Law and Order
Assuming it’s not a really clever photoshop, Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s defense attorneys undoubtedly shuddered when this International Monetary Fund photograph by Stephen Jaffe went up on The Corner late this afternoon.
For 20+ years, especially on the right, Dave Talan has been a bit of a celebrity in Rhode Island politics. I first encountered him in 2000 as a volunteer for the McCain campaign. One of our tasks was to collect signatures to get him on the Republican primary ballot. Dave did not support McCain (if…
Most people probably have an idealized image of the legislative process as one in which legislators draft bills that they desire, other legislators sign on as they’re interested, and everybody votes according to their understanding of the consequences. It seems somehow foreign to everyday life to trade votes on unrelated issues and such, but in…
Some folks have been astonished that I could be ambivalent about the movement to legalize marijuana. A large item on the negative side of the ledger is my suspicion of the manner in which it’s being approached, particularly the necessary involvement of the government. On that note, and without striking for highfalutin waters on a…
Clicking on this RI Judiciary link (“Adult Criminal Information Database”), choosing “Search by Defendant Name/Business Name”, clicking “Accept” at the bottom and then entering “Leidecker” in the “LAST NAME” field brings up two files/cases, both pertaining to John Leidecker. (Mr. Leidecker was arrested in late November and charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly impersonating former…
I’ve admitted before that I’m more or less ambivalent about the legality of marijuana, but as usual, Rhode Island’s method of operations layers in an unseemly and suspicious twist to the process: All told, that’s $3.5 million in new tax revenue over two years. The Health Department is expected to announce on Tuesday the names…
A result is the opposite of justice if it has the father of a child-killer’s victim calling in to a radio show to express such thoughts as this: It was a shame he only got forty years to begin with. He should have got a life sentence, but stupidly, I allowed the plea bargaining to…
ABC6 reported the following “Breaking News” item shortly after noon today. Assuming this to be true, what do we know about Marshal O’Donnell? United States Marshal Steven O’Donnell will be named the next head of the Rhode Island State Police. ABC6 Chief Political Analyst Buddy Cianci says the announcement will occur this week. O’Donnell, formerly…
WPRO reports that RI State Police Commissioner Brendan Doherty has tendered his resignation to Governor Chafee effective April 1. No surprise, really.
Drug legalization isn’t an issue about which I’m passionate; when it comes to marijuana, I’m pretty much ambivalent. The fact that Froma Harrop supports legalization does make me wonder whether the opposite view might be wiser. In that regard, Providence College history professor Richard Grace makes some reasonable points: One wonders whether the real goal…