Free Republic

President Obama defended his pick of Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court on Thursday, acknowledging he was a “white guy” but adding that he was an “outstanding jurist.” Obama defended the diversity of his federal appointments during a conversation in Chicago, Illinois, about nominating Garland. However, Senate Republicans have largely been steadfast in saying they will not hold hearings for him, since it’s an election year. Obama contended he had appointed more African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans and LGBT judges than any president before. He quipped he never felt he needed a “black lesbian from Skokie,” saying that was...

How is it that Dr. Hatem al-Haj, a fellow at the American Academy of Pediatrics and a leading Muslim jurist, misunderstands Islamic law so severely as to think that this purely cultural practice has something to do with Islam? Surely it can't be that the mainstream media and Islamic leaders in the U.S. have been lying to us, and FGM really is justified in Islam, could it? Naaah. "AMJA Senior Committee Member: Female Genital Mutilation Is 'an Honor' per Islam," from Translating Jihad, April 27 (thanks to all who sent this in): A couple of weeks ago I posted a...

The controversy surrounding the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case is disconcerting. The allegations that the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is not enforcing civil rights laws in a race-neutral manner is disturbing on several levels - as a European, an Italian, a woman and a judge. The accusations made by two Justice Department attorneys who worked in the Civil Rights Division ...

<p>The headline is that Ann Redington, Libby juror #10, wants Scooter to get a pardon. But there's actually a bigger story. It is Redington herself. If you have a chance to watch a replay of her appearance on this afternoon's Hardball, billed as an exclusive, I'd urge you to do so. She is enough to renew one's faith in the goodness and intelligence of our fellow Americans.</p>

Judge used 'penis pump' during murder case Sep 26 2005 icWales   A US judge will go on trial today charged with three counts of indecent exposure after allegedly masturbating using a “penis pump” while presiding over a murder case.Witnesses claim they could hear the noise of the device coming from beneath the robes of Donald Thompson as he sat on the bench.The 58-year-old former district judge had served at Creek County Court, Oklahoma, where he was charged, for 22 years.The sex toy will be presented as evidence during the trial.The court has also permitted testimony that a second pump...