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Attorney Scott Pilutik wrestles with the news of the day, from a lawyerly perspective… [Regarding this story: Self-Dealing in Ukraine: The Core of the Impeachment Inquiry] This is a smart, careful assessment by Philip Zelikow of the Ukraine situation, looking past the political circus aspects of the impeachment question but and into the known facts, what those facts mean in criminal liability terms (quid pro quo, self-dealing), and how the liability is stacking up for the key players — Giuliani, Mulvaney, Perry, Sondland, Volker. Continue reading The Ukraine situation: Liability is stacking up for key players like Giuliani, Sondland
Attorney Scott Pilutik wrestles with the news of the day, from a lawyerly perspective… [Regarding this story: Giuliani Associates Parnas And Fruman Plead Not Guilty, Raise Executive Privilege Concerns] Recently indicted Parnas and Fruman are threatening to invoke privilege because they were (a) working for Giuliani on behalf of the president; and (b) had retained Giuliani as an attorney. Continue reading Giuliani pals plead not guilty, and by invoking privilege may bridge impeachment gap
[Bill Taylor]Attorney Scott Pilutik wrestles with the news of the day, from a lawyerly perspective… As expected, ambassador Bill Taylor’s testimony today was bad for the White House and Trump. It was expected because, if you recall, Taylor was the one who texted Gordon Sondland that he felt it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” Continue reading Ambassador Bill Taylor’s testimony makes a liar of Gordon Sondland and is bad for Trump
Attorney Scott Pilutik wrestles with the news of the day, from a lawyerly perspective… [Regarding this Hollywood Reporter story: HBO Taking Michael Jackson ‘Leaving Neverland’ Dispute to Appeals Court] This is pretty interesting. Michael Jackson’s estate wasn’t happy with HBO’s “Finding Neverland” documentary, so it looked to the boilerplate non-disparagement and arbitration clauses in a wholly unrelated 1992 contract between HBO and Michael Jackson relating to a Jackson concert HBO aired, and sued on that to force arbitration. Judge said fine. So HBO appeals. Continue reading HBO appeals in ‘Leaving Neverland’ fight with Michael Jackson estate over a 1992 contract Advertisement
In a new short video, ex-JW activist Lloyd Evans takes on a Jehovah’s Witnesses tract that includes this precious statement: Continue reading Jehovah’s Witnesses say you should join because the Bible is so ‘harmonious’ and consistent
Attorney Scott Pilutik wrestles with the news of the day, from a lawyerly perspective… Trump: “You people with this phony Emoluments Clause” If it feels like “Emoluments Clause” is a phony thing cooked up to box Trump’s presidency in, know a few things first. Continue reading These are reasons the Founders included the Emoluments Clause Trump calls ‘phony’ Advertisement
[Dreher used this image for his column. Oh boy.]Thanks to our friend Roy Edroso, we have long enjoyed the columns of conservative writer Rod Dreher, but perhaps not in the way Dreher intended. (That’s just our way of plugging our friend Roy — you should really read him if you don’t already — and to hint that we are not generally fans of Dreher’s body of work.) Continue reading What’s causing Christianity to dive in the U.S.? Um, seen Europe lately?
Police in Bangladesh say they had no choice but to open fire on demonstrators who were threatening their lives. Four people were killed in shooting by the police, and many others were injured, photos posted by CNN show. Continue reading Four dead in Bangladesh over a Facebook post that offended Muslims
[Tulsi Gabbard, Chris Butler]And suddenly, Tulsi Gabbard is in the news again in a big way. Continue reading A reminder: Tulsi Gabbard’s personal guru is a real piece of work
Attorney Scott Pilutik wrestles with the news of the day, from a lawyerly perspective… [Regarding this story: Mick Mulvaney Has Conservatives Asking: WTF Are You Doing?] Yesterday I surmised that Mick Mulvaney was intentionally advancing the impeachment narrative to its inevitable destination: “Yeah, we crimed, we crimed a lot even, but what’s it to you?” Continue reading Mulvaney’s sin: Getting out ahead of the others on the White House ‘so what’ defense Advertisement
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