Free Republic

Rudy Giuliani was held in contempt of court Monday and accused of trying to “run out the clock” to avoid paying his $148 million defamation verdict — which may now cost him his $3.5 million Florida condo. Manhattan federal court Judge Lewis Liman found the former Big Apple mayor in contempt twice for blowing through deadlines and not turning over key information ahead of a Jan. 16 trial over whether he has to give up the Florida abode and his prized Yankees World Series rings. Giuliani owes the multi-million dollar tab to Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter...

**SNIP** What happened? Inflation, mostly. While the “regular” tax brackets, exemptions and standard deductions were adjusted annually for inflation, the AMT brackets and exemptions were not, so many people whose income increased entered the dreaded AMT zone. Especially vulnerable are people with income over $75,000 and some large deductions, but not the exotic ones that were originally targeted by the AMT’s creators. Most vulnerable are taxpayers with several children, interest deductions from second mortgages, capital gains, high state and local taxes, and incentive stock options. Thankfully, the AMT brackets and exemptions are adjusted for inflation for 2013 and beyond, which...

A flock of 2016 presidential hopefuls will be attending a major GOP event in Iowa this month co-sponsored by anti-immigrant gadfly Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has made outreach to minorities part of his appeal, won’t go. His office says there is a scheduling conflict. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush also begged off. What to make of all this? (SNIP) He is no David Duke, but his distasteful and flamboyant attacks on illegal immigrants are well known. (SNIP) New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie headlined a fundraiser for King and reportedly announced, “I will be a supporter...