Why was this done? Because Midge Rendell, the wife of one of the defendants--Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell--sits on this court!
Recently, a 2nd motion was filed with the 3rd Circuit, pleading with the judges to answer the motion filed in December. This is their answer to that 2nd motion: GO HANG!
Consider that it has been almost seven years since the initial incident!
Consider that it has been eight months since the recusal motion was filed...and that the court promises it will be much longer!
Consider that justice delayed is justice denied!
Can this be politically motivated? Can the goal be to keep this on ice until Rendell's next campaign is completed?
If the 3rd Circuit does not rule soon on the initial recusal motion, in the face of a manifest conflict of interest, Don and Teri will file a mandamus request with the U.S. Supreme Court in the fall.
Don didn't ask me to do this, but they always, always need help with their legal bills. Financially, the last seven years have taken an inhuman toll on the both of them. If you care to help out, donations can be sent to:
The Adams Legal Defense Fund
P.O. Box 306,
Cheltenham, PA 19012
Most recent articles:
Don Adams Update: Third Circuit Asked to Recuse Itself in Suit Against Rendell
Don Adams Update: Urgent Help Needed on Appeal
Don Adams Update: Teamsters File Motion to Recover $62,673.46 in Fees and Costs
Summary of the 8/6/2003 Don Adams Decision, U.S. District Court
Anti-Clinton Protesters Lose in Suit Against Rendell
Who-what-where:
There was I time on FreeRepublic when I didn't have to introduce the topic of Don Adams. Other than Whitewater, it was FreeRepublic's first cause celebre.
In as few words as I can bear to muster, this is what happened. On October 2, 1998, Don and his sister Teri were beaten by members of the Teamsters Union for the crime of protesting against Clinton in Philadelphia.
(I myself had been attacked by the same mob earlier in the day, and I witnessed the Adams incident. I reported the events on FreeRepublic. One famous result was that it prompted Jim Robinson to call for a march on Washington, DC, which drew around 4000 people on October 31, 1998, to demand Clinton's impeachment.)
The DA filed no charges, so Don and Teri Adams pursued private criminal complaints against two of the Teamsters (Kevin McNulty and Marc Nardone), along with Teamster Local 115 boss Johnny Morris. In response, the Teamsters filed charges against Don Adams. McNulty and Nardone copped a plea and got probation. Morris walked. Don Adams was subjected to the indignity of a trial, and was acquitted in July, 1999. Meanwhile, three other Teamsters were identified from video: Charlie Davis, Mark Hopkins, and Norma Bottomer. Don and Teri Adams filed another private criminal complaint, to which the defendants copped pleas and received probation.
In November of 1999, IBT President James Hoffa ordered that Teamsters Local 115 be placed into trusteeship, and that Johnny Morris be stripped of his powers, partly as a result of the Adams beating incident. Morris contested this bitterly until the end of his life.
The civil phase has been lurching along slowly since the end of the criminal phase.
Why you should care:
It is the business of Freepers to exercise our rights under the First Amendment. When we talk back to power, we have an expectation of being secure in our persons, in our property, and in our liberty. If Don and Teri Adams lose, none of these expectations are valid. It will mean that the men in power can silence us at will, without serious consequences. Five foot-soldiers of the totalitarians have received probation. That's something. But unfortunately Don and Teri have been made to pay a long series of terrible prices over the last five years, and much more lies ahead. I expect it to get worse for them before it gets better.
Would YOU be up to it?
Here is the Don Adams Page, back again in its full glory!
Civil Case:
Johnny Morris criminal case:
Davis, Hopkins, Bottomer criminal case:
McNulty and Nardone criminal case:
GF If you read this, please FReemail me so I can thank you in cyber person. We are very touched and deeply grateful!!!!