They are falling like a ton of bricks. Today it's Ohio coin dealer and Republican money man Tom Noe. He was one of Bush's most important fundraisers, players, and political operatives in northwest Ohio,

Noe was indicted in state court in February on 53 counts of theft, corruption and money laundering that alleged he stole from a state-run investment fund for injured workers. Earlier, he had been indicted by the feds for illegal contributions to Bush's re-election campaign.

Today he notified the federal court he wanted to plead guilty.

Let's not forget prisoner abuse begins at home.

It's called Area 2. And for nearly two decades beginning in 1971, it was the epicenter for what has been described as the systematic torture of dozens of African-American males by Chicago police officers. In total, more than 135 people say they were subjected to abuse including having guns forced into their mouths, bags places over their heads, and electric shocks inflicted to their genitals. Four men have been released from death row after government investigators concluded torture led to their wrongful convictions.

Yet the case around Area 2 is nowhere near a resolution -- to date, not one Chicago police officer has been charged with any crime.

An investigation has been ongoing for four years and last week police officers blocked the release of the proseuctors' report. They filed a motion to suppress the report because it contains their names and they haven't been indicted. The Judge has the motion under advisement.

Say hello to Bench Conference, the brand new legal blog at the Washington Post. It is authored by Denverite and CBS News Analyst Andrew Cohen.

I've been reading Andrew's columns at CBS News and in the local Colorado papers for several years. He got his stripes covering the McVeigh trial. I didn't agree with him very often back then, but in recent years, I have noticed that he has become more sensitized to the plight of defendants and the injustices in our system and more critical of the Government. His writing style has loosened up and often packs a punch. Here's his recent column on the Moussaoui verdict. I often find myself nodding in agreement as I read his stuff.

Here's his take on Bush's warrantless NSA surveillance program and an ill-conceived proposed Congressional fix.

Daniel Biechele, former manager for the Great White band, was sentenced today to four years in prison with eleven years suspended for his role in an on-stage pyrotechnics fire at a Rhode Island nightclub that killed 100 people.

Beichele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter and under the terms of his plea agreement, could have received up to ten years in jail.

Biechele was the tour manager for heavy metal band Great White when on Feb. 20, 2003, he lit a pyrotechnics display that ignited highly flammable foam that lined the walls and ceiling of The Station nightclub in West Warwick. The foam was used as soundproofing and was placed there by the owners after neighbors complained about noise from the club.

While many will take General Michael Hayden's statement to Sen. Dick Durbin that he would consider an Amendment to FISA for Bush's warrantless electronic spying program as cause to support him, I don't.

Durbin, after a 35-minute meeting Wednesday with Hayden, said the nominee for CIA director told him: "With all the publicity that has surrounded this program, we may be closer to the possibility of asking for a change in FISA." "He didn't say he would," Durbin added.

Democrats should think twice before tinkering with FISA. We'll be headed down that slippery slope and the risk is that this will only be the beginning. Bush next will bring the debate from conversations between one person outside the country and one person inside the country to conversations between two people inside the country. And then there will be a move to reduce the protections in Title III, which regulates eavesdropping on Americans in criminal investigations.

Sen. Arlen Specter's proposal is terrible. The warrantless eavesdropping program has not been particularly effective.

by TChris

Louisiana's juvenile justice system has always been atrocious, but Orleans Parish's indifference to the welfare of juveniles was particularly evident during Hurricane Katrina.

More than 100 teenagers held in detention during Hurricane Katrina endured horrific conditions in the storm's aftermath, including standing for hours in filthy floodwater, having nothing to eat and drink for three to five days, and being forced to consume the waters as a result, according to a report released here Tuesday.

Those in the "law and order" crowd who are tempted to think that juvenile offenders deserved whatever harm they endured during Katrina should consider this (emphasis added):

"They left us in there with no food and no water," said Eddie Fenceroy, 15, a former detainee against whom charges have since been dismissed, advocates said.

Mr. Fenceroy described standing in the floodwater for "a whole day" before being rescued. "Some people were drinking the water," he said.

What's hot today? Here's an open thread for everything but the Duke Lacrosse case.

Since Judge J. Michael Luttig has been mentioned many times for a Suprme Court judgeship and is one of the most conservative judges around, I think it's good news that he submitted his resignation today. He will now be Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Boeing.

His letter of resignation to President Bush is here (pdf).

It sounds like pay was a big factor in his decision. He writes that he has two children approaching college age, and his highest obligation is to his family.

Colin Finnerty's May 18 hearing in the Duke Lacrosse case has been continued to mid-June because the DA hasn't finished providing discovery. I suspect Reade Seligman's will be as well.

Durham's mayor wants some answers on the recently released Duke police report saying the accuser had credibility issues.

I don't know if there's more news in the case, but with 183 comments on yesterday's thread, it's time for a new one.

The "We Are America Alliance" is launching an immigrant voter registration drive today in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities. Its goal is to register 1 million immigrant voters for the November elections.

During the summer, immigrant advocates will encourage community organizations, union halls and churches across the country to become "immigrant action justice centers." Voter registration forms, citizenship information, letters addressed to politicians and phone numbers to call members of Congress will be available. The groups also plan to set up mobile information centers in high-traffic areas.

Conflicting reports continue concerning Rolling Stone Keith Richards' fall from a palm tree on Fiji. While the New Zealand Herald reported he had two brain surgeries, and possibly sustained brain damage, the Rolling Stones deny it.

The Stones' New York-based publicist, Fran Curtis, issued a statement denying a report in the New Zealand Herald that Richards, 62, had undergone two surgeries since his accident and that doctors were concerned about brain damage.

"Keith Richards did not undergo a second operation. The first and only operation was done on Monday, May 8, and was 100 percent successful," the band's statement said. "There was no brain damage. He continues to improve as expected."

Background here.

Bush's ship is sinking into the ocean. He's fallen so far, The New York Times reports he may not be able to reverse the damage. He continues to lose support among his base as well as Democrats and Independents. According to the new CBS-New York Times poll,

Mr. Bush's approval rating for his management of foreign policy, Iraq and the economy have fallen to the lowest levels of his presidency.

....Mr. Bush's overall job approval rating hit another new low, 31 percent, tying the low point of his father, George H. W. Bush, in July 1992, four months before the elder Mr. Bush lost his bid for a second term to Bill Clinton. That is the third lowest approval rating of any president in 50 years; only Richard M. Nixon and Jimmy Carter were viewed less favorably.

There's also good news for Democrats: