Can Police Prevent The Next Charlottesville?
Even before the demonstration in Virginia began last weekend, the police there knew they weren’t going to be able to handle what was coming. Charlottesville police officers, including Sgt. Jake Via of the investigations bureau, had been contacting organizers and scanning social media to figure out how many demonstrators were headed their way and whether they would be armed.
NRA Double Standard On Terror On Display Following Barcelona, Charlottesville
The National Rifle Association’s live news show Stinchfield issued a “terror alert” following terrorist van attacks in Spain, in which ISIS supporters drove vans into crowds at two locations, killing 14 and injuring more than 100 people.
The Joe Arpaio I Knew
The former Maricopa County sheriff made his name in part by targeting immigrants — even after a judge ordered him to stop. As President Trump considers a pardon, it’s worth remembering precisely what Arpaio did in his decades in law enforcement.
21st Century Fox Has Paid Out $50 Million To Settle Harassment Claims Against Fox News
The settlements have occurred since Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson’s lawsuit against then-Fox News chief Roger Ailes, charging him with harassment and retaliation, opened a floodgate of claims against the company. Ailes denied the charges but was forced out of the company, which paid a $20 million settlement to Carlson.
Across The Country, Bills Immunize Drivers Who Injure Protesters
With all eyes on the tragedies of Charlottesville, many say this is not the America they recognize. However, legalized violence is nothing new, chiefly in the form of police brutality and the immunity offered to those who retaliate against protesters.
Neo-Nazis Called On Trump To Pardon Joe Arpaio. Now Trump Is “Seriously Considering” Doing It.
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a pardon for Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, after neo-Nazi and other fringe media that have supported Trump called for him to do so. Arpaio was found guilty of criminal contempt of court on July 31…
Charlottesville Car Attack Suspect Remains Behind Bars As Judge Denies Bail
A Virginia judge on Monday declined to set bail for James Alex Fields Jr., the 20-year-old Ohio man accused of second-degree murder and other charges after authorities said he plowed his car into a crowd of counter-protesters near the scene of a white supremacist rally that erupted into violence.
Misdemeanor Defendants Facing Jail Time Not Told They Have A Right To Counsel, Bar Association Finds
Prosecutors handling the misdemeanor cases invited the accused who were interested in pleading guilty to step forward and finalized plea deals for suspended sentences and an array of fines. There were no defense lawyers, nor were any of the defendants advised they were entitled to one.
Disturbing Trend: Bad Cops Getting Rehired Back Into Law Enforcement
At minimum, police departments whose mandate is to protect and serve the public should be compelled to remove bad cops from their ranks, to ensure that police power comes with at least a modicum of accountability. Though it doesn’t happen nearly enough, some law enforcement officials do try to weed out problem officers.
In New York City, World’s Marijuana Arrest Capital, Minorities Bear The Brunt
Last month, the Drug Policy Alliance released a report noting that marijuana arrests under New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio continue to be marked by shocking racial disparities, much as they were under his predecessors, Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg. Stung by the criticism, de Blasio is fighting back…
Blowing Up The Big Marijuana IQ Myth
But while such inflammatory claims by culture warriors like Coulter are to be expected – and may readily be dismissed – the notion that smoking pot will have lasting negative impacts on intelligence is a longstanding one, and a claim that is all too often made by those on both sides of the political spectrum. Yet the latest science finds little to no factual basis for this contention.
These Two Supreme Court Cases Protect Police Who Use Excessive Force
here are numerous systemic barriers that historically hinder police accountability. Statutes found in police union contracts and police bills of rights, for instance, often protect officers at the expense of holding them accountable for their actions. But perhaps one of the strongest barriers to police accountability is enshrined in two precedent-setting Supreme Court cases.
Rod Wheeler Sues Over Seth Rich Story
The suit, filed by Rod Wheeler, a private investigator who regularly appears on Fox News, claimed the channel coordinated a meeting with then-press secretary Sean Spicer and gave President Donald Trump an advance copy of the article, according to an exclusive NPR report Tuesday.
‘The 100th Nail In The Coffin’ For Integration In Westchester County
For years, Westchester County insisted its zoning laws did not prevent black and Latino families from moving into wealthy suburbs north of New York City — even in a town like Pound Ridge, which is 94 percent white. Almost all homes in that bucolic community accommodate single families. Apartments are hard to come by;
Policy Encouraging Citizens To Act Like Anti-Immigrant Snitches Sparks Wave Of Protest
On Wednesday, DACA recipients and allies from across the country arrived in Austin, Texas for a rally and sit-in to show their commitment to protecting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Fifteen people were arrested for blocking traffic in front of the Texas Capitol (four DACA recipients and 11 allies).
“Alt-Right” Ship Detained In Mediterranean For Apparent Human Trafficking
Defend Europe, an anti-immigrant group that attempts to disrupt humanitarian search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea, recently chartered a boat that was stopped in a Cyprus port, where several members were arrested for forging documents and engaging in potential human trafficking.
NRA Exploits Rape Victimhood To Defend Reckless Gun Owners
Yesterday, a National Rifle Association spokesperson appeared on NRATV—the NRA network—to defend NRA positions with an NRATV host. Yet somehow, the messaging still managed to go off-the-rails.
Trump Pressures Sessions To Replace The Acting FBI Director
In two tweets Wednesday morning, Trump criticized Sessions for not replacing Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, whose wife ran for office in Virginia as a Democrat in 2015 and received contributions from the state Democratic Party.
On Rikers Island, A Move Toward Reform Causes Trouble
In the most secure levels, inmates who have committed violent infractions — caused injury to another inmate or guard, or attempted to stab or slash someone in jail — can leave their cells for a minimum of seven hours every day, but must be locked to the desks for much of that time.
The Sadly Public Last Days Of Charlie Gard
Charlie Gard’s parents were working on the last major decision they will make for him: how he will die. Chris Gard and Connie Yates had given up their fight to secure an effective therapy for their severely brain-damaged 11-month-old baby. They’ve just agreed to have him spend his last days at a hospice.
The Rule Of Law Has Never Been Weaker In Washington
As President Trump drops increasingly broad hints that he believes he is above the law, Congress and the public face an impending crisis that will test whether the Republican Party is more loyal to Trump or to the rule of law. The crisis is all but certain, and the outcome is very much in doubt.
Modern-Day Eugenics? Prisoners Sterilized For Shorter Sentences
A Tennessee county has greenlit a modern-day eugenics program under the guise of offering prisoners a better future. Judge Sam Benningfield of White County issued an order in May that reduces jail sentences for inmates who agree to undergo birth control procedures. For male inmates, a credit of just 30 days is offered in exchange for vasectomies, which are permanent.
Jared Kushner Is Giving Himself Ample Room To Lie To Congress
“I did not collude,” says Jared Kushner, President Trump’s embattled son-in-law. Facing questions about a June 9, 2016, meeting with a Russian government attorney, Kushner has released an 11-page statement notable for its slippery claims and veiled admissions.
Mike Pence’s Opportunity
Donald Trump and those around him have made a long series of mistakes stemming from his campaign’s contacts with Russians and subsequent inquiries into the matter, which raise the real possibility of his impeachment. But none of those compares to his biggest blunder: choosing Mike Pence as his running mate.
Meet America’s Most Powerful Drug Reformer
Led by Ethan Nadelmann since its formation 17 years ago, the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) has been the most influential drug reform organization in the country, with a hand in advancing the causes not only of medical marijuana and marijuana legalization, but of drug law reform more broadly, in all its manifestations and intersectionality.