The Wall Street Journal editorializes on the Espionage Act prosecutions of two former AIPAC employees. The prosecution of government “leaks” that began with the Valerie Plame case has already sent one reporter to jail and limited the ability of all journalists to protect their sources. But now things are getting worse, as the Justice Department […]
Author Archive | Jonathan H. Adler
Espionage Act Prosecution Updates:
The editorial page of the Washington Post is concerned about last week’s Espionage Act ruling. The United States has never had an Official Secrets Act — a statute forbidding private citizens from disclosing and discussing information the government wants to keep quiet. Last week it got one. The change didn’t come from Congress but from […]
Thomas M. Cooley Law School v. ABA:
Today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court’s rejection of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School’s due process claims agains the American Bar Association. Cooley claimed tha the ABA violated its due process in failing to accredit two satellite programs operated by the law school, and by imposing sanctions […]
The National Lawyers Guild – Then and Now:
On The Right Coast, Gail Heriot reflects on the past and present of the National Lawyers Guild. The NLG’s history is also detailed here.
No Charges for Pair Arrested in Ohio:
The two men arrested in Marietta, Ohio and accused aiding terrorism after they had purchased numerous cell phones and airport information was found in their car will not be charged after all, local prosecutors announced today. Washington County Prosecutor James Schneider said he didn’t have enough evidence to present the felony terrorism charges to a […]
Desperately Smearing Susan:
This morning I have an article on National Review Online detailing some of the outlandisha and erroneous attacks made against Susan Dudley, President Bush’s nominee to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the White House Office of Management and Budget. Like her predecessor, John Graham, Dudley is being caricatured and subjected […]
Sunday Song Lyric:
The debut album of Panic! at the Disco, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, is filled with clever, catchy, hook-filled songs — and great song titles (e.g. “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage” and “London Beckoned Songs about Money Written by Machines”). Panic! reminds remind me a bit of the Housemartins […]
Interesting Developments in Williams Case:
From today’s Sun-Herald: Attorneys for the estate of Jessie Lee Williams Jr. have filed a motion asking a federal judge to determine if the Harrison County jail has presented false reports to the U.S. Justice Department and, if so, that the federal government temporarily take over the jail. The motion, filed early Thursday evening, alleges […]
Are Courts Getting Rapanos Wrong?
Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decided Northern California River Watch v. Healdsburg, the first case in which a federal appellate court has applied the Supreme Court’s decision in Rapanos v. United States. In Healdsburg, the Ninth Circuit upheld the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ assertion of regulatory jurisdiction over “Basalt […]
Reactions to Espionage Act Ruling:
This Los Angeles Times article quotes some reactions to Wednesday’s ruling that individuals who receive and retransmit classified national security information may be prosecuted under the Espionage Act. “It’s a momentous ruling with radical implications,” said Steven Aftergood, who heads the Project on Government Secrecy for the Federation of American Scientists. “A lot of people […]
Update on Ohio Arrests:
The Associated Press reports that the two men will face an additional charge for committing acts supporting terrorism. Meanwhile, the Columbus Dispatch provides more information on their arrest and their defense: The men were stopped while driving for failure to signal a turn Tuesday after a clerk at a RadioShack called deputies to report the […]
Gov’t May Prosecute Recipients of Leaked Information:
The federal government may prosecute private citizens who illegally receive and retransmit classified information, held federal district court Judge T.S. Ellis III yesterday in United States v. Rosen. Judge Ellis denied a motion to dismiss filed by Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman, two former employees of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), who are […]
Another Terror Plot Foiled?
The terror plot foiled in the U.K. is the big news of the day. Closer to home, there are reports that two Michigan men were arrested in southeast on Ohio on charges they engaged in money laundering to support terrorist activities. Deputies stopped the two on a traffic violation Tuesday and found the flight documents […]
“Fewest Dropped Calls” Somewhere Else:
On my usual route home from work, I pass a Cingular billboard on I-271 south (just before exit 23) proclaiming Cingular has the “fewest dropped calls” of any cell carrier in the nation. This claim might or might not be true. Either way, I find the billboard’s placement quite amusing, as Cingular’s cell coverage is […]
No Forced Cheers in Court:
The Associated Press reports that the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct admonished Pierce County Superior Court Judge Beverly Grant for ordering those present in her courtroom to cheer “Go Seahawks” in anticipation of the Seattle Seahawks appearance in the Super Bowl. The action apparently offended a crime victim’s relative who was in court. Grant, […]