BeltwayBlips - Latest Law and Justice News Articles

Book review of 'American Original: The Life and Constitution of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia' by Joan Biskupic

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:58:20 +0000

Antonin Scalia's influence is stronger than ever, according to Joan Biskupic in her new biography of the Supreme Court justice.

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Poll: Paterson's TV ads still not helping

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:52:34 +0000

Poll: Paterson's TV ads still not helping. (CNN) - - A new poll suggests that the big television ad push by New York Gov. David Paterson's campaign may not be quite as effective as he'd hoped: A Marist College survey released Friday indicates that 56 percent of New York state voters have seen at least one of Paterson's television commercials - and those who'd seen the ad appeared slightly less likely to support his run. Sixty-one percent who hadn't seen the ad thought the governor should not remain in the 2010 race. Among those who'd actually seen the spot, that number was roughly 4 points higher: Nearly two-thirds of those who say they've seen the ad don't think Paterson should run in 2010. That 4-point margin is just outside the poll's 3.5 percent sampling error. Paterson went up on the airwaves last month with a major ad campaign designed to reintroduce himself to voters. His campaign said the commercials would run for several weeks, and constitute a "multi-million ...

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Giuliani spokeswoman: Rudy has not made up his mind

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:47:52 +0000

Giuliani spokeswoman: No decision yet. strong>(CNN) - A spokeswoman for Rudy Giuliani says that the former New York City mayor has not made up his mind about running for governor next year. Maria Comella's comments were in response to report Thursday in the New York Times that Giuliani had decided not to run for New York governor in 2010, according to people who have been told of his decision. "Rudy has a history of making up his own mind and has no problem speaking it. When Mayor Giuliani makes a decision about serving in public office, he will inform New Yorkers on his own," said Comella in a statement. Recent polls of New York State voters indicate that Giuliani holds a wide lead over former Rep. Rick Lazio, the only Republican to have declared a gubernatorial bid, in a hypothetical 2010 GOP primary match-up. According to the surveys, Giuliani has a double-digit advantage over incumbent Democratic Gov. David Paterson in a hypothetical general election faceoff. ...

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Obama and Holder defend plans to try Sept. 11 suspects

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Republican lawmakers question whether a civilian trial would be successful and say it might again make New York a terrorist target. Holder counters: 'We need not cower in the face of this enemy.' > The Obama administration on Wednesday strongly defended its decision to try the alleged plotters of the Sept. 11 attacks in a civilian New York court, but faced criticism from Republican senators who called it a "perversion" of justice that would risk freeing some of the world's most notorious terrorists.

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Holder Defends Decision to Use U.S. Court for 9/11 Trial

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:15:26 +0000

The attorney general told a Senate committee that federal court is the best place to try five accused co-conspirators in the Sept. 11 attacks.

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Republican senators, Holder clash over terrorism trials (McClatchy Newspapers)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:42:00 +0000

McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Republican senators confronted Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday over his decision to try the Sept. 11 terrorism suspects in civilian court.

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Holder defends terrorism trial in New York

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:34:49 +0000

Attorney General Eric Holder defended his decision Wednesday to try five suspected 9/11 terrorists in civilian court.

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Holder defends decision to try alleged 9/11 terrorists in New York

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:10:28 +0000

Holder defends decision to try alleged 9/11 terrorists in New York. Washington (CNN) – Attorney General Eric Holder defended his decision Wednesday to try five suspected 9/11 terrorists in civilian court. "We are at war and we will use every instrument of national power - civilian, military, law enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic and others –to win," he told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "We need not cower in the face of this enemy. Our institutions are strong." Holder announced last week that the suspected terrorists - including confessed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed - will be tried in civilian court in New York City. All five suspects have been held in the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Critics of Holder's decision have argued that the suspects should be tried by a military tribunal. "There is nothing common about the treatment the alleged 9/11 conspirators will receive," Holder promised. "In fact, I ...

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Rudy's shift on terrorism trial

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:58:00 +0000

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro, Kelly Paice and Ali WeinbergWith Attorney General Eric Holder testifying on Capitol Hill today, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will take his shots on a conference call sponsored by the Republican National Committee (as we mentioned in First Thoughts today.) But Rudy's hot rhetoric today is a far cry from his stance in 1994 after the verdict in the World Trade Center bombing trial. The New York Times wrote on March 5, 1994: "Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani declared...( read more )

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Holder defends terrorism trial in New York

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:53:16 +0000

Attorney General Eric Holder defended his decision Wednesday to try five suspected 9/11 terrorists in civilian court.

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Holder: 'Ultimate' penalty for KSM

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:02:06 +0000

AG tells Senate Judiciary Committee that he'll direct prosecutors to seek “most uncommon penalty".

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Holder: Don't fear trial of 'coward' 9/11 plotter (AP)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:56:48 +0000

AP - Attorney General Eric Holder is telling critics not to cower at the prospect of a New York trial for professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

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Sotomayor adds celebrity to high court

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:58:32 +0000

Since becoming the first Hispanic justice, Sonia Sotomayor has mamboed with movie stars, exchanged smooches with musicians and thrown the first pitch for the New York Yankees.

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CAPITAL CULTURE: Sotomayor adds celebrity to court (AP)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:02:23 +0000

AP - Apparently, no one told Sonia Sotomayor that Supreme Court justices are supposed to be circumspect, emerging from their marble palace mainly to dispense legal wisdom to law schools, judges' conferences and lawyers' meetings.

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Poll: Paterson's TV ads haven't helped

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:24:47 +0000

(CNN) – A new poll suggests that a new television ad push by New York Gov. David Paterson's campaign may not be making an impact so far on voters. A Siena College Research Institute survey released Monday indicates that only 21 percent of New Yorkers have a positive opinion of the job Paterson's doing as governor, with 79 percent holding a negative opinion - a result virtually unchanged from last month. According to the poll, Paterson trails Attorney General Andrew Cuomo by nearly 60 points in a hypothetical 2010 Democratic primary matchup. That's a wider lead than Cuomo held in last month's survey. The son of former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo has yet to announce if he'll run for governor. The poll also indicates that Paterson trails former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani by more than 20 points in a hypothetical general election face off. He also trails former Rep. Rick Lazio in a 2010 general election matchup for the first time, although the Republican's 3-point advantage is within ...

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Not So Vogue

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:02:54 +0000

By Jess Bravin Last month, photographer Annie Leibowitz announced plans to shoot Justice Sonia Sotomayor for Vogue. Coming days after GQ featured Chief Justice John Roberts , it seemed to signal the birth of haute cour couture. Well, thats not the case. After Leibowitz’s remarks at the California Women’s Conference in Long Beach, Calif., where she mentioned the shoot, we checked with the Supreme Court. Sotomayor sat for a cover photo for Latina magazine , but has no plans for Vogue. Because of the justice’s heavy workload, she is “limiting commitments as she settles into her new responsibilities at the court,” a spokeswoman said. It was a miscommunication and a misunderstanding,” said Vogue spokesman Patrick O’Connell .

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