Donald Trump may have likely met his match with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. With the government being shut down, Speaker Pelosi raised concerns about Trump giving his State of the Union address before the government re-opens. In a letter addressed to Trump, she stated that he should delay his speech until after the government reopened. Her concerns were for security and the fact that nothing entitles Trump to give a state of the union address, in the manner he intended. In other words, it is almost like a nothing burger. Pelosi had also made plans to embark on a trip with a Congressional delegation to Afghanistan. Trump in like Trumpeon fashion retaliated. And this is where the story gets interesting. Trump denied the delegation use of government military planes to travel to a war zone. He likely saw Pelosi’s trip as grandstanding. It was a visit to the troops and to engage in government business. Despite denying Congressional use of government planes for government business, Trump … [Read more...] about Pelosi v. Trump: Politics Over Money
LegalSpeaks Blog
The Extreme Hypocrisy of the Republican Party
The Republican party was once known as the party of Abraham Lincoln. Now it is known as the party of Donald Trump, a reality star, creator of the birther movement and race baiter in Chief. Time and time again, the Republican party has shown its hypocrisy in the Trump era by failing to speak out against racism and bigotry. The other day, Congress failed to censure Iowa Representative Steve King for saying “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization—how did that become offensive?” To answer King’s statement, white supremacy was offensive to many persons as far back as Abraham Lincoln’s time. The House passed a resolution condemning white supremacy but failed to rebuke King. Every Republican House member should have requested a vote on censuring King, if not seeking his resignation. It is not enough just to fail to appoint him to committees. Steve King should have been asked to resign for his hideously racist comments. Time and time again, the Republican party fails to … [Read more...] about The Extreme Hypocrisy of the Republican Party
R. Kelly is No Bill Cosby: He’s Worse
The recent docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly, has many folks wondering if R. Kelly will be joining Bill Cosby in prison one day. Multiple state attorneys are looking into investigating possible charges against Kelly. Although a prior 2008 case involving 14 child pornography charges against Kelly was unsuccessful, this time may be different. It’s still too soon to tell if Kelly’s time is up. The docuseries helped to re-ignite the fire but the flame is still low for a prosecution or conviction of R. Kelly. The issues facing any prosecutor who investigates and brings charges against Kelly will be credibility of witnesses and victims, statute of limitations, solicitation of victims by the prosecutors, length of time to bring charges (assuming the statute has not tolled) and the popularity of R. Kelly. Unlike most of Bill Cosby’s victims, R. Kelly’s victims are African American and other women of color. A sexual assault case is always difficult to obtain a conviction. A sexual assault or rape … [Read more...] about R. Kelly is No Bill Cosby: He’s Worse
Cyntoia Brown: Justice Delayed and Denied
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam granted clemency to Cyntoia Brown, a former teen sex trafficking victim who received a life sentence at age 16 for killing a man who allegedly paid money to have sex with her. Brown was tried as an adult and had no chance of parole until she would have turned 61. Brown, now 30, after having served 15 years, will be released in August and must remain on parole for 10 years. Her case sparked the attention of the media with support by celebrities Rihanna, Ashley Judd and Kim Kardashian West. Cyntoia Brown did not receive a get out of jail free card. Her clemency conditions require that she remain on parole for 10 years. She will not be free of parole conditions until she turns 40. Clemency differs from a pardon. In clemency, an inmate’s sentence is reduced, usually with some conditions. In a pardon, a person’s conviction is completely wiped out. Today, we hear the pardon word being considered and thrown around like Frisbees in the cases of Trump … [Read more...] about Cyntoia Brown: Justice Delayed and Denied
2018- A Year of Sex, Lies, Guns and Trump
Every new year, we look back towards the past year to see the good, bad and ugly. If 2018 can be boiled down to a theme—it would be sex, lies, guns and Trump. Trump fits into all three categories. Guns were rampant again this year with no end in sight in terms of gun control. On February 26, 2018, in Parkland, Florida, one of the safest towns in the U.S. , a school gun shooting occurred and 17 persons died including teachers and students. This time may have been different than previous gun shootings in that it galvanized students to hold the March for Our Lives on March 25, 2018. It once again raised the issue of gun control. Like in so many times and years before, no meaningful gun legislation occurred. On June 29, five journalists were shot and killed at the Annapolis Gazette in Annapolis, MD. Throughout the Trump administration, Donald Trump has shouted chants that the media is the enemy of the state. Our constitution’s first amendment is freedom of the press. Yet, the … [Read more...] about 2018- A Year of Sex, Lies, Guns and Trump
Lynching Statement by GOP Senator is no Laughing Matter
Everyday bold racist statements emerge in the media. A recent appalling racist statement was made by Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. She praised support for someone by saying: “If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.” As an African American who is a descendant of slaves, I can never get used to the bigoted statements and bigotry in the U.S. In response, Hyde-Smith says “any attempt to turn this into a negative connotation is ridiculous.” She’s running in a run-off election against Mike Epsy, an African American and former Congressman. I don’t know what Hyde-Smith thinks about a public lynching. But I can tell her that it’s no joking matter—now or never. It is a negative part of U.S. history. Billy Holliday sang Strange Fruit in which the lyrics describe lynching of Blacks in the south. Those words in part were: “Southern trees bear strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze Strange fruit hanging … [Read more...] about Lynching Statement by GOP Senator is no Laughing Matter