Controversies
Judge Tries to Order Destruction of Evidence in Campaign Corruption Investigation Relating to Wisconsin Gov. Walker
An investigation into the 2012 recall campaign that targeted Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for alleged illegal campaign activities has been temporarily derailed by a federal judge.
In response to a lawsuit, Judge Rudolph Randa ordered the special prosecutor to destroy all evidence obtained so far during the probe.
“I have never heard of another situation in which a federal judge has intervened in an ongoing state investigation of possible law violations,” said law professor Ben Kempinen. read more
Marijuana “Refugees” Seek Treatment in States where Cannabis is Legal
Refugees aren’t just found in the developing world or war-torn countries. They’re also found in the U.S., where people are moving to states where they may legally buy marijuana for medical use.
Realm of Caring Foundation, which produces “Charlotte’s Web,” a nonpsychoactive cannabis for pediatric epilepsy patients, says it knows of more than 100 families who moved to Colorado to access medical marijuana—with another 200 families on a waiting list to relocate when supplies increase. read more
Massachusetts Supreme Court Rules “Under God” in Pledge of Allegiance doesn’t Discriminate against Atheists because Reciting it is Voluntary
Massachusetts’ highest court on Friday rejected the challenge of an atheist couple who claimed their three children would be socially marginalized or treated differently because they didn’t say the Pledge of Allegiance in class because it includes the phrase “under God.” The court said the couple, who remain anonymous, failed to show that their children had been treated any differently because they didn’t say the pledge. read more
Republicans Strike Out in Search for Americans Hurt by Obamacare
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, with eyes on the 2016 presidential nomination, has said that for every person in his state who signed up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act, 40 other Kentuckians had their plans cancelled. Not so, says Politifact. When contacted by The Washington Post about the 40-to-1 cancellation claim, Paul spokesman Brian Darling said the figures used in making the claim were out of date. read more
Juvenile Offenders often Receive less Justice than Adults
A status offense is a violation that applies only to minors, such as being truant from school or running away from home. In 1980 Congress amended the act to allow exceptions if a judge determines that jailing is a solution of “last resort.” In many jurisdictions, these exceptions are actually used as an excuse to incarcerate young people without losing federal funding. read more
Beverly Hills Becomes First City in California to Impose a Ban on Fracking
Known for its rich-and-famous residents, the city does have some experience with oil drilling. Venoco Inc. has operated a small cluster of oil wells on the campus of Beverly Hills High School for many years.
The ban, which goes into effect June 6, applies not only to drilling operations within the city, but also those outside its jurisdiction that would extract oil or gas buried beneath Beverly Hills. read more
Major U.S. News Outlets See Freedom of Press Violation in FAA Drone Ban
Sixteen major U.S. news organizations have filed a complaint with the federal government over the FAA ban on drones for commercial use, claiming the restriction violates freedom of the press.
Currently, the FAA authorizes only limited use of drones in U.S. airspace by government agencies.
“The FAA’s position is untenable as it rests on a fundamental misunderstanding about journalism,” said the complaint. “News gathering is not a ‘business purpose.’ It is a First Amendment right.” read more
Two Competing House Bills to Restrict NSA Phone Data Collection Jockey for Lead
In one corner of the U.S. House of Representatives, reform legislation was introduced aimed at restricting the NSA collection of Americans’ phone data. This bill, the USA Freedom Act, has gotten qualified support from privacy advocates. In another corner of the House, a competing measure has been introduced, the FISA Transparency and Modernization Act, which doesn’t go as far as NSA critics would like.
Observers wonder which plan will make it out of the House, and in what shape.
read more
EPA Inspector General Claims Illegal “Rogue” Unit Blocks Investigations
The EPA has been accused by one of its investigators of operating a “rogue law enforcement agency” that has stymied independent probes of EPA personnel and activities.
Assistant EPA inspector general Patrick Sullivan charges that EPA’s Office of Homeland Security, "under the heavy cloak of national security," has impeded investigations into employee misconduct, computer security and external threats. read more
Desegregation Orders for Scores of U.S. School Districts Have Been Ignored for Decades
The investigation discovered that many school districts no longer pay attention to their desegregation orders, even though they are still in effect. Officials “have never read them, or erroneously believe that orders have been ended. In many cases, orders have gone unmonitored, sometimes for decades, by the federal agencies charged with enforcing them,” wrote Nikole Hannah-Jones.
Some active desegregation orders were shipped back to Washington to be boxed up in the federal archives. read more
Drop in Mortality Rate Seen in Massachusetts after 2006 Adoption of Health Law that Became Model for Obamacare
The national debate over Obamacare just added a new talking point now that research shows the inspiration for President Obama’s healthcare law appears to have helped people live longer lives.
Massachusetts’s 2006 healthcare law, signed by then-Gov. Mitt Romney, required universal coverage. In the four years since, the state’s mortality rate declined by nearly 3%, and by 4.6% for blacks, Asians and Latinos.
Under Obamacare, such a drop would mean about 17,000 fewer deaths a year. read more
Border Patrol Cuts No Slack for Medical Marijuana Users in New Mexico
Medical marijuana is legal in the state of New Mexico, but federal border patrol agents operating in the southern part of the state have been seizing residents’ cannabis as allowed under federal law.
These actions have frustrated New Mexicans authorized to carry and use marijuana products for medicinal purposes.
State Rep. Bill McCamley complained that “legal card-carrying medical marijuana patients can’t carry their marijuana anywhere else in the state." read more
University Professors more Likely to Meet with White Males than with anyone else Requesting Help
White men certainly enjoy the attention of university professors more than women and minorities do, according to a new study.
Researchers tested the response rate of professors when it comes to students requesting help. They crafted phony emails from fictitious doctoral students and sent them to 6,500 professors at 259 universities.
Results showed professors ignored requests from women and minorities at a higher rate than requests from white males. read more
Police Consider Charging for Protection of Large, Profit-Making Events
Following in the footsteps of other large cities, Indianapolis may start charging the hosts of major public events for police protection.
With public revenues at a premium, city leaders say it may be time to bill the Indianapolis 500 and other popular festivities that usually require significant security. The change could bring in $1 million in added monies for the city annually, which also hosts the Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration and the 500 Festival. read more
Illinois Court Reinstates $10 Billion Verdict over Deceptive Marketing of “Low Tar” and “Light” Cigarettes
Nearly 10 years after its dismissal, a $10 billion class-action ruling has been reinstated against a leading cigarette manufacturer accused of misleading consumers about “light” and “low tar” products.
In 2008 the FTC rescinded a four-decade-old policy dictating how cigarette makers could describe tar and nicotine levels in their advertising and packaging. read more
11 TV Stations Still Fighting Disclosure of Political Ad Details Despite Legal Requirement
Information not being disclosed about these groups include: Names of their chief executive officer or board of directors; issues of national importance to which ads refer; and names of candidates that the ads are targeting. Groups that failed to be properly identified included those with both conservative and liberal points of view. read more