Smart political maneuvering by Jesse Jackson, Jr:

Jackson supported Burris’ effort to claim the seat to which he was appointed by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich but criticized him for allowing his supporters to play the race card. This “racialization of the Senate seat is going to be a profound problem for Democrats,” Jackson told Politico.

It seems fair to assume that Jackson wants to be the next Senator from Illinois. Criticizing the "racialization" of the Blago/Burris Affair BY Burris while at the same time supporting Burris' seating is shrewd political positioning by Jackson.

Well played sir.

Speaking for me only

Back in 2007, we wrote about Sargent Binkley, an army officer and PTSD victim, facing a 12 year mandatory minimum sentencing in California for robbing a Walgreens for drugs he became addicted to in Bosnia. A jury Tuesday found him not guilty by reason of insanity.

Binkley, 33, is an Army veteran from Los Altos who attended Los Altos High School and West Point military academy. Psychiatrists testified at the trial that Binkley developed PTSD during his time in Bosnia and Honduras and developed an addiction to painkillers after a hip injury that went untreated for years.

While it remains to be decided if he needs in-patient treatment, the probability is he will be given out-patient treatment. He won't go to jail. Sometimes the system works. Or as his supporters' website says, "A Victory for all veterans
with PTSD!."

The Inspector General's report on the civil rights division of the Department of Justice is out. The findings: Bush appointee Bradley Schlozman broke the law.

Among the newly hired lawyers whose political or ideological views could be discerned, 63 of 65 lawyers hired under Schlozman had Republican or conservative credentials, the report said.

[More...]

Update: Evidence in Terror Trials in Chaos: Military defense lawyers say the the re-referral of charges may have been an "accidental mistake." Several cases are in evidentiary chaos.

Teen soldier Omar Khadr, a true child of Jihad, has been set for trial by military commission at Guantanamo on January 26. That would give President Obama 7 days from his swearing in to abolish the unfair tribunals created by the the Bush Administration under the Military Commissions Act.

Unlike closing Guantanamo, which could take Obama months or a year -- even if he enters an executive order commanding the closure upon taking office -- stopping the military commissions trials can be done immediately.

Today, in an unexpected move, the official overseeing the military commission trials withdrew the charges against Khadr and the other four detainees facing trial by military tribunal and refiled them, which has the effect of voiding all proceedings that have taken place to date. In other words, the trial dates are off as they start from scratch. [More...]

A new season of American Idol just started. Is anyone watching? There's a new judge this year.

I couldn't help but watch The Bachelor last night. My predictions: He chooses Melissa, with Molly being the #2 and Jillian #3.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

During the presidential campaign, President-elect Obama pledged numerous times to end DEA raids on individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with their state law. The U.S. Attorney General is the member of the cabinet who will implement Obama¹s criminal justice policies, including federal marijuana enforcement.

Confirmation hearings for Obama's nominee, Eric Holder, are scheduled to begin on January 15th before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Holder's past positions on drug law reform are outlined here.

Via NORML:

Please help NORML make sure the next Attorney General keeps the promises made by President-elect Obama! Call or write Senator Leahy's office at (202) 224-4242 and say:

With the Newsweek-led drive to mainstream "What Dick Did", it is important to remember that the Beltway and Newsweek have no grasp of history. This morning on Joe Scarborough's show, Newsweek Managing Editor Jon Meacham demonstrated his feeble grasp of the history regarding Lincoln, the Civil War and civil liberties. I addressed that here. In addition, FDR's name was also thrown around as an example to follow. You see, according to Newsweek, Korematsu was one of the great moments in American jurisprudence, not a shameful chapter in our history.

But the interesting thing is "Dick" did not even pass the Korematsu test. I'll explain why on the flip.

Remember when the Beltway thought "lying under oath" was an affront to the Constitution? No? Okay, let me try this -- do you remember when the Beltway thought "lying" under oath about oral sex with an unrelated consensual third party in a civil deposition in a case funded and promoted by right wing extremists was an affront to the Constitution?

Lying to Congress? About politicizing the Justice Department? The Beltway says, "who cares?" After all, "what would Dick Do?" is the key question President-elect Obama should be asking himself according to the Beltway Gasbags.

Speaking for me only

Is Troy Aikman a "dignitary" in need of protection? A U.S. Marshal claims government resources were not misused when Aikman, Joe Buck, and Joseph Band, a lawyer for the Marshals Service who happened to be a part-time statistician for Fox Sports, were driven to the 2008 Super Bowl by a deputy marshal.

Investigators found that in at least three cities (Boston; Tampa, Fla.; and Phoenix), United States Marshals granted Band’s request for vehicles and drivers, even though it should have been clear that he was not at the games on official business, the [Inspector General's] report said.

Band arranged for Marshals Service escorts to an NFL playoff game and to a couple of World Series games. Instead of coming clean and admitting that Band misused governmental resources for his own purposes, and that the marshals who signed off on his requests made mistakes, the marshal for Arizona claimed transporting Aikman and Buck "could be considered 'dignitary protection.'" Aikman was a fine quarterback and Buck is a stellar announcer, but dignitaries they are not. As excuses for poor judgment go, this one is awfully lame.

Bumped - BTD

Update (TL) 8:47 am MT: Hillary just finished her statement. The Q and A is beginning.

The hearing on the confirmation of Sen. Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State is tomorrow before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It's expected to be a one day hearing with a vote on Thursday.

By nearly all accounts, Hillary Clinton is on a fast track to confirmation for the premiere position in the cabinet of President-elect Barack Obama. Not only has committee chairman Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) scheduled a vote on her confirmation for Thursday, but its top Republican, Dick Lugar of Indiana, said he would vote for her before she was even officially nominated....After meeting with her last week, Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) called her nomination "a net plus for the administration and the country."

Go Hillary. This is a no-brainer. We're fortunate Obama chose her. Here's to a speedy confirmation.

Glenn Greenwald:

Politicians, by definition, respond to political pressure. Those who decide that it's best to keep quiet and simply trust in the goodness and just nature of their leader are certain to have their political goals ignored. It's always better -- far better -- for a politician to know that he's being scrutinized closely and will be praised and supported only when his actions warrant that, and will be criticized and opposed when they don't.

Why is so hard for some folks to understand this?

Speaking for me only

On Joe Scarborough's morning show, Newsweek's Jon Meacham continues that magazine's attempt to mainstream torture and Executive abuse of power "in time of war." Let's accept the dubious premise that federal policy against potential terrorist attacks on the United States is "a war," what is the basis for arguing that the Constitution becomes inoperative in time of war? Meacham argues that Abraham Lincoln made that argument and acted in that fashion. This is not accurate history. More importantly, it is not legally relevant. With the Al Marri case now going before the Court, this question will actually be before the Supreme Court. Let's consider the issues on the flip.