The boneless, headless chicken ranch on the Hill is in a frenzy once again, as a new darling standing in defiance in front of the encroaching Trump tank is born: Peet Bharara, the US Attorney who refused to leave.
Law
The Shocking Judge
Should judges be able to taser defendants who annoy them? Incredibly, one judge in Maryland thinks the answer is yes, and it’s the taxpayers who will foot the bill when damages are awarded.
LN TecWeek for 3.10.17: NoDAPL Gets a Warrant
Warrants for political Facebook pages, more on Vault 7, and an update on the Amazon Echo case.
The DOJ Chooses Secrets Over Prosecuting Pedophiles
This week the federal government decided it was more important to keep the secret of how it traced people looking at child pornography rather than prosecuting them.
You Are Under Surveillance: Wikileaks Exposes the CIA
It turns out that complete government cyber surveillance isn’t a science fiction movie plot after all. Now it’s a verifiable fact, and people like former CIA agent Bill Binney are somewhere between screaming “I told you so!” and feeling the weight of this horrifying reality sink down deep onto their shoulders. YOU, Mr. and Ms. American, are under surveillance — even in your home.
WikiLeaks Explosion Rocks CIA
After the Snowden affair, even ordinary Americans began to feel a bit hinky about the U.S. government’s ability to know what they watch, say, write and do. Still, most people simply tried to joke about it and laugh it off. But after yesterday’s announcement by WikiLeaks that it plans to begin a “new series of leaks on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency,” Americans may no longer find this a laughing matter.
Firearms for the Left?
Maybe an increased number of minorities are buying weapons out of fear, and maybe not. Regardless, current gun owners outside of these communities should keep an eye out at the shooting range for a new person in the lane next to them, and then take the opportunity to reach out and strike up a conversation. Forging a common bond over the tools that ensure no one can take away our freedom might be exactly what keeps us from ever needing to use them in the first place.
SCOTUS: For Now It’s Back to the Girl’s Room
In like a lion, out like a lamb. The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a transgender bathroom case yesterday morning but the story is far from over.
Toxic Words and Political Discourse
The level of animosity between online political foes has reached almost fever-pitch. Even news stories not directly related to political issues have become fertile ground for bashing President Trump or clobbering Democrats, depending on your point of view. This verbal punching has gradually become more and more toxic. It’s no longer a matter of disagreeing with – or even arguing with – people who hold different views; political differences these days often deteriorate into name-calling, spiteful remarks and, in some cases, even threats.