We can read Maureen Dowd again for free.

Whee.

The latest rat to leave the sinking ship: Ron Brownstein.

[posted by Justin Levine] 

It will happen at 7:30 PST on Tuesday morning (9/18).

Want to take a guess as to which program it will be on?…

TMZ.com has posted the full audio of O.J. Simpson and his friends allegedly robbing a memorabilia collector in Las Vegas. It’s clear O.J. and the collector know each other — and it’s clear O.J. is in charge and giving orders to confederates. Sample quotes from O.J. follow past the jump. Consider this your severe language warning:

(more…)

[Guest post by DRJ]

In his upcoming book, former Mexican President Vicente Fox has words for George W. Bush:

“The two leaders shared a border for six years, but former Mexico President Vicente Fox gives a tough assessment on President Bush in a new book out next month, according to U.S. News and World Report. In “Revolution of Hope,” set to hit book stores October 4, Fox calls Bush “the cockiest guy I have ever met in my life,” and is sharply critical of the president’s Iraq policy and his immigration stance, according to the magazine.

Though he describes warm relations with Bush, Fox in the book also calls the president’s Spanish skills “grade-school” level and says, “I can’t honestly say that I had ever seen George W. Bush getting to the White House.”

With amigos like this …

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Allegedly, Paul Devoe III killed a bartender, shot 4 Austin, Texas, residents in the head, and then fled cross-country to Pennsylvania where he killed another woman and stole her car so he could drive to his mother’s house in Long Island. His family suggests he might have a snake bite defense:

(more…)

[Guest post by DRJ]

Via Instapundit, Mickey Kaus says the next version of immigration reform is worse than the last:

“Democratic Sen. Durbin’s revived “DREAM Act” is typically billed as a way to address “the tragedy of young people”–students who were brought into the country when they were very young, and now want to attend college.
***
But it’s actually not that bad. It’s much, much worse! Kris Kobach persuasively argues that, thanks to loose drafting, it’s potentially a huge de facto legalization program of the sort many observers thought had been defeated.”

Kobach says that the Dream Act applies to anyone who illegally entered the US before age 16, has been in the US at least 5 years, and has been admitted to any technical, 2-year or 4-year college. It provides immigrants with an immediate conditional green card and they can request green card status for their parents.

The Dream Act also extends student loan and federal work-study benefits and repeals a 1996 federal law prohibiting states from offering in-state tuition to illegal immigrants unless out-of-state students receive the same tuition break.

There’s an extensive explanation and much more detail here. Please read it all.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

[The title of this post was changed by popular demand.]

The Oscar Wyatt trial in New York has received limited media attention, perhaps in part because over the years Wyatt has given more money to Democrats than Republicans and is known for his criticism of both Presidents Bush.

Oscar S. Wyatt, Jr., is a larger-than-life figure: Newsweek called him an “oil mogul” and Texas Monthly once called him “the most hated oilman in Texas.” His wife Lynn Sakowitz Wyatt is among the world’s most famous socialites. Together they travel to the most elite European locations and entertain royalty and wealthy alike.

(more…)

[posted by Justin Levine] 

Professor Erwin Chemerinsky is reportedly being rehired as dean at UCI’s Law School.

Meanwhile, Chemerinsky was representing the family of Rachel Corrie – arguing that the Caterpillar company should be liable for her death after she sat in front of a bulldozer trying to raze the homes of Palestinian terrorists/terrorist sympathizers.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has just shot down Chemerinsky’s argument 3-zip.

Christine Pelisek of the L.A. Weekly reports that Los Angeles may settle with Tennie Pierce. He is the black firefighter who wants millions of dollars for eating dog food; the firefighter who hazed other firefighters, and then sued when he himself was hazed.

Last fall, many in Los Angeles (including yours truly) were outraged when the City Council voted to pay Pierce $2.7 million. It emerged that the dog food prank followed closely on the heels of a volleyball game in which Pierce went around spiking the ball in people’s faces and yelling that he was the “big dog.” As the L.A. Weekly summarized its findings:

In a three-month investigation, the Weekly has learned that the crew present when Pierce ate dog food was not “nine white members,” as Pierce claimed in an emotional plea to a packed City Council chamber on November 28; that a taunting incident cited by Pierce as proof of harassment and retaliation was actually led by a black firefighter; that leaders of a respected black firefighters’ organization refuse to call what happened to Pierce race-based; and that Pierce called it “water under the bridge” — before hiring an attorney.

Pelisek says that, despite the fact that the mayor previously vetoed the $2.7 million dollar settlement, the city is considering settling again:

Last week, the City Attorney’s office sent a letter to members of the city council, the city Claims Board and the council’s Budget and Finance Committee, asking to meet in closed session to discuss a settlement with Pierce’s attorney Genie Harrison. The case is scheduled to go to trial September 24.

The settlement discussion is scheduled for today’s Budget and Finance Committee, chaired by City Council member Bernard Parks, who, along with two other black council members, Jan Perry and Herb Wesson, strongly favors settling the Pierce case and is rumored to be lobbying other council members to settle. A potential settlement deal may go before city council for a vote as early as Wednesday.

However, possibly blurring the issue are new photos that have allegedly emerged showing Pierce engaged in more hazing at one of his former posts, Station 61. If even more hazing photos emerge, it might be harder for the city attorney’s office to convince council members to forgo trial.

Everyone is quaking in their boots because Pierce’s lawyer recently cleaned up, winning a $6.2 million verdict for another black plaintiff from the fire Department. So, even though Pierce has no case under any common-sense view of the situation, his lawyers are emboldened.

The City Attorney wants to revive the $2.7 million offer. Pierce’s lawyers are offering to settle for $3.1 million — a figure even higher than the one already rejected by the mayor. And the L.A. Times reports that the council is mulling over figures ranging between $990,000 and $1.9 million.

This guy should not get one dime. Unfortunately, it seems that the city is too scared to take the matter to trial and secure this just outcome.

Get ready to open your wallets.

UPDATE: Pierce has settled for almost $1.5 million. My reaction to that is here.