Today’s Washington Post reports that political appointees in the Bush Administration blocked the publication of a 2006 Surgeon General’s report on global health. As the Post reports, in recent Congressional testimony Carmona cited the report’s “suppression as an example of the Bush administration’s frequent efforts during his tenure to give scientific documents a political twist.” […]
Author Archive | Jonathan H. Adler
We’re Number One!
At Concurring Opinions, Dave Hoffman has posted an update of the law blog ranking project initiated by Roger Alford at Opinio Juris. It ranks law-related blogs to which law professors contribute by traffic, and somehow we’re at the top of the list. I think I speak for all of the Conspirators when I say we […]
Sunday Song Lyric:
Given how long I’ve been blogging Sunday Song Lyrics, it seems odd I’ve never posted anything by namesake, Richard Adler. We’re not related (as far as I know), but I can’t think of any other famous songwriters with my name. Working with Jerry Ross, Adler wrote “The Pajama Game” and “Damn Yankees” (for which he […]
The Pedophile Blogger:
Today’s New York Times has a fascinating (and unnerving) story about a self-described pedophile in Los Angeles who blogs about his exploits in dramatic detail and hopes to increase public acceptance of pedophilia. unlike convicted sex offenders, who are required to stay away from places that cater to children, in this case the police can […]
Senator Schumer’s Says No More GOP Justices:
Speaking yesterday at the American Constitution Society’s National Convention, Senator Charles Schumer said that the Senate was “duped” and “hoodwinked” by John Roberts’ and Samuel Alito’s confirmation hearing performances and explained that he would “do everything in [his] power to prevent” the confirmation of another justice like John Roberts or Samuel Alito. Here are some […]
Chicken Suit for Solicitation:
Painesville Municipal Judge Michael Cicconetti likes to impose innovative punishments. He ordered three men charged with solicitation to take turns wearing a chicken suit for an hour, while bearing a sign reading “No Chicken Ranch in Painesville,” if they wanted to avoid their jail sentences.
From Oil Addicts to Alcoholics:
GWU law professor Arnold Reitze, one of the nation’s leading experts on environmental law, has an essay in The Environmental Forum arguing that the political scramble to address energy security and environmental pollution from automobiles has led to an unsustainable and unwise fixation on ethanol. The renewable content mandate for gasoline is all about subsidizing […]
U.S. Attorney Declines Request for Contempt Prosecution:
Via Law.com comes an interesting wire story about a U.S. Attorney declining a federal judge’s request to prosecute a lawyer for criminal contempt. The U.S. Attorney in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday declined a federal judge’s request to prosecute prominent Mississippi attorney Richard F. Scruggs and his law firm for criminal contempt in a Hurricane Katrina […]
Ninth Circuit Judges Wary of Split:
The National Law Journal reports from the Ninth Circuit Judicial conference that many of the circuit’s judges do not like proposals to split up the circuit. The Los Angeles Times op-ed that has some judges grousing was written by Vanderbilt University Law School professor Brian Fitzpatrick, who was also a law clerk to 9th U.S. […]
Giant Space Aliens Consume Newspaper!
American Media, Inc. announced it will cease print publication of the nation’s most informative supermarket tabloid, the Weekly World News, citing “challenges in the retail and wholesale magazine marketplace that have impacted the newsstand.” Experts speculate the real reason may be an infestation of giant, blood-sucking earthworms. Thankfully, the WWN website will continue for the […]
Richard Carmona’s Political Science:
Earlier this month, former Bush Surgeon General Richard Carmona testified about political interference with his performance as Surgeon General. Carmona sought to portray himself as a medical professional interested in scientific fact who was pressured and obstructed by ideologically motivated political appointees. Yet as Radley Balko reports, Carmona has a political science problem of his […]
Debating Climate Law & Policy at ACS:
On Friday morning, I will be participating in a panel discussion on “Climate Change and Other ‘Hot’ Topics” at the Fifth Annual National Convention of the American Constitution Society. Other panelists will include former EPA Administrator Carol Browner, Georgetown’s Lisa Heinzerling, Douglas Kendall of Community Rights Counsel, and environmental attorney Al Meyerhoff. We will discuss […]
The Getsy Decision:
Jason Getsy was sentenced to death for his participation in a murder-for-hire. Getsy filed a federal habeas petition challenging his death sentence on various grounds, including the fact that John Santine, the man who hired Getsy, only received a life sentence. Though indicted jointly, Getsy and Santine were tried separately. The jury in Getsy’s case […]
En Banc Sixth Decides Getsy v. Mitchell :
Today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, sitting en banc, overturned a prior panel decision in Getsy v. Mitchell that Jason Getsy
Justice Stevens on the Ninth Circuit:
While chairing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s judicial conference last week, Justice Stevens addressed concerns about the Circuit’s apparently high reversal rate at the Supreme Court. The 9th Circuit’s dubious record of a 90 percent reversal rate last session, reversing 19 of 21 cases, is “misleading” and does not reflect where […]