First Scooter Libby, then Paris Hilton.
By on Jun 11th, 2007 at 11:40 am
First Scooter Libby, then Paris Hilton.
Last week, a dozen conservative legal scholars submitted an amicus brief on behalf of Scooter Libby. Judge Reggie Walton’s response called out the scholars for rushing to the defense of a high-profile Bush administration official, while neglecting the litigants who truly “lack the financial means” for proper legal representation. Today, right-wing Pepperdine University law professor Douglas Kmiec sarcastically responded to Walton:
Judge Walton is right; we should be prepared to “step up to the plate” to help criminal defendants nationwide. Boy, am I lucky to live in the same town as Paris Hilton.
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Pepperdine
June 11th, 2007 at 11:50 amGreat volleyball, lousy law school
Come on TP do an Ed and Elaine Brown story
this story is the rage at the moment
June 11th, 2007 at 11:51 amWe’re inundated with countless Paris Hilton stories from every other conceivable media outlet…is it possible that we might declare a Paris moratorium here at TP?
Please?
I really don’t care about that dumb b!tch, and I know I’m not alone in that sentiment.
June 11th, 2007 at 11:52 amBoy, am I lucky to live in the same town as Paris Hilton.
Yes, the ultimate definition of lucky…
Sheesh.
June 11th, 2007 at 11:53 amParis Hilton is crowding out legitimate news.
This is the new corporate media strategy.
Replace the real news with this celebrity crap.
Keep us in the dark so they can screw us more.
June 11th, 2007 at 11:53 amThe wrath of 2007: America’s great drought
America is facing its worst summer drought since the Dust Bowl years of the Great Depression.
http://www.independent.co.uk/
LOOK TP FRONT PAGE
June 11th, 2007 at 11:55 amOK, so legal scholars should not write briefs based on principal and should right them based on the persons financial status.
June 11th, 2007 at 11:56 amIs that Kmiec’s idea of a “gotcha!” question? “If Walton wants me to help other criminal defendants, then I’m willing to help OTHER rich and well-connected defendants?” If it is, then Kmiec might be the dumbest law professor in the history of law professors. That’s like someone cracking on your mom, and you coming back with “Hey, everything my mom does on the street is JUST to feed her drug habit, so back off!”
June 11th, 2007 at 11:57 amEd and Elaine Brown story
State and federal authorities have converged on the home of a New Hampshire couple involved in a tax standoff.
Ed Brown says he is armed and has promised a Waco like ending, saying he will not be taken alive.
So to recap for you, in case you’ve missed the basics:
Ed and Elaine Brown (a dentist and his wife, who worked for him) did not pay income taxes for 10 years and do not believe their wages are taxable.
They went to court to argue their case, but were not allowed an impartial trial, judge or jury, and were not allowed to cross-examine witnesses or even bring up the constitutionally questionable issue of income taxation.
Fed up and in disgust, they quit participating in the trial, and were sentenced in absentia.
Federal agents are involved in a virtual siege which included alleged firing of weapons, APC carriers, and armed incursions into the Ed Brown property in an obvious attempt to elicit a response, which was foiled by a friend of Ed’s who was walking the dog and alerted them to the police presence.
Transmissions from Ed Brown and his wife (via the Internet, Satellite Phone, and HAM radio) indicate that everyone on their property is in good health as of this time.
TJHEY HAVE BEEN SHOWN NO LAW THAT SAYS YOU MUST PAY TAXES
June 11th, 2007 at 11:59 amSo, how do the professors comments make him “right-wing”?
Actually, I think it was wrong for the judge to bring up the economic class issue in response to Libby’s advocates. Libby himself didn’t have the financial means – he needed fundraisers to pay most of his legal bills (if I’m right). Judge Walton’s comments may not have been a violation of anything, but I see it as being close.
The last time I checked, poor defendents do receive legal representation. You have pro-bono programs, public defenders, and so on.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:00 pmDear ThinkProgress,
Can we stop talking about Paris Hilton?
thanks.
love,
June 11th, 2007 at 12:00 pmKay
Ed and Elaine Brown
Read the constitution (no taxation on wages earned by individuals) it’s a set of standards The United States of America is governed by and those that govern are the sovereigns and that my friend are the people, read the Declaration of Independance and the Articles of the Confederation.Those three documents are revolutionary and the foundation America was built upon.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:01 pmlets change the story to Ed and Elaine Brown story
June 11th, 2007 at 12:01 pmI have no idea what any of this means.
Paris Hilton is a young pretty heiress. Aside from that, am I supposed to know who she is or care? Is there some relevance I’m missing?
June 11th, 2007 at 12:02 pmSpot the winger lawyer…
Judge Walton suggests these people step up to defend poor people, and Doug Kmiec cracks wise about helping Paris Hilton.
Just shows that Wingers, even when tenured, share with their mouth-foaming base an unusual form of stupidity and crassness.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:03 pmAll we need now is for the Attorney General is release the new criminal justice system. Republicans and rich can do what ever they want and it’s legal yet the rest of Americans have to follow the law. It was interesting to see the big names that sent Judge Walton letters of support for Libby. Even Fred ( Law/Order) sent his letter and believes White House criminals shouldn’t be charged. After seeing Fred at the Libby trial it makes since to put Fred in to continue the corruption. Now we know Fred is a true criminal supporting GOP and only reads his lines on TV. Paris is guilty of a crime but the Judge did over do it. Paris needs help even at her age she acts like a teenager. I notice how the media and the public look at the young rich people destroy themselves and they get full coverage. Our troops are dying by the hundreds yet no one notices. I guess that’s why people around the world wonder what is wrong with the American people. We would rather watch Paris leave her house in hand cuffs and Libby lie for Dick Cheney then do something about our soldiers being senselessly killed each day. The world knows Bush is an idiot and liar but Americans are just as dumb to let him continue.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:05 pmPuuuuuuris Hilton
June 11th, 2007 at 12:06 pmParis Hilton is a non-story. It should be in the tabloids.
NOT on Network TV. NOT on the News.
She is crowding out real news and that’s being documented.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:12 pmMeow.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:13 pm#9 – Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are numerous laws that prove that you have to pay taxes.
http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/article/0,,id=119100,00.html
“There have always been individuals who, for a variety of reasons, argue various taxes are illegal. They use false, misleading, or unorthodox tax advice to gain followers. The courts have repeatedly rejected their rguments as frivolous and routinely impose financial penalties for raising such frivolous arguments.”
The United States Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1, states “The Congress shall have the Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States.â€
The Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified on February 3, 1913, states,“The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on income, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumerationâ€.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/friv_tax.pdf
Taxes are used for more than supporting wars of occupation. They pay for the roads we use, the police, firemen, for education, and the justice system. We may not agree with all uses that our taxes are spent on, but our taxes are required by law.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:17 pmI hardly even understand what Kmiec is trying to say here. To the best I can work it out, it doesn’t make sense as a comeback to Walton’s remarks. In that way it is a non-sequitur, but it also has a goofy Yogi Berra sound to it. Kmiec doesn’t sound too bright.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:18 pmSo, how do the professors comments make him “right-wing�
Actually, I think it was wrong for the judge to bring up the economic class issue in response to Libby’s advocates. Libby himself didn’t have the financial means – he needed fundraisers to pay most of his legal bills (if I’m right). Judge Walton’s comments may not have been a violation of anything, but I see it as being close.
The last time I checked, poor defendents do receive legal representation. You have pro-bono programs, public defenders, and so on.
Comment by CompTROLLER V-1 — June 11, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
CompTROLL, the professors comments don’t make him “right wing”; his history of espousing right-wing views and supporting right-wing causes make him “right-wing”. Pay attention next time. Kmiec is a favorite “go-to guy” when the media needs a staunch right-wing sound bite from a law professor.
Being a professor at a law school where the Dean is Ken Starr don’t hurt the right-wing street cred, either.
And are you seriously contending that libby was at some sort of disadvantage because “others had to foot the legal bill for him”? Jesus, the dude was the Vice-President’s Chief of Staff. Not exactly a powerless victim of society. Get real.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:21 pmThe Ed and Elaine Browns of the world are basically wackos, made crazy by an irrational hatred of taxes.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:21 pmParis, you’ll somehow make it out alive!
June 11th, 2007 at 12:28 pmDid that get him a free two-night stay at the Hilton in Paris?
June 11th, 2007 at 12:29 pmDid that get him a free two-night stay at the Hilton in Paris?
Comment by Briseadh na Faire
Or was that a 2 night stay in Paris at the Hilton?
June 11th, 2007 at 12:34 pmI’m still naming my kid ‘Vort McGinnis.’ Zooey, you can’t change my mind.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:37 pmOk….it’s all been said on this thread…..moving on. :D
June 11th, 2007 at 12:44 pmI wouldn’t want a two-night stay in Paris Hilton.
You could get a disease.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:44 pmBush is going to pardon Libby as a way to bring conservatives on board on the immigration bill.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:46 pm“Boy, am I lucky to live in the same town as Paris Hilton.”
Actually, Doug, you’re lucky to live in a a town where far too many people are too dumb to realize how little sense this statement makes.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:50 pmDoes Kmiec spell Crook backwards? No, but about as close as his comment comes in appropriateness to the Judge’s.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:52 pmThat’s “Hedley”…
June 11th, 2007 at 12:56 pmThinkParis.org
June 11th, 2007 at 12:56 pmTwistoidalProgress.org
June 11th, 2007 at 1:05 pmAlrighty then, moving on.
June 11th, 2007 at 1:07 pm[[Test]]
June 11th, 2007 at 1:27 pmTwistoidalProgress.org
Comment by Flaco
Don’t forget to come by and pick up your prize, Flaco.
June 11th, 2007 at 1:40 pmFlaccido is up early today. Well, maybe “up” is the wrong word, given his real name.
June 11th, 2007 at 1:48 pmComment by VerbalKint — June 11, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Paying taxes happens to be voluntary! If people stop paying taxes that are imposed without representation and consistency like the Income Tax the Blood Sucking Politicians arrest them to show the rest of us to never question the laws they make. If you take a stand they simply murder you. Now you can disagree with Ed’s motives and tactics however the US Marshalls fired upon one of Ed’s guests the other morning. The Marshalls are no longer upholding the law when they fire upon unarmed citizens since their intention is to apply a very public beating by criminalizing whatever they choose.
People like Ed prove that we live in a dictatorship. Soon you will see that income tax laws are not even close to being fair. In Ed’s own words they were arrested for paying off their mortgage using money orders. This is the same government that invaded Iraq folks. Naturally the invasion of Iraq has the same sinister underpinnings as Ed’s situation.
In early 2001 the Iraq government changed the Oil for Food account to Euro Dollars. The same thing happened with Iran, Korea and Venezuela. This was the birth of the “Evil Doers†or the king of all public beatings to behold, “the invasion of Iraq.†OPEC had meetings but OPEC control went to Venezuela and until the invasion it appeared that OPEC would switch to the Euro Dollar as the currency of choice for all oil transactions.
If Ed insists that he has had enough I believe him. To you it is crazy to take a stand like this but Ed’s stand is based in the fact that it is better to die a free man than a slave to a violent and tyrannical government.
June 11th, 2007 at 1:53 pmAnd this twerp calls himself a “law prof”? He’d defend Paris just because she might stand beside him for the interview session.
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Comment by TrollINGMOTOR T-2
[activating virus protection software]
Even revolutionary developments (AKA CompTROLLER V-1) have their own jealous spammers to vent out.
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