As a former prosecutor, when I read the 43 page, 14 count indictment against Former VA Governor Bob McDonald and his wife, Maureen, the one word that comes to mind is “thug”, a term that has been incorrectly associated this week with Richard Sherman, NFL Seattle Seahawks player. While the media this week has been characterizing Sherman, a Stanford University graduate, as a thug for post-game comments on Sunday, the real thugs of the week are Bob McDonnell and his wife for the alleged activities outlined in that 43 page indictment. Bob McDonnell who is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, audaciously denies the allegations. If the charges prove true, then McDonnell and his wife will be joining the likes of former Prince Georges County Executive, Jack Johnson and his wife in a federal prison. The charges read like several episodes out of the TV show, Scandal. And it is a scandal. No Virginia governor in modern times has faced criminal charges for corruption, like McDonnell. The … [Read more...] about Bob McDonnell and his Wife are the Real Thugs of the Week
Archives for January 2014
All the Focus on Edward Snowden is Misplaced
All of the focus on Edward Snowden and clemency, pardon, whistle blower status or jail misses the real point. Namely, the NSA is conducting what amounts to illegal surveillance on collection of telephone data of persons not to mention surveillance on everyone in the world, including everyday people, world leaders and perhaps even U.S. elected officials. Setting aside for the moment the issues surrounding Edward Snowden’s legal dilemma, more focus needs to be placed on the issue of NSA surveillance. Specifically, now that we have the information provided by Snowden, what are we going to do about it? This week, the release of journalist Betty Medsger’s new book on the FBI break-in of its offices in Media, PA over 40 years ago highlights the point even more. Medsger’s book, The Burglary, The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover’s Secret FBI, reveals the identity of several of the anti-war activists who on March 8, 1971 were ordinary middle class people much like Edward Snowden, and broke into … [Read more...] about All the Focus on Edward Snowden is Misplaced
Edward Snowden Should not Hold His Breath on Getting Clemency
The New York Times, the Guardian Newspaper and many Americans are advocating for clemency for Edward Snowden. Mr. Snowden does not deserve an immediate government issued get out of jail free card, a hero’s welcome home or a ticker tape parade as some of his supporters seem to suggest, despite his significant spying revelations on the National Security Agency (“NSA”). Edward Snowden, no doubt, has done a great service by letting America and the rest of the world for that matter, in on the secret that the U.S. is violating its own Constitution by the NSA conducting surveillance on its citizens and many allies throughout the world. The U.S. Constitution prohibits unreasonable search and seizures. No one including President Obama would state anything to the contrary. Yet, the reward to Edward Snowden for revealing NSA’s spying crimes should not be immediate clemency in advance of his return trip home to face charges. Mr. Snowden’s case is a complicated one with complex … [Read more...] about Edward Snowden Should not Hold His Breath on Getting Clemency
Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Birth Control Under Affordable Care Act
Just as President Obama’s landmark healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act, was picking up steam with enrollments of over 1 million in December, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor singularly wrote an opinion which temporarily halted the Affordable Care Act from requiring religious based organizations from having to provide contraceptives to their employees. On December 31, Justice Sotomayor, based on appeal from, Little Sisters of the Poor in Denver, granted a temporary reprieve. She also gave the Obama Administration until Friday, January 3 to respond. The Supreme Court assigns justices to various jurisdictions and Justice Sotomayor was assigned to the 10th Circuit jurisdiction, from which the case was appealed from. At the heart of it are two other cases headed to argument before the Supreme Court, is the issue of whether religious based organizations should be required to provide contraceptives to their employees as it infringes on their freedom of religion. … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Birth Control Under Affordable Care Act