offenders and criminals to the full extent of the law. Another series of ads claims that a county judge has heard dozens of cases involving the bank that her husband works for, creating an inherent conflict of interest. Imagine the number of political ads you might see in the fall of 2008 and magnify it because the Wisconsin State Supreme Court race was the only major race in the spring elections.
There is a lot of discussion right now, at least in Washington, DC and New Mexico about Republican Senator Pete Domenici and Republican Rep. Heather Wilson being in tremendously hot water over allegations that they pressured the then-US Attorney for the District of New Mexico, David Iglesias, to bring a criminal indictment against local Democrats before last November's election. Apparently, he did not do so. Iglesias has since been terminated for no particular reason by the Bush Administration as one of several such recent terminations. Coincidence? Domenici and Wilson have essentially pleaded the 5th in response to these allegations. Some suggest that this could really cripple the New Mexico Republican party.
It seems like it could have the same type of effect that the congressional page scandal involving Representative Mark Foley, R-Fla., had. A deflating effect that makes people run away from the Republican party in their races, rather than embrace it.
Harris County, Texas, which includes Houston, is ready to be taken over by Democrats for three main reasons. First, the demographics certainly are trending towards Democrats. Second, the County Democratic Party, led by Gerry Birnberg, is finally getting its act together and aggressively recruiting a strong slate of candidates for judicial races and other races. Third, the County and State GOP machines are showing distinct signs of wear and tear.
In 2006, I believe only three individuals ran as Democrats for civil district judge positions in Harris County. These are the main state trial courts, and there is not a single Democrat on the 20+ benches in Harris County. There are no Democrats on the two state courts of appeals in Houston either, and none on the State Supreme Court. Thus, a consumer really has a tough row to hoe to get a judgment against a big insurer or other big company in Houston, and even if they do, keeping it through the appellate and Supreme courts is even more difficult.
Ohio judicial candidates do not have their party affiliation listed on the ballot. This can make figuring out which to vote against somewhat of a pain.
So I'm googling along, trying to puzzle it out, run across Ohio Election Central (http://www.ohioelectioncentral.com/). Clicked the big red "click here", entered my zip+4, got a nice list of every candidate for every office on my absentee ballot, including party affilations for the judges. (Btw, for any who need it, site has a helpful link to the USPS page so you can chase down the '+4' part.)
Yes, site has several "family values" type references. So much the better. This year I am more certain than ever that I managed to vote against every candidate this crowd wanted me to favor. Thanks Ohio Election Central!
What does spending millions trying to by some Supreme Court seats, $1.5 million on one alone, get you? If you're a group of conservative developers and moralists, nothing so far.
In Washington State, non-partisan races, like judgeships can be decided in the primary if one candidate gets over 50 percent.
An Oklahoma judge was sentenced to 4 years in prison on Friday for whacking on the job.
BRISTOW, Okla. - A former judge convicted of exposing himself while presiding over jury trials by using a sexual device under his robe was sentenced Friday to four years in prison.
Donald Thompson had spent almost 23 years on the bench and had served as a state legislator before retiring from the court in 2004.
Apparently he was using a penis pump frequently during trials.
Foster told authorities that she saw Thompson use the device almost daily during the August 2003 murder trial of a man accused of shaking a toddler to death. A whooshing sound could be heard on Foster's audiotape of the trial. When jurors asked the judge about the sound, Thompson said he hadn't heard it but would listen for it.
Obviously he was to busy to busy to hear anything.
I take strong exception to your remarks on the recent court decision by Judge Anna Diggs Taylor that declared your warrantless wiretap program illegal and unconstitutional. I take particularly strong exception, sir, to your opinion that people who oppose your abuse of the office of President in this (or any other matter)
"...do not understand the nature of the world in which we live."
I think that the people who oppose your regime most avidly understand quite well the nature of the world we live in, and your large and regrettable part in making that world much worse that what it could be. You, sir, understand nothing; you are a liar; a thief; a murderer; and a tyrant, and in all your endeavors ultimately a failure and an incompetent. The truth is not in you, sir. God does not speak to you; or if he does, you're not listening.
Haynes. Pentagon architect of the torture guidelines that violate both the Military Code of Justice and the Geneva Conventions and current nominee to a lifetime appointment to the Federal Appeals Court . Hold my hand across the chasm. Update: This is face of a torture enabler. As surely as he sculpted the memos that allowed torture to happen, he allowed the electroshock buttons to be pushed, and the men to be waterboarded. You do not need to see more torture pictures. Take action.
Hi! I need some of your money, if you can spare some.
Refreshing honesty, huh? That's because I'm not a politician seeking your donation. I'm just a regular guy who has picked a fight with the politicians in one of the reddest states there is - Alabama. I'm fighting against politicians here breaking the law.
I started a movement of local netizens getting out and doing something to make the community look better and to make the politicians take responsibility for their illegal actions (or at least lose some of their campaign's investment in plastic signs).
The Seattle P.I. brings us this news regarding Republican Judge/activist Thomas Spargo:
A state commission has recommended removing a judge who sought donations to his defense fund from lawyers who were trying cases before him.
[UPDATE: Clyde in comments brings us this information about what N.Y. Supreme Courts are:
FYI, a 'Supreme Court' in NY is a lower court it's in what other states would be called a superior court. It handles cases that are higher than a certain amount of money. If it screws up, you can appeal its decisions to its Apellate Division. If the Apellate Division screws up, the last step (before Federal courts) is the NY State Court of Appeals. So "Supreme Court" may sound like the highest court in NY state, but it's actually two levels down.]
Yesterday, while leaving the mass, our august Supreme Court judge, who arguably has one of the most serious jobs in this nation, responds to a reporter's inquiry regarding how he maintains impartiality regarding religion by flipping hmi 'the bird', the middle finger gesturing a most insolent pornographic swear, at a member of the press seeking a quotable quote, and is caught in the act by a Church reporter for The Pilot...
[Updated to correct Scalia's status.]
. I live in Alabama, and my family has came under fire from the department of human resources (DHR). It all started when my step daughter didnt get her way,my step daughter started a fight with her mom,physically attacked her (mom is disabled, knee replacements 60 of them).daughter (i'm gonna call her "K") went to work that nite,K told a bunch of lies to her manager,her mgr. talked K into calling police ,(police didnt see enough evidence on K to arrest mom for abuse,police said case was closed according to them) then K ran away from home,severl days ltr,sheriff's dep. brings K home,tells her if I find you ran away again,I'm going to arrest you and who else is with you.DHR,GAL,and DHR atty threatin to send kids to group home said judge allready made her mind up.accused of being on drugs
Conservatism is the ultimate reason given by Republicans of the Senate Judiciary Committee as to why Judge Alito should be promoted to the Supreme Court.
But is Alito really conservative? Well yes, if by 'to conserve' you mean 'to change.' These particular senators appear to be seriously confused, or something else.
Take a look at Alito's history. One clue: There was no such thing as a Unitary Executive when I went to school.
I didn't see this diaried, but Will Evans reports on Salon.com that
"A judge nominated by President Bush to one of the highest courts in the nation apparently violated federal law repeatedly while serving on the federal bench. Judge James H. Payne, 64, who was nominated by Bush in late September to join the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Denver, issued more than 100 orders in at least 18 cases that involved corporations in which he owned stock, a review of court and financial records shows."
A judge was removed from U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay's money laundering trial Tuesday because he contributed to Democratic groups that have targeted the congressman as a political enemy.
And...
During the court hearing, DeGuerin emphasized that his concern was not that a judge gave political donations - many do so, and Texas judges are elected as Republicans or Democrats. But Perkins's contributions were to organizations that have used DeLay as a poster boy for raising money and rallying their troops, he argued.
