Legal Commentary

China Sentences Food Safety Advocate to Over Two Years in Prison

Posted on November 11, 2010
The Chinese have jailed another activist. This time the victim is Zhao Lianhai, the father of a child sickened by one of the country’s food safety scandals. At least six children died from melamine-tainted milk in 2008 and Zhao’s son was injured...

Obama Fights To Preserve Don?t Ask, Don?t Tell Before Supreme Court

Posted on November 11, 2010
President Barack Obama continued his effort to preserve the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in a filing before the United States Supreme Court. A trial court had imposed an injunction to halt the discriminatory policy. The Administration could have allowed the injunction to stand pending an appeal but succeeded in getting the order reversed...

New Report Details Obama Administration?s Editing of Scientific Report on Oil Spill and Misleading Statements By Carol Browner

Posted on November 11, 2010
Another report (this time from the Inspector General’s Office of the Interior Department) has been published detailing the Obama Administration’s editing of a scientific report to downplay the damage caused by the BP oil spill. The new information also reaffirms the clearly misleading statements made by Obama’s energy adviser, Carol Browner — an issue previously [...

Boehner Promises To Fly Commercial As Speaker

Posted on November 11, 2010
Speaker Nancy Pelosi was criticized on this blog and other sites for her failure to end various corrupt practices such as pork and congressional travel. Indeed, Pelosi added jets to ferry members abroad on junkets and used a personal governmental jet to go back and forward to California...

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Weekend Specials At The Turley Blog

Posted on November 11, 2010
I have been reading the rave reviews for our guest bloggers — David Drumm, Elaine Magliaro, and Mark Esposito — from last week. This was a trial effort to follow up on suggestions for a couple days in which some of our regulars might also post on the blog...

Blue Plate Special: Scientist Finds New Lizard Species on Dinner Plate

Posted on November 11, 2010
Researchers in Vietnam recently sat down for a simple meal and ended up with a scientific feast. They were staring at a plate of cooked lizard but they had never seen this species before. It turns out to be a unique species of female lizards who are able to reproduce themselves by cloning...

Turley Affidavit in Canadian Polygamy Case

Posted on November 10, 2010
I previously posted notice of my retention as a legal expert in the polygamy case before the British Columbia Supreme Court — a case that is being watched closely around the world. My office has received a number of requests for the affidavit, which I have been informed is now part of the public record [...

The Porteous Impeachment: Post-Trial Brief

Posted on November 10, 2010
We have filed our post-trial brief in the Senate Impeachment Trial of United States District Court Judge Thomas Porteous. The brief, linked below, presents the factual record on each of the articles of impeachment after the conclusion of the Senate trial...

In the Grip of Controversy: Indonesian Minister Faces Scandal Over Handshake With First Lady

Posted on November 10, 2010
Indonesian Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring is in the midst of a political crisis over a handshake. Sembiring is a conservative Muslim who often blames natural disasters on a lack of morality and avoids any contact with females outside his family...

Taking the Rap: Iranians Arrest Teenagers Across Country For Playing Rap Music and Using ?Western Musical Instruments?

Posted on November 09, 2010
The Iranian police has found another threat to the Islamic faith: rap music. The morals police has raided parties across Iran to nab kids who just want to play rap music. These teenagers have been meeting in abandoned buildings to listen to the music and dance...

?You Got Chamydia?: English Scientists Develop Device to Allow Cell Phone to Alert You of Sexually Transmitted Infections

Posted on November 09, 2010
You may want to be a bit more careful in borrowing a friend’s cellphone in the future. Mobile phones will soon be equipped with small devices to allow you to urinate or spit on their phones to diagnose sexually transmitted diseases. The devices are being developed in England for both cellphones and computers...

The Twinkie Diet: Professor Loses 27 Pounds on Junk Food Regimen

Posted on November 09, 2010
Thank God, a diet I can live with. Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, has reported astonishing results in a novel diet that he created to show that losing weight is all about counting calories –not what you eat...

Collared: Massachusetts Priest Accused of Stealing $83,000 To Support Porn Habit

Posted on November 09, 2010
In Massachusetts, prosecutors are dealing with a bizarre case of a man who allegedly store $83,147 to pay for his pornography habit. What makes the case even more bizarre is that the victim was the St. John the Baptist Church and the alleged felon was its pastor, Rev...

Holy, Inseam, Batman! Bank Robber Foiled By Baggy Pants

Posted on November 08, 2010
While we have been criticizing public officials for their criminalization of baggy pants, it appears that we can now add the objection that they are assisting crime by requiring tailored outfits. Columbus police have a video showing a man who failed in a bank robbery effort when he tripped over his baggy pants...

Massachusetts Lawyer Accused of Shredding Court File To Block Murder Trial

Posted on November 08, 2010
In Salem, Massachusetts, lawyer Ilya Ablavsky, 32, has been charged in a bizarre alleged crime of stealing the file for his cousin’s murder trial and destroying it. Ablavsky, a recent graduate of Western New England College School of Law, reportedly stated that it was his understanding that, absent the original indictment, a person could not [...

An American in Paris

Posted on November 08, 2010
As promised, here are a few pictures and recommendations from France. One item will await a posting in our series ?Things That Tick Me Off.? While October and November are part of the low tourism period, I do not know why. Paris and the French countryside are ablaze in color and the weather is mild...

The Canadian Polygamy Case

Posted on November 08, 2010
The Canadian Supreme Court in British Columbia will be some hearing testimony on the criminalization of plural unions — an extremely important case with global ramifications. As has been my practice in past cases, I wanted to confirm my involvement in the case as a court-appointed expert on the legality of such criminal laws...

Daylight Saving Time Ends

Posted on November 07, 2010
Note: it’s Daylight Saving Time, not Daylight Savings Time. You can impress your friends with that bit of trivia. Although Ben Franklin gets credit for inventing DST, we give a shout-out to G. V. Hudson (left) who proposed modern DST in 1895. I have six clocks to change...

But Did He Wash His Paws?

Posted on November 07, 2010
This dog has great table manners.   Consider this an open thread to post your favorite animal videos. -David Durmm (Nal)

Their Demon-Haunted World

Posted on November 07, 2010
Colorado State Representative and Assemblies of God pastor Ken Summers, who oversees the Teen Challenge addiction centers, has some unusual methods to “cure” people of homosexuality. He envisions homosexuality as a demonic possession requiring an exorcism to “get the gay out...

Handy Man

Posted on November 07, 2010
Handy Man By Del Shannon, in glorious STEREO! Enjoy. -David Drumm (Nal)

I Have Returned: Merci Beaucoup To Elaine, David, and Mark

Posted on November 07, 2010
While heavier and a bit jet lagged, I have returned from the France.  I must report that we came and we were captured.  The conference in Paris was fascinating. I had some very interesting discussions on the cultural defense with American and foreign lawyers ? including some pending cases in France on the issue...

Couple Gets Hitched?Limo Gets Snitched

Posted on November 07, 2010
 Here’s a Sunday morning crime story for you:  Scene of Crime: Dorchester, Massachusetts Date: Saturday, November 6, 2010 Time: Approximately 1:30 p.m. Perpetrator of Crime: Unknown Description of Crime: A man wielding a hammer carjacked a limousine that was parked outside the Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta at St...

My Turn for Thanks Giving

Posted on November 07, 2010
I thank the Professor for giving me the opportunity to post on his blog. It was an intimidating responsibility, especially for a non-lawyer. I think the mix of posts provided by the DEM triumvirate was successful. I’m sure the Professor enjoyed his vacation from blogging...

Confederate Memorial in Austin

Posted on November 06, 2010
While on my way to a separation of church and state rally at the capitol, I happened to pass by the monument on the left. It’s a monument to the Confederate dead. There are many similar monuments throughout Texas. I paused to read the inscription: DIED FOR STATES RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION THE PEOPLE OF [...

Various Artists

Posted on November 06, 2010
I’ll Never Find Another You The Seekers Popsicles And Icicles The Murmaids Stupid Cupid Connie Francis Stupid Cupid was written by Neil Sedaka but I like Connie’s version better. Makes me wish I could dance. Break out the headphones/earbuds and use both ears! -David Drumm (Nal)

Thanks

Posted on November 06, 2010
I’m off to a full day of football – coaching and watching. To all who suffered my metaphysical, mental meanderings while the maestro was away, I thank you for reading and commenting. I am honored to be included in such a fine triumvirate of guest bloggers with Elaine M and Nal...

Wake Up Shot

Posted on November 06, 2010
Boulder police are investigating the strange case of 63-year-old Sanford Rothman. Rothman reportedly was shot in the knee with a 9 mm handgun. He was taken to Boulder Community Hospital, where he was treated and released, police said. What makes the case interesting is that the victim is also the perpetrator — although he doesn’t [...

So Many Stories?So Little Time

Posted on November 06, 2010
 I have developed an even deeper respect for Jonathan Turley over the past week. Here I am a little old retired lady with not all that much to do and yet I found that it wasn?t all that easy to choose stories/issues to write about for this blog?and to write about them...

Derailing Progress in the US

Posted on November 06, 2010
 Over in China Hear that loud WHOOSH? That?s the sound of China whizzing past the United States in its development of a high-speed rail technology. China has the world?s longest high-speed rail network. The country’s not satisfied to rest on its laurels though...

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