Monthly Archives: August 2004

Col. Brownback Update

Posted on August 27, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

During a fruitless search to find out the upshot of the motion to disqualify Col. Brownback from sitting in the first Guantanamo 'trial', I found this gem in the New Zealand Herald, regarding a byplay in the Salim Ahmed Hamdan proceeding:

Asked by the defence whether he believed the orders establishing the military commission were lawful, Colonel Brownback paused, and to the surprise of some observers, said: “I choose not to answer that question at this time.” Asked again by the military prosecutor, Commander Scott Lang, Colonel Brownback replied that he had “a duty to comply” with any order, even if it was “questionable”.

Does this mean anything, or just that he's learned to be cagey?

Posted in Guantanamo | 2 Comments

BBC Reporter Disdains US Counterparts — With Reason

Posted on August 27, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

According to CJR Campaign Desk, here's what Dusan Neumann, the BBC reporter assigned to cover the Cheney campaign, has to say about the BBC, the campaign, and US reporters:

Neumann, who grew up in Prague and who used a fake passport to defect to the U.S. in 1980, noted that the BBC proper doesn't seem interested in the election, since it's already apparently decided that it wants Kerry to win. By contrast, the press — and the public — in eastern Europe, view Bush more favorably, because the memory of totalitarianism is sufficiently recent that anyone who topples a dictator earns admiration.

As for the American news media, Neumann isn't impressed. Like many observers, especially foreign ones, he can't understand the obsession with trivia, and believes the press does a poor job at informing the public about the pressing issues of the day. He told me how he planned to begin his next written piece:

“Whilst U.S. Marines, cavalry, Air Force and Iraq's security forces were tightening a noose around al-Sadr Mahdi militia and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani was hustled to Najaf, the cream of the national press core was counting apples, tomatoes, green peppers and ears of corn.”

The last is a reference to this incident.

Posted in Politics: US | Comments Off on BBC Reporter Disdains US Counterparts — With Reason

DC Ethics Violation by Swift Boat Lawyer?

Posted on August 27, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

K Marx The Spot suggests that Benjamin L. Ginsberg, a partner at Patton Boggs, may have violated the ethics rules of the DC Bar in relation to his representation of the Swift Boat liars. I don't think so.

[UPDATE: On the other hand both John O'Neill and Al French look vulnerable.]

Continue reading →

Posted in Law: Ethics | 3 Comments

Spot the Spoof

Posted on August 27, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

Via Steve Gillard, RNC warns convention delegates that Prostitutes with AIDS to seduce Republican visitors:

NEXT WEEK, people who hate Republicans plan to release swarms of mice in New York City to terrorize delegates to the National Republican Convention.

Republican-haters plan on dressing up as RNC volunteers, and giving false directions to little blue hair ladies from Kansas, sending them into the sectors of New York City that are unfit for human habitation.

They plan on throwing pies and Lord knows what else at Republican visitors to the city. Prostitutes with AIDS plan to seduce Republican visitors, and discourage the use of condoms …

Via Kevin Hayden, Swift Yacht Vets for Bush:

George W. Bush has never stood down from a challenge, especially where his comrades are concerned. My twin brother Cornell, George, and I were tearing up the bay when a patrol boat started chasing us. Cornell wanted to try to out-run them with the new engine we had just put in, but Georgie said, 'No, we gotta face the music, boys.' Cornell stopped the boat and one of the officers boarded the Tricky Wendell. Georgie calmly welcomed the officer aboard, and stated he was Congressman Bush's son. The officer tipped his cap and wished us a good day. When faced with running away or staying and fighting, Georgie never flinched. …

Posted in Politics: US: 2004 Election | Comments Off on Spot the Spoof

A Real College Football Scandal (Elsewhere!)

Posted on August 27, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

I hope exposure of this practice causes its elimination.

I am happy to report that I queried a UM sports administrator if UM ever gave academic college credit for sports and received a pithy emailed reply: “No way, no how!”

Posted in U.Miami | 1 Comment

More Evidence that Jeb Bush is Dangerous

Posted on August 26, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

Here's a fact about the 2000 Florida recount that I didn't know:

Hoodwinked – Why is Florida's voting system so corrupt?: Following the contentious 2000 recount, e-mails on former Sec. of State Katherine Harris' computer revealed that she had been in contact with Jeb Bush during the recount, contrary to both their claims. Miami Herald reporter Meg Laughlin discovered that e-mail messages sent to Jeb Bush from Harris had been deleted after the recount. Harris then had the operating system of her computer changed, a procedure that erased all its data. “What was odd about what she did,” said Mark Seibel, an editor at the Herald, “was that they installed an old operating system—not a new one—which makes you wonder why they did it.”

I think Kerry will need at least a three point lead in Florida to carry the state in the face of absentee ballot stuffing, and of the mischief that a smart, ruthless, Governor can cause when in cahoots with local officials. I hope the polls look good in Ohio…

Posted in Florida | 6 Comments