Litigation

Tuesday Gavel Grab Briefs

By Peter Hardin

In other news about fair and impartial courts, or developments that could affect their impartiality:

• In the wake of Citizens United and the increased political spending it has unleashed, an editorial in USA Today was headlined, “Our view on campaign finance: Who’s buying this election? Who knows?”
• Partly as a result of Citizens United, new “super” political action committees or “super PACs” have emerged, pumping millions of dollars into political campaigns, according to a Washington Post article.  Meanwhile, an Associated Press article examined election-cycle spending influenced by Citizens United and reported, “GOP Groups Overwhelm Dems With Political Ads.”



• A trial about to begin in a federal courtroom in New York City for Guantanamo Bay detainee Ahmed Khalfan Gailani “will be the most visible demonstration” of a White House strategy to try terror suspects in civilian courts, according to a NPR report.
• As for Gailani, who has appeared in both military and civilian courts, he prefers the latter because, he says, it has provided him broader rights and is fairer, a New York Times article stated.

Full post as published by The Gavel on September 28, 2010 (boomark / email).