Archive for the 'Law' Category

California Ballot Initiative Seeks to Strike “Marriage” From State Law

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in California, Law, Religion, Sexuality

For years I’ve been arguing that the government should simply get out of the institution of marriage all together, and some folks in Cali are trying to put that idea into motion.
From The Herald:
California’s top election official gave two Southern California college students the go-ahead Tuesday to start collecting signatures for a proposed ballot initiative [...]

March 15th, 2009 | Permalink| 28 Comments »

Meanwhile, In Minnesota…

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Democrats, Law, Minnesota, Republicans

I can’t believe this thing is still going on, and it’s now going to be decided by the courts…which is an awful way of doing this.
But hey, if it’s good enough for the Oval Office…
Still, Franken can’t be happy that this is how it’s going to go down. Talk about a cause for Minnesota Republicans [...]

March 14th, 2009 | Permalink| 1 Comment »

Will This Video Turn Jim Cramer Into A Toxic Asset?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Economy, History, Law, Money, Video

We all know Cramer has a big mouth, but back in 2006 he gets dangerously close to admitting that he has engaged in “fomenting” the market, which he calls “blatantly illegal.”
First, most of the quote:
You can’t foment. That’s a violation. [...]
You can’t create an impression yourself that a stock’s down, but you do it [...]

March 12th, 2009 | Permalink| 7 Comments »

Minnesota Senate Race Could Be Decided By Court?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Law, Minnesota, Senate

I think they should just have another revote, but I’ve heard that’s a tough nut to crack because of costs and legal issues. So I understand why some want to lean on the courts.
From Minnesota Independent:
“The most obvious, clean resolution is resolution by the [current] three-judge court, with no appeal,” says [Guy] Charles, a University [...]

March 2nd, 2009 | Permalink| 4 Comments »

The Business Of Marijuana

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Business, Drugs, Law, Video

CNBC with a great look at the ins and outs of the “industry” in Marijuana, Inc.

Listen, I can understand bans on harder narcotics, but not marijuana. Everybody knows that marijuana is FAR less dangerous to your health and the public’s safety than alcohol. I could literally go out right now and buy enough alcohol to [...]

February 20th, 2009 | Permalink| 10 Comments »

Eric Holder Is Confirmed

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Barack, Democrats, Law

I honestly thought he’d have more problems, but it became pretty clear last week that the Marc Rich stuff really wasn’t as big of an issue as many thought.
Long story short, he sailed through with 75 votes for and 21 against.
NY Times has more…
At one time, Republicans indicated that they wanted to give Mr. Holder [...]

February 2nd, 2009 | Permalink| No Comments »

No Case Files Exist For Guantanamo Detainees?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Bad Decisions, Barack, Bush, Guantanamo Bay, Law

Just when I didn’t think I could be shocked by the previous administration’s decisions…
From Wash Post:
President Obama’s plans to expeditiously determine the fates of about 245 terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and quickly close the military prison there were set back last week when incoming legal and national security officials — barred until [...]

January 26th, 2009 | Permalink| 7 Comments »

Russ Feingold Wants To End Governor Appointed Senators

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Constitution, Democrats, Good Decisions, Law, Senate

I like the idea in theory, but I always thought that Governors replaced Senators because it’s too costly to have special elections and somebody needs to serve in the interim.
Still, this seems like the type of amendment that could easily garner bi-partisan support.
From Political Wire:
The controversies surrounding some of the recent gubernatorial appointments to vacant [...]

January 26th, 2009 | Permalink| 2 Comments »

Obama Orders Guantanamo To Close After One Year

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Barack, Bush, Guantanamo Bay, Law, Torture, Transparency

Also, the words “we don’t torture” will finally be true.
From NY Times:
The orders, which are the first steps in undoing detention policies of former President George W. Bush, rewrite American rules for the detention of terrorism suspects. They require an immediate review of the 245 detainees still held at the naval base in Guantánamo Bay, [...]

January 22nd, 2009 | Permalink| 13 Comments »

Obama Suspends Gitmo Prosecutions

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Barack, Guantanamo Bay, Law, Military

As promised, this is one of the first orders of business. And given that we eventually freed the majority of those we kidnapped and held indefinitely without access to legal counsel, this move is yet another signal that America is starting a new chapter.
From AP:
The U.S. moved Tuesday to halt the Guantanamo Bay war crimes [...]

January 21st, 2009 | Permalink| 1 Comment »

A Just And Good Final Act

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Bush, Immigration, Law

If you know anything about the case of former border agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, you’ll know that Bush’s commutation of the remaining amount of their sentence is justice being served.
And let’s face it, if Scooter Libby got his sentence commuted, these guys should too.
First, the backstory…
Ramos and Compean were sentenced in connection [...]

January 19th, 2009 | Permalink| 4 Comments »

Meanwhile, In Minnesota…

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, Law, Minnesota

Coleman is suing to challenge Franken’s lead.
The saga continues…
Republican Norm Coleman’s trial challenging DFLer Al Franken’s lead in the U.S. Senate recount will begin Jan. 26, according to an order issued this afternoon by the three-judge panel that will hear the case.
The order did not map out when specific issues would be argued, nor did [...]

January 17th, 2009 | Permalink| 4 Comments »

Guantanamo’s Legal System Described As Chaotic By Former Prosecutor

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Guantanamo Bay, Law

I’m not exactly sure what legal solution Obama will be applying to the enemy combatants currently being detained, but it seems that anything is better than the nothingburger they have in place currently.
From Wash Post:
A former military prosecutor said in a declaration filed in federal court yesterday that the system of handling evidence against detainees [...]

January 14th, 2009 | Permalink| 1 Comment »

Guantanamo Won’t Close In Obama’s 1st 100 Days

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Barack, Foreign Policy, Guantanamo Bay, History, Law

But it will happen.
Obama said as much on This Week today:
“I think it’s going to take some time and our legal teams are working in consultation with our national security apparatus as we speak to help design exactly what we need to do,” Obama said in an exclusive “This Week” interview with George Stephanopoulos, his [...]

January 11th, 2009 | Permalink| 1 Comment »

The Sad Case Of Muhammad Saad Iqbal

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Bad Decisions, Guantanamo Bay, History, Law, The War On Terrorism, The World, Torture

I’ve written at length about my opinions of extraordinary rendition, Guantanamo Bay, etc., but the idea that people will vigorously defend policies that put a completely innocent man through 6 years of hell still leaves me completely baffled.
Seriously. This is one of those issues for me where there’s absolutely zero common ground because I simply [...]

January 6th, 2009 | Permalink| 5 Comments »

Bob Barr On Gay Marriage

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Barack, Barr, History, Law, Legislation, Religion, Sexuality

“In 2006, when then-Sen. Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, he said, “Decisions about marriage should be left to the states.” He was right then; and as I have come to realize, he is right now in concluding that DOMA has to go. If one truly believes in federalism and the primacy of state [...]

January 5th, 2009 | Permalink| 8 Comments »

Minnesota Recount Over. Franken Up 225 Votes.

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, Law, Minnesota, Voting

However, Norm Coleman is going to the courts to add even more rejected absentee ballots. Still, to overcome a 225 votes deficit at this point seems extremely unlikely.
Here’s more from the Star Tribune…
DFLer Al Franken held an unofficial lead of 225 votes over Coleman, according to a newspaper tally of the officials’ count of the [...]

January 3rd, 2009 | Permalink| 3 Comments »

Want To Refinance? Good Luck

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Economy, Housing, Law

Interest rates are at historical lows so many homeowners are calling banks and trying to get in on the action.
Only problem? Housing prices have fallen so much so that now people owe more on their homes than they’re worth…making refinancing an impossibility.
From Miami Herald…

In South Florida, four in 10 homeowners who bought or refinanced over [...]

December 26th, 2008 | Permalink| 7 Comments »

Al Franken Will Likely Be Senator Franken?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, Law, Minnesota, Voting

What looked completely unlikely just a few weeks ago has turned around for the funnyman as he has won some key decisions in the past week and is now ahead by just 46 votes.
That’s right…46 votes.
From the Star Tribune:

A state Supreme Court ruling Wednesday narrowed the options available for Sen. Norm Coleman to erase a [...]

December 25th, 2008 | Permalink| 2 Comments »

Jesse Jackson Jr. Aided Blagojevich Inquiry

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Illinois, Law, Senate, Video

Not the current one, but he definitely had a hand in getting the spotlight directed at the Governor.
MSNBC has more…

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December 17th, 2008 | Permalink| No Comments »