Law & Justice
Series: Holding Members of the Bush Administration Accountable Before the Law (July)
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:56 — Dave Culver"In a government of law, the existence of the government will be imperiled if it fails to observe the law scrupulously. Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for the law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy." Justice Louis Brandeis
David Culver, ed., Evergreene Digest
Patriot or crackpot? Seattle man's mission to prosecute Bush, Mark Rahner, Seattle Times
Of the millions who read Vincent Bugliosi's best-seller "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder," Seattle coffee merchant Bob Alexander may be the only one to act on it in a substantial way, sending copies of it to 2,200 prosecutors around the country.
Judge: Ex-Bush lawyer can be sued over torture, Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle
In Letter to UST, Alum Raises Contradiction Between UST Law School's Mission and Hiring of Robert Delahunty.
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 08:26 — Dave CulverDelhanty is a co-author of the "Torture Memo." UST replies.
Robert Heberle, Evergreene Digest
The University of St. Thomas Law School's mission statement states that "The University of St. Thomas School of Law, as a Catholic law school, is dedicated to integrating faith and reason in the search for truth through a focus on morality and social justice." Yet this school hired Robert Delahunty, a co-author of the "Torture Memo."
Bill Moyer's show on PBS Friday, May 29, displayed the "Torture Memo" from John Yoo's office in the Department of Justice. Robert Delahunty's name was clearly included under John Yoo's. For some reason Robert Delahunty is never given credit as a co-author of these memos nor is the obvious contradiction between the law school's Mission Statement and hiring acknowledged.
Related:
For University of St. Thomas reply, click here.
For transcript of the May 29 edition of Bill Moyer's Journal, click here.
St. Thomas still employs potential war criminal Robert Delahunty, The Big E, MN Progressive Project
Now that the 9 secret legal memos have been released, I am reminded of St. Thomas University Professor Robert Delahunty's role in crimes of the Bush Administration. Delahunty helped write the infamous torture memo which rationalized why the Bush Administration could torture prisoners captured in the War on Terror. He also had a hand in crafting 2 of these 9 memos.
What Madoff Really Needs is Company, and Lots of It
Wed, 07/01/2009 - 16:17 — Dave CulverDon't get Madoff, get even: Bernie Madoff may deserve his 150-year jail sentence – but he wasn't the biggest crook on Wall Street
Richard Adams, The Guardian | UK, in Common Dreams
Everyone knew that Bernie Madoff was going down – since he had already pleaded guilty to running a fake investment scheme worth between $65bn and $171bn. So there was none of the drama that accompanied fraud trials like that of Jeffrey Skilling, who maintained his innocence even after he was convicted for his part in the collapse of Enron. The only question today was how long inside Madoff would get. His lawyers suggested – in a spirit of optimism only paid advocates could muster – that Madoff deserved just 12 years in jail. The judge gave him the maximum 150. So, with time off for good behaviour, Bernie will be out in time to celebrate his 146th birthday in 2084.
In other words, barring a judicial miracle, the 71-year-old Madoff will spend the rest of his life behind bars. In terms of discouraging others fromselling their souls in return for enjoying 20 years of wealth and prestige, Madoff's sentence is a good thing. And it is tempting to indulge in schadenfreude at Madoff's expense, after he had indulged in riches and privilege at the expense of others. But the worst result of Madoff's life sentence is that he becomes the face of the circa-2008 financial tsunami – and that he doesn't deserve, even if he deserves to rot behind bars.
Related:
Ricci Decision: 5-4 Ruling In Favor Of Firefighters (Full decision text)
Wed, 07/01/2009 - 15:50 — Dave CulverThe ruling could alter employment practices nationwide, potentially limiting the circumstances in which employers can be held liable for decisions when there is no evidence of intentional discrimination against minorities.
The Supreme Court has ruled that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge.
New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans and only two Hispanic firefighters were likely to be made lieutenants or captains based on the results, the court said Monday (June 29) in a 5-4 decision. The city said that it had acted to avoid a lawsuit from minorities.
The ruling could alter employment practices nationwide, potentially limiting the circumstances in which employers can be held liable for decisions when there is no evidence of intentional discrimination against minorities.