Rep. Tom DeLay: Tick Tock, Tick Tock ...
DanaPointe
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 - Michael Scanlon, a former top official for
Representative Tom DeLay and onetime partner of the lobbyist Jack
Abramoff, has agreed to plead guilty in a deal with federal
prosecutors, according to his lawyer. The deal reveals a broadening
corruption investigation involving top members of Congress.
Criminal papers filed in federal court outlined a conspiracy that not
only named Mr. Scanlon but also mentioned a congressman, identified
only as Representative No. 1, as part of the exchange of favors from
clients funneled to lobbyists and officials.
This was the first time that a member of Congress, identified by
lawyers in the case as Representative Bob Ney, Republican of Ohio, has
been implicated in criminal papers as part of the inquiry, which has
sprawled from Indian casinos to the lucrative lobbying firms of Mr.
Abramoff and Mr. Scanlon and then reached to the Republican leadership.
Federal prosecutors announced a single conspiracy charge against Mr.
Scanlon on Friday, in advance of a Monday court hearing at which he is
expected to plead guilty in exchange for his cooperation. Investigators
accused Mr. Scanlon of conspiring to defraud Indian tribes of millions
of dollars as part of a lobbying and corruption scheme.
Mr. Scanlon, 35, is a former spokesman for Mr. DeLay. News of his
cooperation with law enforcement officials sent a jolt through the
Republican majority in Congress.
Mr. DeLay has been indicted in Texas on unrelated charges involving
fund-raising practices for state Republicans. His ties to Mr. Abramoff,
along with costly overseas trips, have been under investigation for
more than a year. The indictment forced Mr. DeLay to step aside as
House majority leader this fall.
Court papers filed Friday alleged that Mr. Scanlon and Mr. Abramoff,
who has not been charged in the Indian lobbying case, had sought to
"corruptly offer and provide things of value, including money, meals,
trips and entertainment to federal public officials in return for
agreements to perform official acts." The wording suggested that more
than one lawmaker was under investigation.
Quaoar
revealed.
Q
"DanaPointe" <da...@presidency.com> wrote in message
news:1132438254.8...@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Krusty
Sarah Monroe
By Daisuke WakabayashiWed Nov 16, 9:06 AM ET
An online auction of artwork by a serial sex killer triggered outrage in
Massachusetts on Tuesday where lawmakers proposed to block criminals
from profiting on what they called "murderabilia," setting off a debate
on free speech rights of prisoners.
A colored pencil sketch of Jesus Christ kneeling in a desert by Alfred
Gaynor, a serial killer serving four life sentences for sodomizing and
choking to death four women, went on sale on Tuesday on a Web site
operated by a prisoner advocacy group.
It was one of nearly 300 artworks offered for auction through December
18 on The Fortune Society's Web site. If sold, nearly all proceeds from
the work entitled, "A Righteous Man's Reward," will go to Gaynor, the
group said.
Protests from the families of Gaynor's victims about the possibility of
a convicted murderer profiting from his criminal celebrity prompted
state Rep. Peter Koutoujian, a Democrat, to submit a new variation of a
"Son of Sam" law in the state legislature.
But the legislative proposal triggered its own debate over the
prisoners' constitutional right of free speech.
Marjorie Heins, a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York
University, said freedom of expression extends to prisoners even if it
causes emotional distress or offense to the victim's families.
"It's too narrow to say 'it's just this one guy and he's a creep so he
shouldn't get any First Amendment rights.' Whether it is a painting or
other work produced, there is a social interest in making it available
to view it or read it," said Heins, adding, "Prisoners are not deprived
of constitutional rights."
The artwork of America's most notorious killers -- ranging from pencil
drawings by Charles Manson to a painting by executed serial killer John
Wayne Gacy -- fetch hefty sums from collectors of "murderabilia."
"We're taught in society that crime doesn't pay, but here we are
allowing crime to pay and it's sending the wrong message to people,"
said Koutoujian, a former prosecutor.
Koutoujian said the new bill focuses on banning profit from art or books
based on the criminal's celebrity and not the content itself.
Massachusetts is one of the few states without a "Son of Sam" law that
requires convicted criminals to give money earned from book, movie or
other deal to victims or to the state.
America's first such law was passed in New York after "Son of Sam"
serial killer David Berkowitz was offered big money for his story. The
U.S. Supreme Court struck down that law in 1991 but it was retooled and
put back on the books in 1992.
There are more than 30 states with such laws that have been
unchallenged, mainly because they are so seldomly invoked.
The Supreme Judicial Court, Massachusetts' highest court, said in 2002
that an earlier version of the law violated free speech provisions in
the state and federal constitutions. Koutoujian, a former prosecutor,
says the auction underlines the need for the law.
Lana Wachniak, a professor at Kennesaw State University and an expert on
serial killer art, argues most serial killers use art to promote a
veneer of normalcy and do not care about the profit from a potential sale.
The Fortune Society said its online and studio art show draws work from
a wide range of prisoners -- not just killers -- and most items sell for
less than $100.
"It's a misconception that we're selling this art for thousands and
thousands of dollars and that people are making all these profits," said
Kristen Kidder, project manager of The Fortune Society's art show.
The paintings can be found at
http://www.cmarket.com/catalog/landingPage.do?vhost=fortunes ociety.
Chocolic
"Sarah Monroe" <gmsp...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:4XSff.8704$6y4....@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
> Serial killer art raises free speech debate
>
> By Daisuke WakabayashiWed Nov 16, 9:06 AM ET
>
> An online auction of artwork by a serial sex killer triggered
> outrage in Massachusetts on Tuesday where lawmakers proposed to
> block criminals from profiting on what they called "murderabilia,"
> setting off a debate on free speech rights of prisoners.
>
Whaaat! We can take away their right to vote, but gawd forbid don't
take away their freedom of speech.
Chocolic
Bo Raxo
"Chocolic" <chatter448@nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:DhTff.132706$zb5....@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
I'm all for protecting *free* speech. But I have no problem with
constraining *commercial* speech. They want to paint, write, etc., that's
fine. They want to give it away, fine. But sell the stuff? That's when
the proceeds should be seized to reimburse the taxpayers for the
incarceration, or go to a victims' fund.
SCOTUS has drawn a sharp line between free speech and commercial speech, and
this is an excellent place to apply that philosophy.
Bo Raxo
Sarah Monroe
Last kiss from Valery
By JESS WISLOSKI
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, November 12th, 2005
She wore a dark green velvet dress, had her hair in pigtails and asked
to see her mommy one last time.
Little Valery Lozada, the 4-year-old girl abandoned on the streets of
Queens, had last been at her mother's side seven weeks ago - shortly
before her mom was strangled and stuffed into a black plastic bag.
Clutching a goodbye card, Valery asked the minister at her mom's funeral
Mass to open the coffin yesterday morning. He obliged.
Valery slipped a blue envelope - with the words "To Mom" scrawled on it
- inside and gently kissed the coffin. She began to sob as it was
carried out of Our Lady of Loreto Church in Brooklyn. Once her tears
fell, the rest of the congregants cried, too.
"She felt comforted," said her uncle, Enrique Salas.
Valery had sat silently in the front row of the East New York church,
holding the envelope throughout the Mass for her mom, Monica
Lozada-Rivadineira, 26.
Her uncle, Eugene Salas, and grandmother, Roxana Rivadineira, 45, who
traveled to the city from Valery's native Bolivia, sat on either side of
the girl, hugging her at times.
"They brought her here because they thought that it would give her
closure," said Anthony Cassieri, director of the Brooklyn Funeral Home,
which paid for the services. "Up until they got here today they were
even having second thoughts about it."
Lozada-Rivadineira's boyfriend Cesar Ascarrunz, 32, told cops he
suffocated her, stuffed her body into a black plastic bag and dumped it
at 108th St. and 66th Road on Sept. 25, authorities said.
Ascarrunz, a gynecologist, then allegedly abandoned her barefoot
daughter on a street in Middle Village at 1 a.m.
Authorities were unable to identify Valery for almost a week after she
was found. Only after her photo appeared in the Daily News and she was
shown talking on television did authorities find her relatives and place
her in protective custody with cousins. Her tragic story captured the
city's collective heart.
Thirty of her loved ones came to mourn at yesterday's Mass, which was
closed to the press.
"It was a beautiful Mass, very spiritual," Enrique Salas said after the
service.
Valery had munched a granola bar at the funeral home, and played with a
toy bracelet and ring while she waited before the Mass. She was carried
to and from the church by her cousin with a black coat draped over her
head and face. Her mother's cremated ashes will be sent back to Bolivia.