Controversies

Only in Arkansas Can Tenants be Arrested if Landlords Say They Didn’t Pay Rent on Time

State law includes a “failure to vacate” statute that allows landlords to demand police evict renters for falling behind on their rent without local prosecutors first investigating the matter. Once in court, tenants are not allowed to enter evidence, for example that they withheld rent in order to persuade a landlord to make needed repairs. Many landlord-friendly, tenant-unlikely provisions were added to Arkansas law with passage of the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act of 2007. read more

“Model” Private Prison Slammed for Poor Conditions

Government inspectors reported unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the prison, including prisoners having to use plastic bags for defecation and cups for urination. The inspectors also reported padlocked fire exits, likely falsification of food service records and a failure to monitor “pill call” when prisoners receive medications. The prison has experienced a 20% turnover among staff and a 21% increase in violent attacks since CCA took over. read more

Los Angeles Archdiocese Gutted Cemetery Fund to Pay Sex Abuse Settlements

If it weren’t a religious institution, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles might be in a heap of legal trouble for taking $115 million from a cemetery maintenance account to pay clergy sex abuse settlements. The money represented 88% of the perpetual care fund when the church tapped it in 2007 after signing over $660 million to victims of priest molestation. read more

Edison and Mitsubishi Implicated in Radioactive Leak at Nuclear Power Plant

The lawmakers cited a 2012 Mitsubishi document, entitled “Root Cause Analysis Report for Tube Wear Identified in the Unit 2 and Unit 3 Steam Generators of San Onofre Generating Station,” which, they maintain, shows the two companies knew about the problems and “rejected enhanced safety modifications” to avoid “triggering a more rigorous license amendment and safety review process.” read more

Arkansas Set to Impose Nation’s Most Restrictive Abortion Law

Legislation introduced by Senator Jason Rapert would prevent an abortion if a heartbeat can be detected using an abdominal ultrasound. Originally, Rapert wanted to ban the procedure after six weeks, but then changed it to 10-12 weeks. The proposal includes exemptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Even with the amendment, the plan would still be the strictest abortion ban in the U.S. read more

Virginia Voter ID Rules: Concealed Gun Permit OK; Social Security Card Not OK

The legislation would eliminate the use of utility bills, pay stubs, bank statements, government checks and Social Security cards as acceptable ID’s when voting. Voters would still be able to show a voter identification card, concealed handgun permit, driver’s license and student ID card. read more

Marine Corps Failed to Conduct Legally Required Water Tests at Camp Lejeune

Marine Corps officials at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina have long insisted they were not required by federal law to test the base’s water supply, which has been the subject of much controversy due to decades of chemical contamination. But it turns out the Corps’ own rules dating back five decades mandated regular water testing that might have revealed the danger posed to thousands living on the base. read more

Google Ads more likely to be Arrest-Related on Pages with Black Names

Her conclusion: “black-identifying names” (such as Aaliyah, Lakisha and DeShawn) were much more likely than “white-identifying names” (Jill, Emma and Geoffrey) to generate ads that included the word “arrest” (60% vs. 48%). According to Sweeney, the odds are less than 1 in 1,000 that the disparity was a result of random chance. read more

Democrats May Sell Voters’ Political Data to Retailers and Credit Card Firms

“Much of the data the co-op sells comes from the government and is already part of the public record—information such as voters' names, addresses and party affiliation,” writes Lois Beckett of ProPublica. But other information for sale would include voters’ views and preferences that could be helpful to businesses looking for new marketing opportunities. read more

School Board in Maryland Proposes Copyright Ownership of All Student and Faculty Work

The Prince George’s County Board of Education plan reportedly states that “any works” created by students or employees should be considered “properties” of the board regardless of when or where they were established. Board Chair Verjeana M. Jacobs said the policy was intended to apply only to any software, including iPad apps, crafted by teachers. read more

Is This the Most Bungled ATF Sting Operation Ever?

ATF agents last year ran a phony storefront selling clothing and drug paraphernalia, intended to nab criminals through drug and gun purchases. The agents allowed a military-style machine gun to wind up on the streets of Milwaukee. They also lost $35,000 in merchandise when burglars broke into the store and cleared out the stock. And when ATF agents closed down the store, they left behind a document that exposed the names and other identifying information of undercover agents. read more

Federal Judge Approves Minnesota Law Banning Campaign Lies

The Minnesota Fair Campaign Practices Act made it a gross misdemeanor for someone to intentionally prepare, disseminate, or broadcast political advertising or campaign material “that is designed or tends to elect, injure, promote, or defeat a candidate for nomination or election to a public office or to promote or defeat a ballot question, that is false, and that the person knows is false.” read more

Independent Surgical Centers Accused of Bleeding Millions from Insurance Companies

The San Jose Mercury News reported similar cases of BASM overbilling, including $5,760 for a colonoscopy, instead of the going rate of $2,555, and $13,662 for a circumcision instead of the average of $3,619 for an in-network job. Hashemieh and Sarnevesht see themselves as Robin Hoods, taking from the rich insurance companies and giving to the doctors (with BASM taking fees of 15-25%). read more

Workplace Laws that Don’t Apply to Members of Congress

Whistleblower Protections: The Whistleblower Protection Act in 1989 protects executive branch workers from retaliation for reporting waste, mismanagement or law-breaking, but Congressional employees have no such protections. Keeping Workplace Records: Although a number of workplace-rights laws require private-sector employers to retain personnel records, including injury records, for a set period of time, Congress has exempted itself from all of these requirements. read more

Animal Advocates Challenge Right of Navy to Threaten Lives of 31 Million Ocean Mammals

The plan, which the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) okayed this week through federal regulations, allows the Navy to conduct testing and training exercises off the Atlantic coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, and off Southern California and Hawaii. These tests and military exercises could injure or kill tens of millions whales, dolphins and other sea creatures over a five-year period (2014-2019), according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). read more

Leafy Greens Leading Source of Food Poisoning; Bad Chicken Leading Source of Death

The biggest killer among food-poisoning incidents was poultry. Between 1998 and 2008, 277 people died from eating tainted poultry, compared to 236 vegetable-related deaths. Most of the poultry deaths were attributed to Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella, with the numbers increased by outbreaks related to turkey deli meats. read more