"This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people’ ( Read more... )

My thoughts are with all the Hokies on my flist, and the whole VA Tech community. What a senseless, abhorrent act.

Also, good on the gNats for wearing Hokie hats in solidarity last night.

Jeers to President Tin Ear for his choice to reaffirm the right to bear arms on the day of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Asshole.

***

New topic: ( Read more... )

Hamdi, Rasul, and CSRT -- Show Trials for the 21st Century
A Rant by Macha
[Read the Seton Hall law school summary .pdf]

So what's my problem this time? Who remembers that amusing argument by Bush and his Torture!Rocks Attorneys General that we can toss suspected terrorists -- sorry, enemy combatants -- in the clink and throw away the key because ( Read more... )

So the Scalia-Roberts-Alito-Thomas wing of the Supreme Court decide to sidestep a challenge to Bush's wartime powers. I am just so shocked.

Asshats.

The government held this guy -- an American citizen -- without charges or access to a lawyer for MORE THAN THREE YEARS, and now they've changed course and charged him in criminal court, so SCOTUS ( Read more... )

Watching the Roberts hearing on and off this morning. Hmmmm...

Now, granted, I have not read his opinions, so I won't offer an opinion on his judicial record. But I can say with certainty that 1. Roberts is very smart and well-spoken; 2. Orrin Hatch is a tool.

Seriously. Read Dahlia Lithwick's commentary on yesterday's self-congratulatory ( Read more... )

Ugh.

Wow, is the Fourth of July going to be bitter, bitter, bitter this year.

I am beyond devastated by O'Connor stepping down. Beyond.

::sob::

ETA: Okay, seeing "Alberto Gonzales" and "Janice Rogers Brown" in an article about possible nominees = Macha actually crying. Over the Court. Just like my breakdown at the 11-4-04 R.E.M. concert was ( Read more... )