Justice Eakin’s wife: Conduct Board Chair Duncan recused herself from Justice Eakin’s disciplinary case Recusals have become an explosive topic in Pennsylvania court cases. Why? Common sense has gone out the window. The public has a right to know when Judicial Conduct Board chair Jayne Duncan recused herself from Justice Eakin’s disciplinary case, and why. […]
NewsLanc joins LNP with egg on its face
A month ago we omnisciently predicted that Marco Rubio would b e the Republican presidential candidate. Perhaps this will be true in some future year, but not in 2016. After his abysmal showing in the last few primaries, his prospects look bleak at best. We will stick our neck out again by predicting that Donald […]
LNP should have learned from Chicago Tribune’s experience
The e-edition headline at www. LNPToday.com reads “Trump, Clinton dominate primaries.” Sure, and as the Chicago Tribune rushed to report the day after the 1948 presidential election, “Dewey Defeats Truman” Considering that the big news is that Bernie Sanders upset Hillary Clinton in Michigan, LNP needs a new crystal ball.
Capitolwire: Learning from past error, PDE Sec. Pedro Rivera says he wants Legislature as ‘active partner’ in education policy changes.
By Chris Comisac Bureau Chief Capitolwire State Education Secretary Pedro Rivera told lawmakers Tuesday he wants the Legislature to be a part of the decisions his department makes. However, Rivera acknowledged that wasn’t the attitude he and his agency held this past summer when the decision was made to seek a federal waiver to pull Pennsylvania System […]
Make wage hike more than symbolic
SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE EDITORIAL: The new state tourism slogan to be introduced today probably will not be: “Pennsylvania — Lowest Minimum Wage in the Northeast!” But what that slogan lacks in pizzazz, it makes up for in sad accuracy. Gov. Tom Wolf deserves great credit for his new executive order that will increase the minimum wage […]
Enforce state gambling laws? . . . depends on who, where
By Dick Miller WE.CONNECT.DOTS: Few subjects reek more hypocrisy than Pennsylvania governance of video poker machines. Is possession illegal? Can you get in trouble playing one, even if it does not pay off? Should such a device in your local business always sport an amusement tax stamp? Depends on which day of the week […]
Cadets caught up in state police cheating scandal describe dysfunctional academy
PENNLIVE: Dysfunction inside the Pennsylvania State Police Academy went far beyond any single incident of alleged cheating, according to sources that include four cadets who left or were ousted amid the recent scandal. Cadets from the 144th class said they entered an academy last September in which instructors routinely provided answers in advance of […]
Michael Bloomberg says he won’t run for president in 2016
AOL: Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former three-term mayor of New York, said he’s decided against entering the 2016 presidential race, removing one of the remaining uncertainties in what already has been an unusual and unpredictable election year. Bloomberg, 74, who had said the 2016 presidential campaign has been marred by appeals to extremism and was […]
State Democratic Party splits in Senate, attorney general races
DELAWARE COUNTY TIMES / AP: …The party’s endorsement does not guarantee a nomination, but it can plug a candidate into fundraising and volunteer networks and provides a useful campaign slogan as the party-endorsed candidate. [Former Chairman Jim] Burn, however, suggested that [Katie] McGinty’s strong establishment support, including backing by Wolf and U.S. Senate Minority Leader […]
Does Russia or Ukraine even want the ruins of Donbas?
By Slava Tsukerman On March 1,2016 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin, speaking at the 31st regular session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, stated : “Russian aggression against Ukraine has led to the deaths of 9,000 people. More than 20 thousand were wounded and nearly two million citizens were resettled.” […]
Kane Seeks Full-Bench Recusal, Fights Charge
LEGAL INTELLIGENCER: …In an omnibus pretrial motion filed Friday, ahead of her Aug. 8 trial date, Kane said the entire Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas bench should be recused from hearing her case on perjury and obstruction charges because three of the judges have a “close connection” to her investigation and prosecution. She also […]
Police are reportedly investigating newly uncovered evidence in the O.J. Simpson murder case
AOL: …Our law enforcement sources say the construction worker took the knife to the street, where he saw an LAPD cop. He told the officer where he found the knife and the cop took it. Turns out the cop — who worked in the traffic division — was off duty at the time, working security […]
Judge’s Relationship Raises Recusal Question in Eakin Case
LEGAL INTELLIGENCER: ..Over the course of two elections, [Justice Seamus P.] McCaffery’s campaign paid more than $14,000 to Court of Judicial Discipline Judge Carmella Mullen and her husband, James Mullen, for providing campaign support, according to campaign finance reports. Eakin’s four ethics charges stem from the same email scandal that had surrounded McCaffery when he […]
LETTER: Pennsylvania justice system far too cozy
Re: KEISLING: Conflict of interest? Justice Eakin’s wife is lawyer for Judicial Conduct Board chair There are 12.79 million people in PA. More than a few of them are lawyers. Is it not possible to create some separation between the judges and the judged? Of course Duncan has to be out, but they […]