Controversies

Federal Judge Says Counties Can Force Drug Makers to Fund Program to Take Back Unused Drugs

The law, which is apparently the first of its kind in the U.S., requires makers of prescription drug sold or distributed in Alameda County, California, to fund and operate product stewardship programs allowing consumers to turn in unused medicines safely, rather than flushing them down the toilet and into the water supply or letting them hit the streets. Failure to comply carries up to a $1,000 per day fine. read more

Energy Distributions Can’t Keep up with Wind Energy Production

When the power grid was designed, electric power generation was dominated by large power plants burning fossil fuels or splitting atoms, and high capacity transmission lines were placed only near them. Wind farms, however, are typically located in sparsely populated areas or even off-shore, where high capacity lines do not exist. Bottlenecks also occur when more energy is being produced than the system can safely transport. read more

New Texas Law Allows Police to Sell Confiscated Guns to Dealers

Beginning next month departments will have the option of selling found or unclaimed weapons to a licensed firearms dealer. But some police departments, particularly those in large cities like San Antonio, Houston and Austin, have said they will not sell the weapons and will continue destroying them to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. read more

Suicide Rate for Veterans Double Rate for Civilians

The annual suicide rate for veterans is about 30 for every 100,000 people, while the rate among non-military is about 14 per 100,000, according to News21. Today, nearly one out of every five suicides in the U.S. involves a veteran—even though veterans make up only 10% of the adult population. read more

Missouri Law would Allow Arrest of Federal Agents Enforcing National Gun Laws

The legislation, which was vetoed by Governor Jay Nixon (D), but could still become law if lawmakers override the veto, seeks to nullify all federal gun laws in the state. It also states that federal agents who try to enforce said laws would be committing a felony. read more

Despite Supreme Court Ruling, at least 15 States Still Allow Mandatory Life Sentences for Juveniles

Part of the problem, according to Doug Berman, a law professor at Ohio State University, is that the court’s decision did not apply to all life sentences for juvenile offenders. Instead, each case must be judged individually. It also did not state whether the decision should be applied retroactively, nor did it deal with cases in which a life sentence was given for reasons other than a mandatory sentence law. read more

New Rules for Recognizing Indian Tribes

Drafted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the new regulations would streamline the approval process for tribes to gain federal recognition. A key change would make it less difficult to be recognized by having to demonstrate political continuity only since 1934, instead of “first contact” with European settlers, which is the existing rule. read more

Closing of Vermont’s Only Nuclear Power Plant Ends Decades-Long Battle by Nuclear Opponents

Entergy said the plant will cease production after it spends its current cycle of nuclear fuel. Decommissioning should begin towards the end of 2014, although that does not mean the reactors will be dismantled anytime soon. After it ceases producing electricity, the plant will be in a state of “safe store” and remain shuttered as its radioactive components cool for up to 60 years, according to the Associated Press. read more

Obama Urges Court to Reject Reporter’s First Amendment Protection in Criminal Case

Risen’s defense team appealed to the court asking for it to convene a full session of the 15 judges serving in the Fourth Circuit to decide whether the journalist should be granted First Amendment protection that would spare him from having to reveal the identity of his source. Prosecutor Neil Macbride has argued that there is no such thing as a reporters’ privilege in a criminal trial, and therefore, Risen should be denied a full hearing of the appeals court. read more

Revolving Door is Alive and Well with Obamacare, but Takes a Rest at SEC

In the case of those who worked on Obamacare, more than 30 former administration officials, lawmakers and congressional staffers who helped draft the law have become lobbyists since 2010. They now operate out of offices on K Street, the traditional home of lobbying firms in Washington, DC, assisting large corporations, such as GlaxoSmithKline, UnitedHealth Group and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, as well as Delta Air Lines, UPS, BP America and Coca-Cola. read more

Legendary Blues Singer Sues after Being Attacked by Woman Onstage for Trayvon Martin Song

Chambers, who is black, was performing Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready,” which he had dedicated to Trayvon Martin and his family, when Andrews-Potter climbed on the stage and attacked him. The moment was captured on video and shows the 43-year-old woman being wrestled to the ground by onlookers. Chambers was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. read more

Appeals Court Supports FBI’s Refusal to Release Racial and Ethnic Data in Michigan

The FBI eventually identified 1,553 pages of potentially responsive records and released 356 pages (some redacted) including training materials; notes about particular groups or elements; program assessments; electronic communications; and maps. The agency argued that the remaining 1,200 pages were exempt from disclosure because they could affect law enforcement proceedings. The ACLU disagreed and filed suit. read more

Court Limits Right of “Noncritical Sensitive” Federal Workers to Appeal Suspensions and Firings

Critics of the decision said it would deny a large portion of the federal workforce some due process rights. They also warned that agencies could use the ruling to punish employees without worrying about the MSPB getting in the way. The administration proposal refers to a new regulation under consideration that would allow the government to categorize virtually any federal position as national security “sensitive” and therefore outside the civil service system rule of law. read more

Atheists Refuse Tax Exemption Granted to Clergy

The latest twist in the case came when the government filed a brief saying atheist leaders can be ministers, too, because atheism can function as a religion. That would mean leaders of an atheist organization could qualify for the exemption. Annie Laurie Gaylor, the head of FFRF, said no thanks, and has asked the judge overseeing the case for help to stop the government from granting her the exemption. “We are having to tell the government the obvious: We are not a church.” read more

Little Chance of Promotion or Respect Fuels Drone Pilot Shortage in U.S. Air Force

Fewer personnel are volunteering because drone pilots lack opportunities for promotion to higher ranks. Also, the military hasn’t done enough to cultivate respect within its ranks for these non-traditional pilots. The same reasons explain why the dropout rate for drone operators is three times higher than that for traditional pilots. read more

Interior Dept. Clashes with State Dept. over Impact of Keystone Pipeline on Wildlife

The Interior letter states that Keystone XL could cause displacement of species, “increased predation rates and predator travel lanes,” more collisions between wildlife and automobiles and power lines, “increased wildfire risk … and increase in poaching,” as well as other problems. Shortly after the State Department released its draft report in March, the EPA criticized the assessment, saying it did not account for how the project might affect underground water supplies. read more