Feingold, Durbin, and Wyden Demand the OLC Opinion on Exigent Letters
As I reported yesterday, the Dawn Johnsen-less OLC wrote an opinion on January 8 retroactively authorizing the FBI's inappropriate use of the exigent letters to snoop on Americans' telecomm records.
Now, Senators Feingold, Durbin, and Wyden,…
Some Thoughts on Healthcare
From the start, let me say I support sidecar reconciliation going forward--the passage of the Senate health care bill, tied to the simultaneous passage through reconciliation of some fairly substantive changes (eliminating most of the excise…
Vaughn Walker Dismisses Jewel
In the abundant free time left over from the Prop 8 trial yesterday, Vaughn Walker dismissed the Jewel case, one of the last suits against the government for conducting widespread collection of telecomm data. EFF says they will appeal this decision.
Walker's…
Clarence Thomas Speaks--to Engage in Anti-Gay Fearmongering
Adam Bonin notes this curious, short opinion in the larger Citizens United decision endorsing the idea that ballot supports should not have to reveal their identities.
I dissent from Part IV of the Court’s opinion, however, because the Court’s…
Obama Gorging Himself on Poison Fruit
Okay, I still haven't gotten through the IG Report on exigent letters. But Ryan Singel at Threat Level has--and he made a really disturbing find. Obama's OLC (the one that Dawn Johnsen might have been leading if anyone had pressured Arlen Specter…
Supreme Court Unleashes Corporate Campaign Cash In Citizen's United Decision
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bmazThe decision by the Supreme Court in Citizen's United v. FEC is in.
Matthew Alexander Points to the Abuse Still Permitted by the AFM Appendix
Jeff Kaye has been telling us for years that the Army Field Manual which the Obama Administration adopted as its standard for all interrogation still allows a great deal of abuse. (See his three part series from earlier this month, for example:…
The Exigent Letter IG Report
Remember how I suggested that yesterday's WaPo story on exigent letters might be an attempt to pre-empt the IG Report?
Well, here's that IG Report.
I'm working on a longer post, but MadDog can't wait, so consider this a working thread…
Outside the Courtroom: "Sassy Parody" and Cindy McCain Against Hate
Two updates on the Prop 8 fight happening outside the courtroom. First, Protect Marriage has just sued the Courage Campaign for what it says is trademark infringement. At issue is the logo (on the left) Courage Campaign is using for its trial…
Lanny Davis's Rent-a-Wisdom
Lanny Davis has wasted no time trying to spin MA voters' rejection of Obama's focus on corporations rather than people into an attack on progressives. He starts by ignoring that aspect of the liberal complaint and (as the Administration is doing)…
John Yoo: Much More, and Much Less, Than a "Mere Lawyer"
Yoo casts himself here as a mere lawyer, but he was much more (and much less).
So reads the Padilla response to Yoo's efforts to dismiss Padilla's suit against him.
Padilla's team goes on to argue why the 9th Circuit must allow Padilla's…
The FBI's Non-Emergency Exigent Letters
The WaPo has a story out describing how the FBI, from 2002 until 2006, used exigent letters to collect phone records without the proper underlying terrorist justification.
The FBI illegally collected more than 2,000 U.S. telephone call records…
Prop 8 Trial: A Tale of Two Lawyers
As I've been processing the three days I spent at the Prop 8 Trial last week, there's been a lot to think about: how much I learned about gay experience, both historically and psychologically; how odd a role I had as an observer (the journalists…
The Murders (?) at Camp No
I don't have time to comment at length on this Scott Horton article--revealing many details surrounding the deaths of three Gitmo detainees claimed to have killed themselves. But go read the whole thing.
Here's an excerpt--which suggests…
On Gruber: I Don't Want Apologies. I Want Independent Analysis.
Between the auto show and the Prop 8 trial and associated travel, last week was tremendously exhausting for me and it will take me several days to actually report on those two events. But it seems one thing hasn't moved on very much since last…
NY Times Admits Gruber Problem, Fails To Mention Krugman Problem
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bmazIn a full throated mea culpa by the New York Times Public Editor, Clark Hoyt, appearing in the Sunday edition, the Times officially describes the critical and material implications which arise when readers are misled by undisclosed interests of sources and authors like Jonathan Gruber in their paper of record. Unfortunately, Hoyt and the Times did not have the decency to apologize to Marcy Wheeler for previously inferring otherwise.
Divisional Playoffs Weekend Trash Talk
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bmazDivisional playoffs have arrived. Gonna be a huge weekend for NFL football.
Liveblogging the Prop 8 Trial, Friday PM addendum
Zia: In most immediate sense, it was in how our families related to us. When we first got married. We have a niece, 2 years old, only known us Auntie Helen and Auntie Leah. WHen she saw Leah and me, she gave us a big hug, said, Auntie Leah,…
Liveblogging the Prop 8 Trial: Day Five Friday PM Two (21)
For those joining FDL for our Prop 8 coverage, please help us defray the costs of covering the trial with a donation. And if you’re a law firm or (especially) a traditional media outlet that has previously claimed bloggers do no real coverage…
Liveblogging the Prop 8 Trial: Day Five Friday PM(20)
For those joining FDL for our Prop 8 coverage, please help us defray the costs of covering the trial with a donation. And if you’re a law firm or (especially) a traditional media outlet that has previously claimed bloggers do no real coverage…