Saturday, March 28, 2009

Just so you know

I don't talk about my day job on this blog, much, or at all, which may be why I haven't been posting (so perhaps this policy should change, I'll think about it).

This is my firm representing these two asylum seekers:

Detained immigrants in Florida say they're not getting medical care

Brazilian migrants sue ICE over mental health care

Brazilian migrants sue ICE over mental health care

"Brazilian migrants sue ICE over mental health care"

PM2.5 NAAQS remanded to EPA

It's possible this NAAQS (national ambient air quality standard) value will not change as a result, but the discussion is illuminating: EPA failed to show how the value would protect human health, which is required by mandate. This is particularly (ahem) relevant to anyone who wants to claim that compliance with EPA regulation = protective of human health, in, say, some environmental review of a polluting project.

PM2.5 is fine particulate matter.

D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Remands Annual Fine Particulate Matter Standards, Upholds EPA's Decision on Coarse Particles

I've read the opinion and I think the D.C. Circuit does a bang-up job of articulating the standard of review and applying it propertly. Very well-written. The pm2.5 section would be good for those wanting a quick intro to clean air law.

election fraud arrests

Several Clay County Officials Arrested On Federal Charges

Five Clay County officials, including the circuit court judge, the county clerk, and election officers were arrested Thursday after they were indicted on federal charges accusing them of using corrupt tactics to obtain political power and personal gain.

The 10-count indictment, unsealed Thursday, accused the defendants of a conspiracy from March 2002 until November 2006 that violated the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). RICO is a federal statute that prosecutors use to combat organized crime. The defendants were also indicted for extortion, mail fraud, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to injure voters' rights and conspiracy to commit voter fraud.

According to the indictment, these alleged criminal actions affected the outcome of federal, local, and state primary and general elections in 2002, 2004, and 2006. The indictment accused the defendants of the following criminal actions:


It is so easy already, if you have money and want to be evil. Let's not make it even more easy using fucked up electronic voting systems. (Let me remind you all of my experience with electronic voting systems as an election inspector during the gubernatorial recall in California: Sidra Vitale, Election Official. OH, and Electronic voting systems hackable.)