Law & Ethics - August 2007

I received this e-mail today.

At a lecture the other day they were playing old news videos of Lt. Col. Oliver North testifying at the Iran-Contra hearings during the Regan Adm. He was being drilled by a senator (Al Gore) about why he spent $60,000 on a security system. Col North said his family was threatened by a terrorist (Osama Bin Ladin, the most evil person alive) & he did not think that amount excessive. Sen. Gore could not even pronounce the name at that time. Neither could others there. He asked what Col North would do, & he said an assassin team should eliminate him & his men. The senator disagreed with this approach. No more was shown of the clip.

Also – Terrorist pilot Mohammed Atta blew up a bus in Israel in 1986. He was captured, tried & imprisoned. As part of the Oslo Agreement with the Palestinians in 1993, Israel had to agree to release so-called political prisoners.

2007-08-21 04:35:36 · 8 answers · asked by lilith663 6

A federal court case involving Internet wiretapping has revealed the Bush administration at its worst.

I don't say this lightly. Senior attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice showed up before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last week and argued that the president should be able to violate federal law--and that judges can't do anything about it.


Excerpt from a Justice Department 'state secrets' brief
Their argument rests on something called the "state secret" privilege, which traditionally has been used to pull the plug on lawsuits that could, for instance, disclose national-security secrets such as a crashed military plane's true mission.

But now President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have expanded it to throw out a lawsuit (PDF) saying that AT&T illegally opened its network to the National Security Agency. Their arguments rest on the principle that even if the president is breaking the law, he can get away with it as long as he invokes national security. Courts would be demoted to a clerical role of noting that the "state secrets" privilege has been invoked and dismissing the case post-haste.

This would, if taken to its logical conclusion, allow the president to get away with murder.

Here, of course, we're talking about the Bush administration trying to derail a civil lawsuit against AT&T filed to right a wrong--there's no criminal prosecution--but the principle is the same. (Note that 50 USC 1809 makes it a federal felony to engage "in electronic surveillance under color of law, except as authorized by statute.")

No wonder the judges were skeptical. "The bottom line here is that once the executive declares that certain activity is a state secret, that's the end of it?" Judge Harry Pregerson asked. "No cases, no litigation, absolute immunity? The king can do no wrong?"

These are the kind of questions that journalists should be asking as well, and that's what I'm planning to do through this new blog here on CNET News.com. It's an independent, nonpartisan effort to report on the intersection of technology, law and policy in the areas that affect our lives and liberty.

And because I said it would be nonpartisan, I should acknowledge that the Department of Justice during the Clinton and Carter presidencies invoked the state secret privilege as well. And it's true that perhaps a Gore or Kerry presidency would have veered in the same expansive direction as Bush has. But that lies in the realm of speculation; the reality today is that we have the worrying prospect of a president who would place himself above the law.

http://news.com.com/8301-13578_3-9763099-38.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

2007-08-21 04:31:40 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous

What is the age in which you are able to obtain a driver's permit and/or license??

2007-08-21 04:05:39 · 5 answers · asked by Tiff [{Majorette}] 2

Recently my husband's debit card was stolen by a carpet installer in our home. He went on a spending spree, and nearly cleaned out our bank account. Luckily, a red flag came up on our account and stopped the spending.

Anyway, we have identified him from the security footage of two different stores. We are waiting to hear back from the police about if charges will be filed against him. Our bank put the money back into our account yesterday, but we don't really feel like that makes everything better.

We are not sue happy types of people, but it just seems like we should get something from the carpet company for hiring people like this that we trust to come into home. To top it all off, when this first happened, the company was really rude to me and acted like I was lying, and their carpet installers would never steal anything.

So my question is this- can I sue the carpet company? I just really want a partial or full refund for services...and an apology would be nice too!

2007-08-21 03:53:39 · 7 answers · asked by rebecca f 3

I have an agreement with someone that we agreed to get notorized as a formal agreement. I drafted the agreement, he approved it via email and I went and signed two originals in front of a notary. I mailed it to him via certified mail. He is supposed to sign the two originals in front of a notary and mail one back to me. It has been several weeks, and despite my followups via phone and email, he has yet to mail me my original back with signature. Part of the agreement will come to pass in about a week. Am I liable to follow that agreement? He says he "lost" it, which I'm sure is just a bogus lie.
Does the fact that I never received my original back with signature play in my favor or is the fact that I signed it at all and it exists enough to bind me to it?

2007-08-21 03:43:46 · 3 answers · asked by Lunar Sarah 4

I interviewed with 1 other co-worker to a competiting company, i made it, he didnt. So word got out, at the same time, i took a 30 day leave of absence, my current employer called over to my future employer, (possibly planting bad seeds), inquiring to see if i was employed by them. They were hoping to see if i was working at a job while on a leave of absence, thus grounds for termination! I wasn't but am worried if my chances have been hurt at my future employer. Do i have grounds to make a complaint to anyone is my question about an overzealous manager?

2007-08-21 03:42:31 · 3 answers · asked by azhardav 1

I was bidding on something on ebay when someone started bidding too so I decided to stop bidding for then and when I came back a few days later the price was 600% of what it originally was and I checked the bidding history and it said that the same person kept raising the price after I had left and this seemed lick they were aan account used by the seller of the product.Is this legal for them to do that?

2007-08-21 03:40:00 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous

In the state of Georgia, what are the laws about selling your house and moving into a nursing home, does the nursing home have the right to take that money for selling your home?

2007-08-21 03:39:39 · 8 answers · asked by whisper_2myheart 1

there is a scumbag family that live near me who terrorise the estate. the kids boys and girls aged 8-15 have got to be the most horrible racist, theiving, nasty, drug taking ugly slime faced bullies i have ever met. anyway i had to go to my local neighbour office to complain as my hubby was on the verge of 'sorting' the lads out himself and he would have got himself in trouble. anyway someone from the local housing office has since contacted me asking me to go to court to stand up against them with others who have complained about them over the years. what would you do? if i dont there may not be enough evidence to get them removed from the area and if i do and they still dont get removed then what?

2007-08-21 03:33:05 · 14 answers · asked by gemma r 5

2007-08-21 03:29:58 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

If you take someones life (essentailly Violating every single one of there Human Rights) I dont think you should have the option of falling back on human rights to protect you.

The Now deceased person didnt get the option.

Hopefully that makes sense.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

2007-08-21 03:23:10 · 21 answers · asked by Mikey 3

Shy didnt take the Clinton name when she married why dose she use it now?

2007-08-21 03:22:06 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-08-21 03:11:50 · 11 answers · asked by Vulger 1 1

2007-08-21 03:05:18 · 5 answers · asked by Don Draper 1

2007-08-21 03:04:20 · 2 answers · asked by Don Draper 1

..selling the same product, can I contact the old clients? I did not sign any non-compete contract, in fact, all I have is a basic letter of appointment and been working here for 3 years

2007-08-21 02:50:15 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

I don't want a bunch of PETA bandwagoneers on my case for this one, just read the question and think about it!! Please.
Our laws are pretty messed up. We have a referee looking at 25 years for game fixing. Fixing a freaking basketball game/games!! A GAME. When murderers, Child molesters, repeat drunk drivers, theaves, robbers, etc. get a lot less than that?
Yes, I'm mentioning Michael Vick! He is looking at up to 5 years(he won't get that, but still) He will serve time in prison whether it be 1 year or 3 years, for gambling on dogfights and sponsering illegal acts. Huh? Let's not tell anyone about the "illegal act" our own government is doing as we speak! Give me a break, when is our judicial system really going to start working?

2007-08-21 02:48:37 · 12 answers · asked by tonydgr8 5

An officer of the law interviewed me and three other individuals.Out of the 4 interviews,I was summons'ed to court as a defendant.Nobody else was summonsed.The office told 2 of the other people that he was "after" me and that he would do "what it takes to send me to jail".So far he took someone else's confession and said it was mine.Altered 1's written statement.Refused to give me an attorney.Did not read me my rights.As to this day nobody has read me my rights.Did not arrest anyone else even though 1 admitted to the crime and another admitted to destroying evidence to keep 1 out of trouble.They even have information in the formal charges wrong.Alot of information in the formal charges is wrong misssing or nonexsistent.The physical evidence against me would prove everything I am saying but the law enforcement officer won't go get the evidence even though he knows where everything is at.

2007-08-21 02:46:26 · 4 answers · asked by billwill76087 1

This is for a level 2 nvq in business admin

2007-08-21 02:41:14 · 4 answers · asked by wightyellow 1

Which Course has Brighter Future?
1. Cyber Law
2. Corporate Laws and Management
3. Envrionmental Law
4. Intellectual Property Rights Law
5. International Trade Law
6. Labour Law
7. Securities and Banking Laws
8. Tax Law
9. Human Rights Law

2007-08-21 02:31:07 · 6 answers · asked by Shahil 1

2007-08-21 02:27:48 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

It's becoming ever more present, how little Freedom we have,
Is it Right That We Should be 'Kept Track Of' and 'Watched' hence the 'Big Brother Society'

If You Own a Mobile Phone They Can Track you Down to within 10 Metres (approx) and your Mobile Service Provider, does (so i've heard) keep track of some of its customers.

If You Use the Internet Everything You Do and Download is Automatically Stored By Your Internet Provider.

CCTV is everwhere.

Is It Right?

2007-08-21 02:26:01 · 5 answers · asked by Chris 4

2007-08-21 02:07:25 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous

in the military ets is when youre enlistment is over they can put u on a stop lose and keep u in the service until they want u to exit the service now on the other hand KBR workers who really voluteer to work in a war enviroment sign a contract and if they cant handle it they just decide to go home and find another job not really mad at the system just after 3 times in iraq 16yrs in service time 4 me to go to the house.

2007-08-21 02:03:24 · 4 answers · asked by Ive gone diving 4

actuly in 1999 - 2000 i joining a company in pune but company not pay our provident fund share in PPF office but cutting in salary what can i do for this ? PPF office not recover this amount from company ? what is use of ppf office .

2007-08-21 01:55:43 · 1 answers · asked by nilesh kul 2

Being Transitioned in war time to a Patriot act the constitution don't defend traitors if they are in congress when Mob mentality is protected under the Patriot Act....
How will Congress bring back Rule of Law when the Mob is going to hang them for Treason.?

2007-08-21 01:39:29 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous

This is a huge problem. We keep making laws that dictate policy to the masses because of the personal beliefes of the politicians. Personal choice is removed from the equation because someone in government "knows" better about something.

Example...

Seat Belts/Air Bags. You have cops giving tickets for not wearing seat belts for no other reason than generating revenue. Im an educated and responsible person and understand what may happen in the event of an accident if not wearing a seat belt. I DO NOT believe that anyone should be telling me what I have to do because THEY know better about somethig than me. We had politicans in CHicago that got busted on TV for not wearing seat belts!! So, at the end of the day, I have to spend more on my vehicles with air bags because they save lives. It should be personal choice as to wheather or not I want that protection and it shold not be dictated.

What do yo think?

2007-08-21 01:22:17 · 7 answers · asked by Paul 6

I submitted an application under RTI Act to PIO of District Magistrates to seek information about the court of ADM. The ADM did not reply to questions asked and told that the application be moved to his court as the information sought relates to court.
Are the lower courts under District Magistrates and District Judges are covered under RTI - Right to Information Act.
If I move an application with court I am not sure if I will ever get a reply during my life time as nothing moves in lower courts unless bribed.

2007-08-21 00:27:55 · 7 answers · asked by Rajiv Kumar Agarwal 1

I took out a bank loan to cover and consolidate some old debts and also pay off an overdraft which they were demanding to be paid off in one go if i didnt take out the loan to pay it off, however due to a change in situation I was no longer able to make repayments as agreed in the terms. I have since found out that the loan was classed as a home improvement loan. now at the time I didnt own a home as I lived with my mum, it looks to me they did this to get the loan approved. I do not own a home currently as I rent. Can they get away with this and have they mis sold me the loan?

2007-08-21 00:00:07 · 12 answers · asked by Paul S 5

I take photos of statues, buildings, shops and general subjects. Sometimes normal candid photos of adults (never children).
The police leave me alone but 'security' oficers can be a problem. What powers do they have? Can they take the camera? If they ask for my name can I ask them for theirs first and the company they work for. I am thinking of having a recorder to record any insident and if they lay a hand on me then have them for asault.

2007-08-20 23:52:31 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous