The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will vote April 5 on a proposed campaign finance regulation that would define “electioneering communication” to include weblogs that receive more than 500 hits from San Francisco voters. There would be a disclosure requirement (that must be made in a 14-point typeface) and potential reporting requirements. (via Southern California Law Blog and Personal Democracy Forum).
American Justice Partnership
This new organization, among other functions, serves as a clearinghouse for the latest information about litigation reform efforts around the country; its site has updates on the recent progress of such legislation in Missouri, South Carolina, Florida and elsewhere. The AJP also recently produced an audio feature (downloadable/streamable) in which three of us (myself, Steven B. Hantler of the DaimlerChrysler Corp., and Fox News commentator Judge Andrew Napolitano) discuss the topic, specifically from the standpoint of: what can a business person do to make a difference? If you’re interested in the ongoing battle over litigation reform, you’ll want to spend some time checking out the whole site.
“Reduced-sugar” cereals not healthier? Sue
A San Diego mother is suing the makers of such cereals as Trix, Cocoa Puffs and Froot Loops “seeking class-action status for all consumers in the state who bought the low-sugar cereals thinking they were healthier than full-sugar versions.” The manufacturers, her suit alleges, substitute other refined carbohydrates for the missing sugar, leaving calorie count and nutritional value little changed. (“Mother sues cereal makers over ‘lower-sugar’ slogan”, AP/Pasadena Star-News, Mar. 28; Greg Moran, “Mother sues over cereal nutrition”, AP/San Diego Union-Tribune, Mar. 29; “Mother sues over ‘deceiving’ cereal labels”, ABCNews.com, Mar. 30). Among those who wonder why she couldn’t have looked more closely at the nutrition label in the first place: Christine Hurt, GeoBandy, and commenters at DrudgeRetort. See also Mr. Sun.
Plaintiff suing Harvard cites Summers remarks
Reason #45,219 for college presidents to zip their lips on a wide variety of controversial topics: their comments may be thrown back at the university in court. “In court documents filed recently in support of her lawsuit, Goodwin [Desiree Goodwin, the “too pretty” librarian whose widely publicized bias suit against the university is now at trial] cites controversial remarks made by Harvard President Lawrence Summers in January, when he suggested at an academic conference that intrinsic differences in ability are a key reason why fewer women are in the applicant pool for jobs at the highest levels of science.” (“‘Sexy’ library worker pursues discrimination case against Harvard”, AP/Boston Herald, Mar. 21; see Red State Law Blog, Mar. 22). For more on the lawsuit, see Nina L. Vizcarrondo, “Testimony Begins in Worker’s Lawsuit”, Harvard Crimson, Mar. 23; more news links.
“Cultural training required for doctors”
Paging Sally Satel: Acting New Jersey Gov. Richard J. Codey last week signed into law legislation requiring doctors to receive so-called cultural competency training as a condition of obtaining or renewing their licenses to practice medicine. The measure is apparently the first of its kind, but advocates are pushing similar measures in other states as well. (Shawn Rhea, Camden Courier-Post, Mar. 24). Background: Sally Satel and Jonathan Klick, “Don’t Despair Over Disparities”, Weekly Standard, Mar. 1, 2004, reprinted at Satel’s site.
Traffic-cams
Radley Balko has more (Mar. 22, Mar. 23, Mar. 31, and again Mar. 31) on how the use of these devices tends to turn criminality into a carefully cultivated cash cow. For more, see Mar. 10, 2004 (and links from there) and Jul. 22, 2004.
While at The Agitator, check out the news of legislative proposals to confiscate for a month cars with overly loud radios (Mar. 22; Contra Costa County, Calif.) and (over-)regulate online dating services (Mar. 20; California legislature).
FEC and blogs
If you happen to blog about political/campaign issues from your employer’s computer at work, watch out: you may be caught in the web of campaign-finance regulation under draft rules from the Federal Election Commission. (Eugene Volokh, Mar. 23; Ryan Sager, “Mice and Free-Speech Cookies”, New York Post, Mar. 30; Log and Line; Captain’s Quarters). For more, see Mar. 4 and Mar. 17. More: May 20.
Radio today: Grover Norquist show
I’m scheduled to be a guest today at about 2:10 p.m. Eastern on Grover Norquist’s “Leave Us Alone” radio program streamed on the RighTalk network.
“Stalingrad” divorce tactics
In a rancorous fourteen-month divorce trial, John Ofori-Tenkorang disputed the existence of his marriage to Jacqueline Anom, claiming marriage photos had been falsified; claimed to have routinely thrown away bank records, failing to disclose what the judge concluded were assets exceeding $1.7 million; and “wouldn’t stipulate that he wasn’t a close relative of his wife’s, or under the care of a conservator — two grounds for invalidating a marriage, forcing those issues to be proven in court.” Judge Kevin Tierney compared Ofori-Tenkorang’s tenacious assertion of legal issues to the 1942 battle deep inside Russia: “German troops surrounded the Soviet city of Stalingrad on the Volga River. They used aerial attacks, artillery bombardment and intensive panzer assaults. The city was reduced to rubble. Virtually no building stood.” (Thomas B. Scheffey, “‘Stalingrad’ Defense Tactics Prove Costly in Divorce Case”, Connecticut Law Tribune, Mar. 28).
More: reader (and historian) John Steele Gordon (his site) writes:
It sounds like the judge is a better jurist than a historian. Stalingrad, backed by the Volga River, wasn’t surrounded. That’s how the Russians were able to resupply their troops and hold the city. Then, with Zhukov’s offensive, in November, 1942, it was the Germans who were surrounded and trapped in the Stalingrad pocket.
Schools and sunscreen
Those reports from Bristol, England last summer (“It’s sunny, stay inside”, Jul. 6) turn out not to be an isolated case: in Montgomery County, Maryland, ordinary sunscreen lotion is considered a medication for which a doctor’s note is required, while in adjacent Howard County, a student who wishes to use sun protection cream must bring in a parent’s note and the bottle must be kept with the school nurse. The American Cancer Society, which favors wide sunscreen use as a protective against skin cancer, is upset. (Daniel de Vise, “Bill Would Legislate Maryland Students’ Use of Sunscreen”, Washington Post, Mar. 29)(via Taranto). More on zero tolerance: Kris Axtman, “Why tolerance is fading for zero tolerance in schools”, Christian Science Monitor, Mar. 31.