08.23.06
Posted in Politics, Judiciary at 12:21 pm by JB
From the WaPo: (all emphasis mine)
A conservative watchdog group says the judge who declared President Bush’s warrantless surveillance program unconstitutional may have a conflict of interest because she sits on the board of a foundation that has given money to the chief plaintiff in the case.
Judicial Watch, which advocates judicial accountability, said it discovered U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor’s monetary tie after reviewing her financial disclosure statements.
The judge is the secretary and a trustee for the nonprofit Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan. The foundation’s Web site shows it gave $45,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union to back a gay rights project. The ACLU has challenged the warrantless surveillance program.
“There has to be an appearance that justice is being fairly administered,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said Tuesday. “The court’s role in awarding a grant to the ACLU and whether or not that is an issue is something that needs to be fully examined.”
Taylor declined to comment, as did the Justice Department, which is asking the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati to overturn Taylor’s ruling issued Thursday.
ACLU of Michigan Executive Director Kary Moss said the group did not know about the judge’s affiliation with the nonprofit but added she did not think it is a “big story.”
“We don’t think recusal would have been necessary,” Moss said.
The foundation released a statement Tuesday saying Taylor is one of 50 volunteer members of its board of trustees, which oversees grant-making decisions.
Rules are rules for some people, laws are the laws…. but if you agree with the ACLU, it’s not a “big story”. It does, however, violate judicial ethics in about 10 different ways.
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Posted in Politics, Judiciary at 12:05 pm by JB
This judge is just off-the-charts liberal…. I’ll have more later, but Jonah Goldberg has a good take on it. As usual, read it all, but here’s a snippet:
Long before the concept of a living Constitution was hatched, the authors of the original version — as well as the courts interpreting it — understood that the executive branch has the authority and flexibility to conduct foreign policy and wage war. Terrorists may be criminals, but they aren’t merely criminals. They’re waging war against us and doing so in ways never imagined by the founders. They don’t want territory or treaties, and they don’t use armies and cannons. They want to make our own technology and freedoms into weapons they can use against us.
And so here is the real absurdity of the “living Constitution” school. Where the Constitution is supposed to be inert, they want it alive and mutating. But where the Constitution was intended to be flexible, complete intellectual rigor mortis has set in.
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Posted in Politics, 2006 Races at 10:50 am by JB
The rules of the Senate have officially become stupid. Anonymous holds on bills, the ridiculous “blue card” on nominations… what is this, soccer ?
Queen Hil has decided that because NY doesn’t get as much moolah as it used to, she can hold up anyone getting anything….
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is holding up renewal of the primary federal law that battles HIV/AIDS, the 1990 Ryan White Act, causing a rift among activists on the subject and threatening approval of the legislation this year.
Clinton (D-N.Y.) said she opposes the measure because it would lower funding for her home state.
More money is spent on AIDS research and care than cancer, heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s…. But because NYC gets a marginal cut (probably not even a cut, just a decrease in the increase) Hil holds it up for the rest of the country.
Probably not great politics for your ‘08 run, lady.
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Posted in General, Humor at 9:57 am by JB
I just love these morons:
A Nesquehoning man who came drunk to Carbon County Court on Monday to be sentenced in a drunken driving case will likely spend more time in jail.
Joshua J. Beury, 25, of 342 W. Railroad St., on Tuesday got the same sentence from county President Judge Roger N. Nanovic that he got Monday before court officials determined he was inebriated: 30 days to six months in county prison.
You have to wonder sometimes if this guy’s six or seven brain cells ever get lonely.
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Posted in Pop Culture, Television at 9:28 am by JB
And boy, is it about time.
Four cast members are about to be fired - they know who they are, but the public doesn’t.
As a card-carrying member of the public, allow me to make a few suggestions….. first, keep Amy Pohler. She’s gonna struggle a little without Tina Fey, but she’ll find her feet soon enough. And don’t do this “rotating host” idiocy.
Second, stop trying to be so political all the time. I know, I know, it’s part of the history of the show, and it’s usually funny, but in the last few years it’s been too much. Go back to making fun of the culture, or just being funny. I find Rachel Dratch about as funny as watching paint dry most of the time, but there are a few characters she did that were really funny. (I think mostly of the “Debbie Downer” ice-cream skit when Lindsey Lohan was host…. hilarious) Go back to funny characters. Leave bad political humor to Keith Olberman.
Third, enough with the grunge/punk/metal musical guests. Get some people with some musical talent. The only good part about the musical guests lately is I know I have 2 extended bathroom/beverage breaks at about 40 and 75 minutes into the show. And no more Ashley Simpson-like talentless wastes of time.
Fourth, if you let Horatio Sanz go, you are nuts. Here’s who needs to go bye-bye… and I’m not sure if some of these are “cast” or “feature players”….
- Bill Hader (who ?)
- Finesse Mitchell (never was funny)
- Rob Riggle (who again ?)
- Jason Sudeikis (not funny)
And fifth (and finally) bring Will Ferrell back every month to host. 
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Posted in Politics, War on Terrorism, 2006 Races, Democrats, National Security at 2:18 am by JB
Yes. I question the patriotism of Democratic politicians (some Republicans), most of the media, and a small portion of the American people.
If you want us to lose in the war in Iraq, if you think that the Islamic extremists want to kill us because we are a bad country- you are not a patriot.
If you run a newspaper or blog or write for one that says we should dumb-down our national defense because we are the ones in the wrong, you aren’t a patriot.
If you are a judge, or a special interest group (or a member or supporter of one) that supports the rights of terrorists over the safety or security of the American people and nation, you aren’t a patriot.
If you work in a security job with the government (CIA/DHS), and think it’s cute to leak secrets to the media to make you look “cool”, you aren’t a patriot.
If you believe “if only we understood them more, they wouldn’t hurt us”, you…. well, you might still be a patriot, but you’re stupid with a capital “upid”.
This one isn’t definate, but if you read the NY Times, the LA Times, the Washington Post, DailyKos, and the Huffington Post exclusively, odds are you aren’t a patriot.
This one IS definate… if you hate America and all it stands for, just because of who the president is… you most definately aren’t a patriot.
And some of the people that follow those lifestyles aren’t only unpatriotic, but outright treasonous. “Aid and comfort”. Who’s side are you people on ? Just a hint- if you want to immediately pull-out of Iraq, that means you want us to lose. That’s treason, in my book.
Another thing that is for sure… if you whine about “stop questioning my patriotism”, you’re a sissy-baby. Just call me a Nazi up front so I can know you are a complete idiot.
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Posted in Politics, Television, Unhinged at 1:11 am by JB
But when exactly did Jon Stewart become a punk-ass bitch shill for the Democratic party ? If it was marginally balanced it might be funny. It’s not, because it’s a constant attack on the President, the war effort, and the American culture.
And YES, dammit, I am questioning his patriotism. When you spend as much time, and have as much influence over the culture that he does, a little responsibility is- or should be- inherent in that power.
He’s nothing more than an actually-funny Al Franken. The only good news is that most people who watch him are sitting home stoned all the time, and are there to answer polls, but rarely actually vote.
But for me…. It’s hard to laugh when you have to let out a big sigh every 5 seconds.
There is cosmic balance in the world sometimes. O’Reilley on Fox News still has better ratings than Stewart.
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Posted in Politics, 2006 Races at 12:27 am by JB
gonna get spanked in the primary for the governorship of Alaska… can’t actually say that’s a bad thing.
Leader in current polls is Tony Knowles, the former Democratic governor. Murkowski is against drilling for oil in ANWR, Knowles is for it. Murkowski won the governorship and then handed his senate seat to his daughter, who is less than stellar.
So… there ya go.
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