That’s the question that Gawker is asking tonight.  Did conservative shockjock Erich “Mancow” Muller fake his May 22 waterboarding?  They’ve been doing a little digging on the issue after a tipster alerted them to a set of emails outlining the possible hoax.  Maybe the most important part (emph. Gawker’s):

It is going to have to look “real” but of course would be simulated with Mancow acting like he is drowning.| MORE ›

I still need to study Jude Sotomayor’s judicial history more closely.  Hopefully I’ll have my thoughts collected by the week’s end.  I certainly wouldn’t want to fall into the trap of pre-determining her to be a moderate (as the liberals are doing), or a judicial activist (as the conservatives are doing) without actually reading into things first.  Would want to go into my thoughts blindly, after all.| MORE ›

Direct from the bowels of the Institute for Snarky Haberdashery (ISH), the following talking points are offered as potential avenues of attack for killing the Sotomayor nomination. We are certain this list will be more effective in the current political environment than the current slate of Republican National Committee talking points:

- Sotomayor appeared on The Real Housewives of Cleveland.
- Sotomayor publicly admitted to not recycling.
- Sotomayor is rumored to own a rare “Clay Aiken: Greatest Hits” CD.| MORE ›

A month ago, I wrote an article defending Michigan v. Jackson, the 22-year-old decision that essentially copied the Edwards v. Arizona decision that applies to the 5th amendment of the U.S. Constitution and gave the same protections to the 6th amendment.  Namely, once legal counsel has been requested, police are not allowed to interrogate a defendant until counsel has arrived to assist unless the defendant first initiates discussion.

However, today the Supreme Court voted 5-4, in Montejo v. Louisiana to overrule Jackson.  Here’s an excerpt from the decision:| MORE ›

Senator Burris may be channeling Senator Clark. Unlike the Montana copper king, Burris is pretty stingy when it comes to trying to buy a Senate seat. But some things never change.

A century after William Andrews Clark was accused of buying a seat in the U.S. Senate by bribing Montana electors, there were questions about how a political lightweight like Roland Burris got the nod to become the junior senator from Illinois.| MORE ›

The mayor of Paris is likely to honor the Dalai Lama for his work on behalf of his people, and peace:

The Dalai Lama is likely to be honored by the mayor of Paris during a June visit, a Tibetan representative said Tuesday—a meeting that could once again strain relations between France and China.| MORE ›

Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is in trouble. His wife, Veronica Lario, was fed up with his somewhat extraverted lifestyle, and filed for divorce. Once she did, she started to accuse Berlusconi of sleeping with other women, and now, even, of having a ‘wrong’ relationship with now 18-year old Noemi Letizia, an aspiring model who wants to break into show business.

Lario says that Berlusconi attended the girl’s 18th birthday, even though he did not attend the 18th birthdays of his own children.| MORE ›

Perhaps:

Seniority is so important to senators that the Democrats’ move to knock Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) to the bottom of the seniority ladder so quickly after he joined their party may have seriously hurt their credibility with future party switchers. Indeed, while no Republican is currently considering switching sides, Democrats may have lost a critical bargaining chip if they ever want to woo other disaffected Republicans, according to many senators and aides.| MORE ›

Is corporate America finally standing up for itself?

The Treasury Department this week is expected to unveil its plan for revamping the patchwork of agencies that oversee the financial industry.

Judging from the talk of add-ons from Congress and even the White House, some business lobbyists figure the package might as well come with Santa wrapping, tinsel and lights.

Sen.| MORE ›

The breaking news is that President Obama will shortly announce Sonya Sotomayor as his choice for Supreme Court Justice, replacing retiring Justice Souter.

In practical terms, its pretty much a wash, as Sotomayor, like Souter, is generally to the left. The question will be – how much to the left from her staring point will she move over her career on the bench? I haven’t read enough of her writing or about her to have a strong opinion yet.| MORE ›