Issues

Churches step up environmental activism

PITTSBURGH — God is going green.

With a Bible in one hand and a protest sign in the other, many religious activists are now moving in lockstep with the environmental movement in the fight against oil and gas drilling.

Stewardship of the Earth is hardly a new concept in ...

Conn. tribe sees fortune reversal amid casino woes

MASHANTUCKET | For two decades, the Mashantucket Pequots lived like Indian gambling royalty. Luxury cars abounded on their tiny, gated reservation of Colonial and ranch-style homes in the woods of southeastern Connecticut.

The tribe's Foxwoods casino, the largest in the Western Hemisphere, allowed members to live without concern for money, ...

JetBlue pilot charged with interfering with crew

RICHMOND HILL, Ga. (AP) — A JetBlue Airways captain who sprinted through the cabin of a Las Vegas-bound flight screaming about terrorists, Jesus and Sept. 11 was charged Wednesday with interfering with a flight crew, federal authorities said.

Captain Clayton Osbon told his co-pilot that "things don't matter" shortly after ...

Best of the Web Today: Will the High Court Vindicate Vinson?

Opinion Journal - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
Justice Kennedy sounds surprisingly like the judge who struck down ObamaCare in toto.


Who will win Senate 'big oil' tax fight?

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
Your pain at the pump is the U.S. Senate's top issue this week. Senate Democrats and Republicans are arguing over a bill that would end billions in tax breaks for large oil companies -- a proposal designed to tap into voter anger over rising gas prices heading into the general election.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

Behind the wheel of a distracted driver

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
CNN's Lizzie O'Leary takes to the road in a simulator to demonstrate the hazards of distracted driving.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

Snowplow driver, wife charged in Vt. teacher's death

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont snowplow driver and his wife lured a beloved prep school teacher from her home by pretending their vehicle had broken down and then beat and strangled her before stripping her body naked and throwing it into the Connecticut River, court documents say.

The ...

S.D.Fla.: Knock-and-talk of convicted felon's house after his frisk revealed gun in plain view, and warrantless entry justified

FourthAmendment.com - News - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10

Defendant was the subject of a wiretap, and he was confronted on the street about having a gun in his possession. He allowed a frisk and no gun was found. Officers went to his house and knocked. When the door was opened, a gun was seen through the open door. Entry without a warrant was justified by exigent circumstances that the gun would disappear if it was not seized. Officers did not arrest on the spot to keep the wiretap viable. "Conversations subsequently monitored contained a statement by Shingles that 'I'm glad they didn't find that sawed off.'" United States v. Rodgers, 924 F.2d 219 (11th Cir. 1991); United States v. Smalls, 617 F. Supp.2d 1240 (S.D. Fla. 2008). United States v. Shingles, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41130 (S.D. Fla. March 2, 2012).

Because no suspicion was required to search Asprilla and because probable cause existed that he was residing at his girlfriend’s Ingalls Street apartment, we need not consider whether the search was alternately justified by exigent circumstances.” United States v. Asprilla, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 6232 (9th Cir. March 27, 2012) (unpublished).*

Defendant allegedly threatened a neighbor with a gun, and the neighbor called the police. An officer ran defendant’s name finding a PV warrant out for a prior offense of FIPF. The officer went to defendant’s house, and his wife had apparent authority to consent to a search for the gun. United States v. Schmitz, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 6211 (11th Cir. March 27, 2012) (unpublished).*

Feds focus on distracted driving

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
While driving, John Lee glanced down at his car's MP3 player, looking for Bruce Springsteen songs. And, like what many other Americans do every day, Lee, an expert in distracted driving, was driving while distracted. Now the NTSB is looking at whether to ban devices in the car altogether.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

W.D.Pa.: Claim that officers made up facts in affidavit for SW requires a proffer of what's false and what's truth

FourthAmendment.com - News - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10

Claim that officers made up the allegations of the affidavit for the search warrant still did not warrant a Franks hearing. He at least needs to make a proffer of the falsity and what rebuts. United States v. Wade, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40754 (W.D. Pa. March 26, 2012):

7. Defendant did not, however, present a sufficient preliminary showing that the affidavit contained a false statement. He is, therefore, not entitled to a Franks hearing, and the court must deny the Motion for a Franks Hearing (ECF No. 57). Defendant presented no evidence to contradict any of the averments made in the application for the warrant. His attempt to eliminate the potential callers (and by process of elimination present testimony that no confidential informant called defendant at the appropriate time) failed. The warrant application contains a statement that the CI called Wade's phone sometime after 6:30 p.m. and before 6:55 p.m., which is when Churilla and the CI departed the police station heading to Wade's residence. There are at least five telephone calls from unidentified callers (Callers A, B, C, D, and E) in that time period which were answered, any of which could be attributable to the CI.

E.D.Mich.: Independent source, consent, lack of standing, and inevitable discovery overcame Jones violation

FourthAmendment.com - News - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10

The government’s warrantless use of GPS on vehicles in violation of Jones does not lead to suppression. On the vehicle search, there was consent of the operator and no standing of the others. “Neither of these Defendants has presented evidence showing either an ownership or contractual interest in any of these vehicles or exclusivity of use such that would give rise to a legitimate expectation of privacy.” On a dwelling search, the evidence showed that a search warrant would have issued anyway under the independent source doctrine when the GPS information was removed from the warrant. On another vehicle search, there was independent probable cause for its search apart from the GPS monitoring. United States v. Luna-Santillanes, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40532 (E.D. Mich. March 26, 2012).

Lawmaker wearing hoodie removed from House floor

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
A congressman was removed from the House floor Wednesday after giving a speech about Trayvon Martin while wearing a hoodie.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

Toobin: Mandate appears 'doomed'

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
Jeffrey Toobin says the Obama administration is still having trouble making its case in Supreme Court arguments.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

Zeleny's Revenge?

Opinion Journal - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
By James Freeman New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny has co-authored a piece suggesting that it's time for Mr. Santorum to quit the race.


Memos reveal strategy against gay marriage

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
A national group opposed to same-sex marriage aimed to fight it by driving "a wedge between gays and blacks" and identifying "glamorous" Latino artists and athletes to advocate traditional marriage, according to newly released confidential memos.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

Toobin: Verrilli stumbles were 'awful'

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
CNN's Jeffrey Toobin discuss yesterday's health care hearing and Solicitor General Donald Verrilli's performance.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

Women's groups target 'gyno-governors'

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
If anyone is comfortable speaking openly and boldly about women's bodies, it's Eve Ensler. The playwright and activist behind "The Vagina Monologues" has been at it for years.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

Federal fire crews taking over Colo. wildfire

CONIFER, Colo. (AP) — Federal fire crews are planning to take the offensive in containing a 7-square-mile blaze that may have claimed two lives and destroyed dozens of homes in the mountains southwest of Denver.

Authorities on Wednesday will try to determine if a prescribed burn in tinder dry conditions ...

Obama nominates new FAA chief

CNN - Politics - Wed, 2025-05-14 14:10
Michael Huerta, who was thrust into the job of acting chief of the Federal Aviation Administration following the arrest of the agency's leader on drunk driving charges, has been nominated to head the agency.
Categories: CNN, Issues, Politics

Saudi diplomat kidnapped in southern Yemen

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A Saudi diplomat was kidnapped on his way to work Wednesday in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden, a Yemeni security official said.

It was the first kidnapping of a Saudi diplomat in this impoverished country, where abductions are frequent and where armed tribesmen and ...

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